SIBU: Community leaders and local authority councillors must serve as exemplary role models to the public, as their conduct and discipline reflect the image of the government and the leadership of today.
Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil, said the roles of penghulu, community chiefs and councillors are not merely titles, but responsibilities that require them to uphold dignity, good character and integrity as leaders within the community.
“The public is always observing the behaviour of community leaders. If we fail to display good discipline and moral values ourselves, how can we expect the people to respect us?” he said during the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) townhall session with local authority councillors and community leaders here today, as reported by UKAS.
Penguang said the Sarawak Government remains committed to enhancing public service delivery, including through policy improvements involving community leaders and councillors.
Among the measures currently being considered, he said, is the implementation of minimum academic qualifications or equivalent experience as part of the appointment criteria to improve the quality of service delivery.
In this regard, he reminded that the actions and conduct of political secretaries, councillors and community leaders would always be scrutinised by the public and could influence public confidence in the government.
