KUCHING: Datuk James Chan’s service as mayor has been extended for another eight months.
He told the media after a full council meeting of Kuching South City Council (MBKS) yesterday that he would continue to serve until August next year.
He said that he received a notification letter to the effect from the State Secretary yesterday.
The services of all the 31 councillors, including the deputy mayor’s, have also been extended until June 2019.
Chan said he received a letter of notification regarding the councillors’ service extension yesterday.
“I thank the Chief Minister, the State Cabinet, and our minister in-charge for the kind gesture. That means that perhaps we have been doing well, and we hope to do more for the city,” he said.
He said he felt motivated as his service has been recognized, which is “very important”.
“What is more important is the people must benefit from my service,” he said.
“It is not a matter of being mayor. As a mayor, what can I do to help make Kuching safe? So, I am getting my staff to see that the people are more important in our terms of service.”
He admitted that not everything could be resolved, but that their main focus was service for the people to ensure the city continues to grow.
“We don’t want the city to go backwards, so we want to create vibrancy and the people would gain from having a good environment.”
Chan, 68, has been mayor of Kuching South since June 2008.
“It has been more than 10 years already. My first term was two years. The second was three years, followed by one year and another year, then six months and now eight months,” he said.
