KUCHING: Is the Serian District Council (SDC) prepared to take on greater responsibilities in managing the district’s rapid urban growth?
This is the question foremost on the minds of Serian folk as the town’s development gathers pace.
Serian has undergone significant transformation over the past decade. Once regarded mainly as a quiet rural stopover along the Kuching-Sri Aman road, it is now evolving into a vibrant administrative and commercial centre serving the wider Serian division.
With the continued push for development by the Sarawak government, more housing estates, commercial premises and infrastructure projects are emerging in and around the town.
This growth has naturally increased expectations by the Sarawak government and among residents for better municipal services, efficient planning and improved public amenities.
SDC chairman Datuk Peter Minos believes the council is prepared to shoulder bigger responsibilities as the town continues to expand.
“We are aware that Serian is growing fast and with that growth comes greater responsibilities for the municipal council,” he said when asked about the council’s readiness to manage a larger urban population.
Minos said the council has been strengthening its administrative capacity and improving services to ensure that development in Serian remains orderly and sustainable.
“Our officers and staff are working hard to improve the delivery of services such as waste management, public cleanliness, licensing and enforcement. These are basic responsibilities that must be carried out efficiently as the town grows.
“Indeed, SDC should be ready for bigger responsibilities. I used to tell the staff sooner or later we will be a municipal council,” he said.
According to him, long-term urban planning is also being given serious attention to prevent problems commonly associated with rapid urbanisation.
“We want development in Serian to be well-planned. Proper land use planning, adequate drainage systems and good traffic management are important if we want the town to grow comfortably for the people,” he added.
Minos acknowledged that population growth and increased business activities will inevitably bring new challenges to the council.
However, he stressed that cooperation between the municipal council, state agencies and the local community will be key to ensuring that Serian continues to develop in a balanced and sustainable manner.
“The council cannot work alone. Development requires cooperation from many parties including government agencies, the private sector and the public,” he said.
“I would say the SDC can do more than it is handling at the moment if there is some urgency among the agencies and the staff.
“We are trying to bring in a lot of development, but I think we need more maturity in the manpower not just in SDC but also in other local relevant government departments and agencies,” he said.
Minos said when he was with the Samarahan Muncipal Council (SMC), not only he has an experienced and matured council secretary to work with but they were also able to work with good and dedicated officers in government agencies.
“That is why when the Sarawak government wants to implement the projects in the division, the government officers know what to do. They tried their best that everything be done faster.
“I should say it was a group effort in SMC. That is how things should be done in Serian as well, but Serian doesn’t match that yet.
Minos explained that SDC cannot implement any development project without the approval by other the local government departments and agencies.
He said the public can tell why a particular district council or municipal can move or grow very fast and why a particular district is growing so slow.
“For instance, why so many things are growing up in Bintulu and Samarahan? It’s because the local council officers and those from other government agencies get themselves motivated, trying to get things done fast. That’s why they grow faster.
“In Serian, our cooperation is good with other government departments and agencies, just that they are slow in approving the proposed projects that it makes the development progressing quite slow.
Minos believed that Serian’s strategic location gives it strong potential to become an important economic hub for the surrounding rural districts.
Its position along major road links connecting Kuching to the interior of southern Sarawak has helped stimulate business activities ranging from retail and food services to agricultural trade.
He said the council welcomes this positive development and SDC is committed to ensuring that Serian remains an attractive place for residents, investors and visitors alike.
“We want Serian to be a clean, organised and progressive town. With proper planning and the support of other agencies and the people, we believe the council is capable of handling bigger responsibilities in the future,” he said.
As Serian continues to grow in importance within southern Sarawak, the role of the Serian District Council will undoubtedly become more crucial in shaping the district’s urban future.
