The integration of city of Kuching south and north should be preserved with a lot of interactions between the populations on both sides of Sungai Sarawak, which should be considered as a special beauty to be shared together and not as division to separate them.
It was exactly for this reason that certain areas of Municipality of Kuching City South are on the other side of the river and those under the City Hall of Kuching City north of this side in order to maintain the multi-racial character of both city councils. The other side cannot be 100% natives and this side 100% Chinese.
Chief Minister Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, in his speech to launch the festival to mark the 24th anniversary of Kuching city, says the State government, in keeping with wishes and aspirations of the people, will continue to work hard to build a multi-racial society, multi- racial city and multi-racial nation. The objective is being incorporated by the State government in all its policies of development.
The overall plan for the development of Kuching city is for it to grow more pleasant and where the people can read the whole character of Sarawak in it. Even from the very beginning the intention is serve the whole of Kuching, not just Kuching city south or Kuching City North. Hence, both the City hall and the Municipal council have been emphasizing on working closely together in activities relating to community services.
For example, the residents of Kuching city south are encouraged to come to Kuching city north, which is still very rich with green and has a lot of open spaces for their leisure. The people, both old and young can have recreational activities in those open spaces.
Generally, areas under Kuching city north have a lot of good beaches, which should be used for social activities. They are more rural and pleasant and having better access to nature. Besides, places like Buntal and Santubong can host activities that should be slightly different from those in Kuching South, which is more urbanized.
Hopefully, the Municipal council and the City hall should endeavor to find ways to increase activities for the people, for young people in particular, to create opportunities for them to enlarge their circle of social interactions.
Essentially, the struggle to improve the quality of life of the people must take precedence over politics. Understandably, the people, even in England, make more demands during elections. Generally, the local government is expected to emphasize services to the people regardless of politics; it must endeavor to put things in perspective.
Pehin Sri Abdul Taib says the development of Pasir Panjang as a family park will be ready in five years. A road, being built into the area will enable the people from the city to have access to the sea, to the beautiful beaches in more imaginative ways.
He is studying the possibility to link Pasir Panjang with Santubong with a cable car. The proposed project should be able to take off the ground and become profitable with real property development now taking place in and around the area. The development of the cable car project, once completed, will provide another attraction for the people in the city to go to beaches during weekends and public holidays.
Pehin Sri Abdul Taib says a foot and bicycle bridge will be built across Sungei Sarawak to further accelerate interactions among the people from both sides. The river must be considered a special beauty to be shared by the people both in Kuching city north and Kuching city south and not a division between them.
He has asked SEDC to invite both City hall of Kuching North and the Municipality of Kuching South to build the bridge to further integrate the city on both sides of the river. The proposed bridge will have snack bars so that the people, while walking, can stop to have ice cream, satay or other tids bits.
He says the State government also plans to set up a museum and develop a botanical garden in Kuching city North, which still has plenty of land as part of the overall plan to develop the city. Both the proposed museum and botanical garden will become assets of the population of greater Kuching city, which is lucky to have a lot of natural endowments.
He says the State government also plans to set up a business centre that can give conveniences to people without going all over the town for services. The city must have a good business centre in anticipation of many international firms that will come in the next five to 10 years from now. The city must plan for a new business district with all the conveniences for the purpose. Undoubtedly, the private sector will benefit from greater industrial development and the overall positive growth of city in future.
Generally, Kuching started a great expansion with the development of Batu Kawa to become a commercial centre and the development of Matang road right to Lundu 24 years ago. It also expanded towards Samarahan and more vigorously along the Kuching/ Sri Aman road. The population has increased from less than 200, 000 then to more than 600,000 now.
Undoubtedly, the creations of City hall of Kuching North and the Municipal council of Kuching south have helped to realize most of the dreams to develop the city of Kuching to become what it is today a pleasant, clean and an interactive city among residents.
Obviously, both the City hall and the municipal council have been working very hard to display the soul of the people, which is not an easy job. They have been making conscientious efforts to implement the policy to make the people contribute towards a better life for the residents.
The involvement of the people comprising of social and charitable workers in community services helps the city to grow to become more pleasant and more importantly, depicts the whole character of Sarawak.
Both the City hall and Municipal council have given greater emphasis on community services and infusion of new blood into their services to enable them to appreciate the necessity to work closely with the people in order to know better their needs, aspirations and rising expectations.
They are able to incorporate the wishes and aspirations of the people and training for community leaders into their programs and policies to bring their machinery closer to the people.
Undoubtedly, both the City hall and the municipal council have been working very hard to transform the city to become clean, green and orderly. They have been able to reach out to people through the neighborhood programs to get them to be involved in activities of the city.
Sarawak On Line 