SANDAKAN – The Sandakan Municipal Council (SMC), which oversees the second largest urban centre in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu, has for the past ten years aspired to elevate its status to that of a city council.
However, that endeavour might be a far cry as several basic issues related to infrastructure and services remain unresolved.
SMC’s aspiration was last mentioned at a state assembly sitting recently, when Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who is also the state’s finance minister II, said that SMC’s proposal would be considered and due processes in the matter pursued.
However, Sandakan MP, Vivian Wong Shir Yee expressed shock at Masidi’s response as the district is still struggling with the most basic issues – including rubbish collection and frequent water disruptions.
“Is this the image of a city?” she questioned.
She said that Sandakan’s aspiration to be elevated to city-status must not merely be the process of changing its name, but a pursuit to attain the attributes of a city.
“There is no point having old wine in a new bottle,” she said.
SMC’s road to become a city
To achieve city council status, the district must have a population of over 500,000, and an annual income of at least RM100 million, both are requirements that SMC has been unable to meet.
A city council must also have sustainable urban development; providing high-level facilities and services, including enforcement and other local authority functions, among others.
To meet the required income, SMC has introduced a coupon parking system at parking spaces under the jurisdiction of the council in 2017.
In 2018, the then state Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor – who is chief minister today – announced that Sandakan will achieve city council status in July that year, but the decision was put on hold after the general election in May 2018 which saw a change of government.
In February 2020, the federal Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamarudin said that Sandakan was well on its way to achieving city status.
But there was no update on the matter after that, especially after the state ruling party changed again following the state election in September last year.
SMC president Wong Foo Tin has remained tight-lipped on SMC’s pursuit.
Meanwhile, Vivian said the public deserves to know SMC’s progress on the matter.
“Update us, so that we can evaluate our progress together. The people’s representatives are here, I am here, make full use of us and let us achieve our target of becoming a city together,” she said.
She proposed ten key initiatives for Sandakan to be a true city:
Firstly, revive the pandemic-embattled economy, improve the efficacy of the local government’s delivery system and create a more business friendly environment.
Secondly, improve waste management including rubbish collection, and beef up enforcement against littering; developing proper sanitary landfills or incinerators for Sandakan’s solid waste disposal.
Thirdly, complete the second phase of the Sandakan sewerage scheme to eliminate direct discharge through the only marine outfall left in Sabah; increase the capacity of the existing centralised sewerage treatment plant to cater for the increasing population.
Fourth, upgrade Sandakan’s existing public healthcare facilities to provide more beds and specialist care services.
Fifth, resume the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) project at SMC Tower to improve government service delivery in the east coast of Sabah; provide a more efficient and community-friendly service.
Sixth, accelerate the People’s Housing Programme in Sandakan to relocate the more than 30,000 locals currently living in squatter settlements here, thus eliminating related public health and safety risks.
Seventh, develop Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Sandakan campus; offer additional undergraduate programmes to complement niche sectors in Sandakan that meet the strategic needs of the state.
Eight, develop a transportation master plan to improve the overall road network in Sandakan, including overcoming the frequent traffic congestion in town and Mile 7, completing the second phase of the Southern Ring Road and Libaran Bypass projects.
Nine, develop a master plan for public transport and urban land use to ensure Sandakan’s future growth and expansion will be done in an orderly and sustainable manner.
Lastly, develop a landscaping masterplan to make Sandakan a true Nature City of Malaysia.
“I strongly believe that with the above ten initiatives in place, Sandakan will be able to stand proudly and confidently among all major cities in the country,” she said. – The Vibes, January 31, 2021
