KOTA KINABALU: The Kinabalu City Hall will find more possible alternative sources of income to increase its coffers besides the current collection of assessment rates.
New Mayor, Datuk Nordin Siman said these may include collecting gains from new developments in the city as well as attracting local and international investors to participate in the infrastructure development of the city through Public-Private Partnership Initiatives.
He however, assured that the current assessment rates will be maintained so as not to unnecessarily burden the rate payers in Kota Kinabalu.
“We need the funds but we will find other means of increasing our revenue and this will include seeking bigger allocation from the federal government for specific projects as well as pursuing private sector participation in joint-venture deals,” Nordin said after paying a courtesy call on the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Shafie Apdal on Wednesday.
He also encouraged local and international investors to collaborate with the City Hall in planning and developing Green and Smart City programmes which are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals underlined by UNDP.
Nordin who replaced Datuk Yeo Boon Hai as the Mayor, said City Hall would definitely need more funding to be able to carry out its key thrusts – which are to improve public transportation as well as maintain cleanliness in the city.
In a statement Nordin, the fifth Mayor said both public transportation as well as cleanliness needed a big boost of funds in order to meet the expectations of city dwellers.
He said that the Chief Minister had impressed upon him to be a people-friendly Mayor and to engage with everyone – the man on the street, businesses as well as professionals to propel the City to greater heights.
“He stressed on the need to ensure that the City is kept clean so that it would be conducive not only to the locals but also the growing number of visitors,” he said.
“As such, we will also be looking seriously at the existing anti-litter bylaws and we will not hesitate to issue compounds (on the spot) to litterbugs. Everyone, and not City Hall cleaners alone, has a role to play in keeping our City clean.
“As such, I also call on those living in housing estates to dispose of their rubbish in the proper waste bins and not use the drains as a convenient but dirty habit of ridding rubbish from their houses.”
Nordin also called on owners of commercial areas, as well as the tenants, to ensure that the back lanes are cleaned regularly so as to deter rodents in the area.
He said City Hall would come down hard on defaulters in as far as cleanliness is concerned.
The Mayor said he would also be looking into creating business opportunities for the small-time businessmen by making suitable spaces available for cheap rental, and this would include food, handicraft and other cottage industries.
He added the physical development of the city will be better distributed to ease traffic congestion in the central business area and encourage better economic growth in Kota Kinabalu.
“We want a liveable city that is dedicated to improving transportation, land use and open space and is not just a place of residence but a home that Sabahans can be proud of.”-pr/BNN
