KUCHING – Residents from Greenwood Park, Taman Emas, Taman Paradise and the RH Industrial Unit area will have an opportunity to raise local concerns directly with five government agencies during a community dialogue this Saturday.
The programme, organised as a platform for residents and relevant authorities to discuss issues affecting their neighbourhoods, will begin at 10am at the Open University Malaysia (OUM) Kuching Branch.
Batu Kitang State Assemblyman Dato Ir Lo Khere Chiang said the dialogue was intended to provide residents with direct access to agencies responsible for addressing a range of local matters.
He said bringing residents and government representatives together in one place would make it easier to understand problems on the ground and identify practical ways to address them.
“It is not easy for us to knock on every door and meet all the residents individually. Therefore, a dialogue programme like this is the most effective channel to bring the community and relevant agencies together in one place,” he said.
Lo said the programme was designed not merely to collect complaints, but to encourage discussion between residents and the agencies responsible for particular issues.
“This programme is specifically for the community, not just to listen to complaints, but the aim is to bring the responsible parties to the discussion table, understand the real situation on the ground and find practical solutions together,” he said.
He made the remarks during a press conference at the SUPP Batu Kitang Branch Central Meeting Room on Thursday.
Held under the theme “Getting Close to the People, Solving the People’s Problems”, the dialogue will involve representatives from the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS), Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Sarawak Water and the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS).
The involvement of the five agencies is expected to allow residents to raise issues with the relevant authorities and seek clarification on matters that may involve more than one agency.
Lo said the multi-agency approach was particularly useful for communities located near the administrative boundaries of MPP and MPKS, where certain local matters may require coordination between different authorities.
He encouraged residents, premises owners and business operators in the affected areas to attend the programme and use the opportunity to present their concerns directly.
Among the issues expected to receive attention is flooding, which has affected communities in parts of the area during periods of heavy rainfall.
Lo said flooding could be caused by several factors rather than a single issue. These include intense rainfall over a short period, changing weather patterns, the condition of existing drainage infrastructure and the rapid growth of vegetation within drains.
Despite the challenges, he said mitigation and maintenance work should continue to reduce the likelihood and impact of flooding on residents.
“We may not be able to solve all flood problems immediately, but we can reduce their impact through work to deepen the drainage, clean vegetation and garbage and ensure that the flow of rainwater is not blocked,” he said.
Lo also highlighted the need for regular maintenance, particularly because vegetation in drains can grow quickly and restrict water movement.
“In our area, vegetation in the drainage grows very quickly. Even if it is cleaned today, it can grow back within a few weeks. Therefore, maintenance must be carried out continuously,” he explained.
He also cautioned that replacing existing drainage systems with concrete drains may not be appropriate in every location, particularly in established areas where development has already taken place.
Instead, he said both soil and concrete drainage systems required proper maintenance to ensure they continued to function effectively.
The community dialogue is intended to provide residents with a direct avenue to raise such concerns and engage with agencies that can assess and respond to them.
The programme also reflects an effort to improve communication between local communities and government agencies, particularly on issues that require coordination, regular maintenance or follow-up action.
Residents and business operators in the affected neighbourhoods are encouraged to attend the session and use the platform to explain problems in their respective areas.
