THE Simunjan District Council needs to expand its services with qualified engineers in civil engineering, geotechnics, disaster risk management and infrastructure monitoring.
Simunjan assemblyman, Awla Dris, said the lack of such expertise had caused many issues to be referred externally or delayed in resolution.
“This affects administrative efficiency and public safety.
“The addition of engineers is crucial not only to address existing problems but also to ensure the council can act more proactively.
“Therefore, I request the government to approve additional engineer positions at the Simunjan District Council as an immediate and long-term measure to strengthen the district’s technical capacity,” he said.
Awla said this while debating the 2026 Supply Bill, 2025, during the 19th State Legislative Assembly (DUN) session here yesterday (Nov 27).
He explained that more engineers would boost the district’s development momentum and ensure public safety more efficiently.
He is confident this will greatly benefit the Simunjan community while helping develop the district’s significant potential as a location increasingly attracting visitors.
In the same development, he also highlighted that the landslide issue in Kampung Gunung Ngeli had yet to be resolved.
With the current continuous rainfall, he believes the saturated soil and slopes are becoming unstable.
He said although detailed studies and complete reports had been prepared, immediate action was now a priority.
“If this issue is left unattended, the impact on residents will become increasingly serious.
“Therefore, I request the government, through agencies such as the Public Works Department (JKR), to immediately conduct on-site mitigation measures.
“This is not a minor or isolated issue; it is a public safety matter that must be prioritised,” he said.
Awla also suggested that internet connectivity issues across all areas needed attention.
He noted that this problem was serious as some areas still experienced network disruptions, making it difficult for residents to make calls or access services, which were now essential in the digital era.
