KUCHING: Residents of Jalan Arang and the surrounding areas will have the opportunity to raise local issues directly with four government agencies during a community dialogue hosted by Batu Kitang assemblyman, Datuk Lo Khere Chiang, on Saturday (July 4).
The dialogue will be held at 9:00 am at the Taman Mewah Basketball Court, bringing together representatives from the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), Sarawak Water Sdn Bhd, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and the Housing Development Corporation, to address residents’ concerns.
Speaking at a press conference at the Level 1 Meeting Room of the N13 Batu Kitang Service Centre today, Lo said the programme was designed to strengthen communication between residents and government agencies by providing a single platform where community issues could be discussed and resolved more efficiently.
He said the four agencies were selected because they were responsible for the issues most frequently raised by residents in the Jalan Arang area.
“Instead of asking residents to approach each agency separately, we are bringing everyone together under one roof so they can ask questions, seek clarification, and receive direct responses from the relevant authorities,” he said.
According to Lo, issues involving MPP commonly include roads, traffic management, drainage, assessment rates, tree maintenance, and street lighting.
On water supply, Lo said residents had continued to raise concerns over discoloured and muddy water.
He noted that Sarawak Water had been carrying out flushing works, resulting in improvements in water clarity, but acknowledged that residents would still have questions requiring further explanation from the utility provider.
Meanwhile, he said police representatives would address public safety concerns, while officers from the Housing Development Corporation would respond to issues involving public housing, including those affecting residents of Taman Flora Indah.
Lo said Taman Flora Indah comprised about 570 residential units housing approximately 800 households, making housing-related issues an important component of the dialogue.
He thanked all participating agencies for supporting the initiative and for their willingness to engage directly with the community.
“We are fortunate to have good leaders, government departments, and agencies that are always on the ground, ready to meet the people and listen to their concerns,” he said.
Lo added that the dialogue was intended not only to resolve issues but also to foster closer cooperation between residents and government agencies in building a safer, cleaner and more liveable community.
He encouraged residents, community leaders, residents’ associations, youths and women from Jalan Arang and nearby neighbourhoods to attend the session and raise questions or suggestions on municipal services, water supply, public safety, housing, infrastructure and other local matters.
