REINSTATE TERMINATED MPKKS, KETUA KAMPUNGS – DARELL LEIKING

11 OCTOBER 2020

PENAMPANG: The Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor has been urged to consider reinstating the recently terminated Village Community Management Councils (MPKKs) and Native Chiefs (Ketua Adat) all over Sabah as an immediate action to overcome the Covid-19 threat.

Moyog State Assemblyman and Penampang MP Datuk Darell Leiking said the current situation warrants immediate participation of these experienced MPKKs so as to enable government's assistance to be channelled effectively and efficiently to the people at large.

"The MPKKs play a vital role to assist any state government especially in overcoming any emergency response, such as the resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic and flash floods which had occurred recently in most of the districts in Sabah.

“These terminated MPKKs have the intrinsic details of those who are in dire need to be assisted, and most of all, they would have the experience and knowledge as to how the state machinery within the district level operates," he said in a statement, today.

Stressing his concerns, Leiking mentioned that the planned appointment of the new batch of MPKKs would take time and which will entail the need to familiarise themselves with the procedural system, thus hampering and delaying the distribution of the much needed aid to those affected.

According to him, new batch of appointed MPKKs in Penampang had at least a year to familiarise themselves to the government's district procedures when Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) took over the government in 2018.

He added that existing ones who were appointed by the previous government and had received recommendation from the villagers for good performance were retained at the same time.

“Even with that one-year experience, some of these MPKKs have had to sweat it out during the handling and distribution of the flooding as well as Covid-19 aids and assistances to ensure that it reached the targeted group.

“If the chief minister believes that his new batch of MPKKs who have yet to be appointed can identify each and every one in their respective area and having the ability to understand the district procedural system in a very short period and to perform effectively during this pressing moment, then by all means, appoint the new MPKKs immediately as people are expecting that quick action," he stressed.

He also pointed out that the several untimely decisions taken by the chief minister can cause some repercussion that will not benefit the state.

"Since the State Covid Command Centre had been disbanded and all decisions now have to come from Putrajaya, the chief minister must ensure that there is a very clear and specific communication between the State and Federal,” he said.

This, he said, is to ensure effective management on the pandemic and communication to the masses, apart from minimising any federal interference in administering the State.

“This had been the recent issue when even the State Education Department was left in total darkness last time when Minister of Defence Datuk Ismail Sabri announced the schools closure last week.

“It would be most appreciated if the current chief minister can immediately reinstate the recently terminated MPKKs and/or to immediately appoint their new choice but mixing the same with the experienced MPKKs to effectively resolve the outstanding demands of the public now.”