BY AMYLY YONG KAI HUI & NEVILLE TIMOTHY SANDER
KUCHING: Datuk Peter Minos has been officially appointed as the new chairman for the Serian District Council (SDC).
He promises to bring his 10-year experience as the former chairman of the Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) to the council and make Serian an even more advanced district than before.
“At the very beginning, I thought I wanted to reject it.
“But, after talking with several of the elected representatives in the area, Serian, I feel encouraged to offer my experience for the sake of the development,” he said.
He was speaking during the swearing-in ceremony for the members of the SDC (2025-2028 term) at Grand Margherita Hotel here today.
Minos also promised the people that he would make use of those experiences on his new journey, adding that there must be cooperation between all the staff and the councillors.
“Because, if we don’t work together with the residents, the district officers, all the other departments, there will always be doubts and suspicions, an obstacle to the path of development.
“Hence, whether you like it or not, it is a different matter,” he said.
He stated that, his appointment as the new chairman for the SDC is with purpose, where the first one is on how to upgrade the council into a municipal council, just like how it was before during his journey in developing MPKS.
“When I took over as MPKS chairman, it was just a Kota Samarahan District Council at first. So, I worked with my secretary and all the others in town.
“As you know, to be a municipal council is not easy because it has to be approved by the state government and federal government in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
He said that to build the headquarters for the SDC will be his next plan due to the growing number of staff at the council, stating that there are 100 of them now.
“We are a local authority, and we must be people-friendly. I tried my best to be people- friendly in Samarahan and eventually, it worked.
“I managed to work with all the big groups like Hock Seng Lee (HSL) in managing their projects in Samarahan, and now, I work closely with Sarawak Metro.
“Because if we don’t work together, barely two can be moved. So, the message is we must be people-friendly,” he said.
Officiated by Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, the swearing-in ceremony saw eight new councillors, including Minos and Felix Kunyau Kuna who serves as the council’s deputy chairman, took oaths to reinforce the council’s team.
With 24 other councillors reappointed, SDC now comprises a total of 32 members with six new councillors, namely Andrew Sabat, Rojeck Layau, Jamuri Ali, Koring Dadoi, Eric Richard Dampeng and Cindrawella Thomas Porton.
The reappointed councillors are Jifudin Abdullah, Diye Nyanggun, Georgy Lampaah, John David Nyauh, Robin Augustine Kiek, Emmanuel Henry Bujang, Kathlene/Duri Limin, Saidin Abdul Rahman, John Gerep Misang, Andi Gangak, Britten Osup, Pansin Bajah, Chai Kim Sin, Michaelina Richard Riot, Lai Chau Liong, Limko@B’Latok Ales, Denis Ahkow, Micky Bagan, Glenn Ross Ranger@Michael, Kalas Inchap, Collin Raman Nyandang, Rita Inu, Miguel Durim Namu and Alvin Jeromeo Duncan.
