KUCHING: The state government wants both Kuching City South Council (MBKS) and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) to set up their respective digital command centre.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the initiative could address any weakness in service delivery and hence improves their services to the people.
He explained that at the state level, a digital command centre had been established at Baitul Makmur II building in Petra Jaya where all information were stored.
“With MBKS and DBKU having their own centre, they could be connected to our state’s digital command centre.
“This would allow interfacing as well as exchange of information between the local authorities as well as the state’s administration.
“If there are any weaknesses happening in both local authorities, it can be rectified and be informed to the respective ministries so that those weaknesses with regard to services can be fixed,” he said when officiating at the Kuching City Day 33rd anniversary celebration held at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex on Sunday (Aug 1).
Abang Johari said during the current Covid-19 pandemic, one of the problems faced in the city was the waste collection services affected because some staff of the waste collection company were tested positive for the virus.
“So, when such a problem arises, we must have a rectification process so that there is an alternative in terms of services which can be provided to the community.
“This is just an example. But I believe that with such digital communication we would be able to improve our services including traffic flows in certain areas,” he said.
Abang Johari emphasised in the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy 2018 – 2022, one of the agenda was to form smart cities via digitalisation.
“In our digital transformation, all our services will be done through digital devices which would allow faster communication between government administrators and the people,” he said.
He added the concept of a smart city must be comprehensive, whereby it must be beautiful, clean, enabling services at the fingertip, providing quality and people-friendly services.
“I, therefore, hope the two local authorities can play their respective roles to develop Kuching as one of the smart cities in Malaysia.
“This is also in line with making Sarawak one of the most developed states by 2030, and definitely we can provide all these smart facilities to all citizens by then,” said Abang Johari.
This year’s Kuching City Day, themed ‘Digital Transformation Towards a Smart City’, is hosted by DBKU.
Also present at the event were Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (DBKU and Islamic Affairs) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, MBKS mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng, and DBKU mayor Datuk Junaidi Reduan.
