Govt Spends Over RM4.7 Million To Make Kuching Safe

KUCHING: More than RM4.7 million has been spent for setting up and upgrading various facilities slated for the making of a safe city.

According to Kuching North Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai, the expenditure by Home Affairs Ministry and local authorities covers the installation of 381 lighting points — with another 103 underway, 86 safety mirrors at various locations, 18 safety reminder (boards) at crime-prone areas, 314 parking areas for motorcycles complete with lock bars, five speed bumps, 177 bollards (short posts that function as marks to exclude entry by any vehicle into a road or site) and also the construction of 10.73km guardrails along several pedestrian walkways around the city.

He said under Kuching North City Commission (DBKU)’s ‘Kuching Clean, Beautiful and Safe (CBS) Enhancement Plan 2013-2017, the implementation of the ‘Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design’ had relooked several construction designs such as carparks, lighting, management and landscape.

“In 2014, we installed 24 CCTVs (closed-circuit cameras) around Kuching for safety monitoring of strategic areas,” Abang Wahap spoke at the ‘Bandar Selamat Kejiranan Mesra’ (Safe City Friendly Neighbourhood) programme at SMK Bandar Samariang here on Saturday.

Adding on, he pointed out that former ‘black areas’ — those around Kampung Gita and Bandar Baru Samariang — had shown improvements in terms of safety confidence index. According to a recent survey, 92 per cent of residents in and around Kampung Gita and 80 per cent of those in Bandar Baru Samariang felt that their neighbourhoods were safe.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the presence of friendly neighbourhoods was one of key aspects of a safe city — one that should not be overlooked.

On this, he believed that it was the responsibility of housing developers to build properties with ambience that was conducive to the well-being of occupants, and also provide proper parks or playground for the neighbourhood.

“These are the things that we overlook sometimes,” said Wan Junaidi – who is Santubong MP, adding that for any urban centre to be given a ‘Safe City’ status, it must take into account social aspects, implementation and enforcement.

“This is why the city planners, designers, facility providers — just about everyone — must contribute towards the goal of a truly safe city.” Wan Junaidi was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Feona Abdullah at the function yesterday, which was also attended by Pantai Damai assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi. -BP