Miri City Council -- Mayor's Message

Pada Majlis Perisytiharan Menerima Jawatan Ahli-Ahli Majlis Bandaraya Miri Serta Majlis Upacara Perlantikan Ahli-Ahli Jawatankuasa Penduduk Pada 23 Januari 2010 (Sabtu)

Selamat pagi salam sejahtera dan salam 1 Malaysia

mayor Sebagai pembuka kata saya ingin menghadiahkan dua rangkap pantun:-

Cantik berseri bandaraya Miri,
Rasa bangga di dalam diri,
Terima kasih dari hati,
Sudi datang ke majlis kami.

Ramai-ramai datang bertamu,
Rasa gembira dikongsi sama,
Sama-sama berganding bahu,
Berat dan ringan sama dirasa.

YB Datuk Patinggi, Yang Berhormat-Yang Berhormat, Tan Sri-Tan Sri, Datuk- Datuk, Councillors, Members of RC, Distinguish guests,

Terlebih dahulu saya ingin mengucapkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan terima kasih kepada Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak di atas perlantikan saya sebagai Datuk Bandar Miri bagi penggal ke-2. Saya menerima jawatan tersebut dengan rasa penuh hormat dan ikhlas.

Saya juga ingin mengucapkan setinggi-tinggi terima kasih kepada Yang Berhormat Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan, Timbalan Ketua Menteri I merangkap Menteri Pembangunan Perindustrian dan Menteri Pelancongan dan Warisan kerana sudi meluangkan masa untuk merasmikan Majlis Perisytiharan Menerima Jawatan Ahli-Ahli Majlis Bandaraya Miri Serta Majlis Upacara Perlantikan Ahli-Ahli Jawatankuasa Penduduk pada pagi yang mulia ini. Sokongan berterusan daripada YB Datuk Patinggi dalam menjayakan Majlis ini amatlah saya hargai. Saya juga mengucapkan tahniah kepada Timbalan Datuk Bandar, Ahli- Ahli Majlis dan Ahli-Ahli Jawatankuasa Penduduk di atas lantikan mereka pada ini. YB Datuk Patinggi, Yang Berhormat-Yang Berhormat, Tan Sri-Tan Sri, Datuk- Datuk, Councillors, Members of RC, Distinguish guests Today's ceremony is an important milestone in our roadmap towards the realization of our VISION and MISSION. The Council must continue to strategize to make changes where necessary in order to remain effective, efficient and productive. Before I proceed further, I must put on record our Council's appreciation and gratitude to our YB Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan (1st Chairman of Miri Municipal Council), YB Dato' Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui (2nd Chairman of Miri Municipal Council) and Datuk Wee Han Wen (1st Mayor of Miri City Council). Without their sacrifices and contribution, our Council would not be where we are today and celebrating our 5th Anniversary this year.

A.	COMMUNITY RELATIONS
	For the first time, MCC has invited Community leaders from various communities, associations, societies and members of Resident's Committees to witness the swearing in of the Mayor and the Councillors ceremony this morning with an to enhance closer relationship between the Council and the people.

	I have pledged to be the People's Mayor and to serve all the People of Miri regardless of race, religion, gender or class. In line with the Civil Service new motto "An Honour To Serve", our only objective is "To Serve The People".

	In order to serve the people better, our Deputy Chief Minister, Yang Berhormat Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan has always encouraged us to go to the ground so that we can meet the People and hear the views (TURUN PADANG). Today's invitation to all the Community leaders and the Residents' Committes members is part of our Council's "Outreaching to Community Programme" so that this enables all of you not only to witness the ceremony of the swearing in of our Mayor and the Councillors but also to hear the Vision, Direction and Policies of our Council so that you are personally involved.

	MCC's Rates Collection Total amount for 2009 RM32,733,384.00 ) )= 95.61% Total amount collected RM31,296,977.00 ) Thanks to the Miri community for the strong support to our Council.

	Voluntarism is widely practiced in Miri as it is proven by the existence and active roles of various voluntary organizations in the city. The setting up of Community Relations and Social Welfare is timely to mobilize the existing strong voluntarism to foster teamwork and close co-operation between the City Council and the communities.

B.	RESIDENTS' COMMITTEE (RC)
	RC is the brainchild of YB Datuk Patinggi. Pursuant to the advice of YB Datuk Patinggi at our last installation on 14.2.2009 to set up the RC, I'm pleased that the RCs were formally sworn in on 1st May 2009. Today, the swearing in of the RC together with the swearing in of our Councillors shows the great importance we placed on RC.

	We are also the first Council in Sarawak to set up the RC and your success and your activities would show we are working together to empowering the local Residents to have more say on the running of your zones in which you live in.

	The Council is the 3rd tier of the Government, the 1st tier being the Federal Government and the 2nd tier being the State Government.

	The RCs are the 4th tier of the Government and the Front-Liners of the Council in dealing with the people. The RCs are the EYES, EARS and MOUTHS of the council.

	Over last year, we have divided the services of the grass cutting, drain clearing and landscaping into 25 RC's zones. We call upon you as RC members to monitor the above to improve our Services Delivery System so that the people will benefit from the better services provided. This is what we hope to achieve from empowering the RC.

	Besides giving feedback, RCs should be able to organize themselves to carry out gotong-royong and mass exercise to promote a healthy lifestyle and clean environment/neighbourhood.

	I will be visiting all the 25 RCs this year together with the Council's Officers to go to the ground to understand and help solving people's problems by meeting the Local Residents. This will promote better understanding and further improve our service and delivery system in line with the Government's aspiration-TURUN PADANG (Go to the Ground).

	The Council will now go to the Ground to meet the People. (Pihak Majlis Bandaraya akan turun dan pergi berjumpa dengan orang ramai)

C.	ONE STOP CENTRE (OSC) Arising from the "Monthly Meet the People Session" by the Mayor and the Council's Officers, to further improve our services we have launched and operated OSC since October 2009. This is our "NO WRONG DOOR POLICY" in that the public will be able to be served with no frustration or grievance in going to the wrong section/wrong door where all services of the Council are available. This policy also practices transparency. Again, MCC is the first Council in Sarawak to set up and operate OSC.

D.	VISION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS OF MCC 1. Tourism We have set to achieve our Vision-A VIBRANT and GREEN CITY towards 2015. In order to achieve this I have renamed the Tourism and Culture Standing Committee as TOURISM and HERITAGE Standing Committee in order to support YB Datuk Patinggi as well as his Ministry's direction to further promote tourism industry for Miri in particular and the State in general. We pledge to make Miri a Vibrant City by organizing various activities in conjunction with the Council's 5th Anniversary this year. Events such as Miss Tourism International, October Fest, May Fest and others which will bring in tourists from both overseas and domestic. With the additional new portfolio of YB Datuk Lee Kim Shin as the Assistant Minister of Sports, I do hope that YB Datuk Lee will initiate or bring in more international or regional sport events to boost Miri tourism. 2. GREEN RESORT CITY In order to achieve the Vision of the Green City and in view of YB Dato' Sri Peter Chin's portfolio as Minister for Energy, Green Technology and Water, I have proposed the followings:- To Implement the 1st phase of the bicycle track from Taman Selera/Marriot Hotel/Park City Hotel/City Fan; and the 2ND phase from City Fan/Pujut Lutong Road/Lutong Look forward to all with YBs' guidance, generosity and funding to contribute some funds will make Miri a FIRST City with Bicycle Track servicing the whole City over a distance of 15 km. To implement Solar Energy/LED street lightings. There are 17,000 street lightings in the City and MCC is paying over RM7 million for the electricity bills every year. We are studying how to install LED street lightings for the whole of Miri City. We hope to be to be the first city to do so. LED lightings are reported to save 60-70% of electricity bills. To rename the CI (City Infrastructure) Standing Committee as CI and Green Technology. 3. ENVIRONMENT We will set a new Environment and Green Standing Committee 1. "Say No To Plastic" Campaign Our campaign of "Say No To Plastic" was launched on 30 August 2009 with all the hyper and super markets to implement "No free plastic bag on Sunday". With the overwhelming response from the public, the campaign proceeded to implement 3 days a week beginning January 2010 with "No free plastic bag on Friday, Saturday and Sunday" "No Plastic Bags Everyday" effective 1 May 2010 is in conjunction with May Fest and our 5th Anniversary. Thus I would like to appeal to all communities in Miri to give their total support to successfully make Miri the First City in Malaysia to have "NO PLASTIC BAG EVERYDAY. We thank all Mirians for their continuous support. 2. Green Culture Tree planting programme will not only ensure the green environment but most importantly the practice of the green culture. We have planned to carry out tree planting programme with minimum of 1000 trees per year. The message of Green culture should be carried to every home in Miri. One of the effective ways to promote green culture is through the implementation of landscaping competition among the Schools and thus instilling the children with the green culture while they are still young. There are 44 primary schools and 18 secondary school (including 2 private secondary schools) in Miri with a total of approximately 40,000 students. With the involvement of the students, teachers and PTAs, I am certain that we should be able to push forward the momentum of going for GREEN. We will also encourage all the Government Departments to carry out landscaping activities to further enhance the green programme to achieve the First to be GREEN. 4. BANDARAYA SELAMAT Safety and security has been our top priority in promoting Green Resort City. In our last Full Council Meeting in December 2009, RM 1 million had been approved for the installation of CCTV for the City's Business District. CCTV will involve Miri Council, the police and the stakeholders-business communities, bankers, hoteliers, goldsmith shops and shopping complexes to monitor the security situation. We will set up a New Safety and Security Standing Committee. I would like to express my gratitude to all concerned parties for their efforts to make Council's programmes possible. I am confident that with your continuous commitments and close co-operation and most importantly with the spirit of 1 MALAYSIA, MCC's Mission and Vision will be successfully achieved in the near future.

Akhir kata, saya sekali lagi mengucapkan setinggi-tinggi terima kasih kepada YB Datuk Patinggi kerana sudi hadir bersama-sama kita pada pagi ini. Ucapan terima kasih juga ditujukan kepada semua yang hadir dan kakitangan MBM dalam usaha menjayakan Majlis ini. Saya juga menyeru kepada Ahli-Ahli Majlis, Jawatankuasa Penduduk, dan kesemua staf MBM untuk berganding bahu bagi menghasilkan satu PASUKAN yang dinamik untuk merealisasikan VISI dan MISI kita menjelang tahun 2015 demi kesejahteraan rakyat di Bandar Miri.

Saya sudahi ucapan saya pada pagi ini dengan 2 lagi rangkap pantun:-.

Bandaraya Miri kebanggaan kita,
Ramai pelancong datang bertandang,
Sepakat hati sepakat kata,
Satu Malaysia sama dipegang.

Pelbagai bangsa bermacam adat,
Hidup harmoni bermuafakat.
Dari rakyat untuk rakyat,
Sedia berkhidmat untuk rakyat.

Sekian. Terima kasih.