Keeping KK safe, clean to be Yeo's priority
Published on: Tuesday, February 02, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: Datuk Yeo Boon Hai who was appointed the State Capital's new Mayor effective Feb. 2, vowed to focus on keeping the city clean and safe. "The challenging part is keeping the city clean and safe and that is why I emphasise it in my vision."The 4Ps include 'Perkhidmatan' (Service), 'Pembersihan' (Cleanliness), 'Penguatkuasaan' (Enforcement) and 'Pembangunan' (Development). I want to make Kota Kinabalu a clean, green and liveable city," he said, after receiving his official appointment as the fourth Mayor at a hand-over ceremony at Kota Kinabalu City Hall, Monday.
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Yeo, a Sino-Dusun Bundu (now known as Dusun Tatana) started his career in the civil service in 1980 with various positions in the civil service, including as District Officer in Kudat and Beaufort. His last position was Director-General of City Hall. He was also once President of the Sandakan Municipal Council.Yeo attended primary and lower secondary school at St John's, Beaufort, before doing Form 4 and 5 at Sabah College.He then went to UK to do his A levels at Aton Technical College before enrolling for an Environmental Science Course at the University of London.
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On return, he joined the then Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Development as an Environment Officer, under former Minister Datuk Tan Kit Sher. Earlier in his speech, the 59-year-old Sipitang-born listed four of City Hall's main mission for the city.
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"We need to provide faster and better delivery services, facilitate faster development plans, trading licence approvals and others."Strengthening and improving personnel and financial management, collecting outstanding fees and control expenditure and to coordinate and enhance development so that the people will benefit from it," he said. Yeo said there will be few changes in the structure and organisation. "I am planning to meet the Chief Minister to discuss City Hall's plan and to make few changes. So there will be some changes of department heads," he said. "My style is service must come first to the people," he said. Meanwhile, Datuk Abidin Madingkir hoped his successor will make KK a more liveable city. "My hopes for City Hall with the new mayor, new ideas and new creativity, I'm sure it will move further ahead in order to become a liveable and sustainable city. "I think Yeo is capable and he's been in the government service for quite some time. I think he knows what to plan and what is good for the city," he said. Despite speculation that he was the choice, Yeo said he received the letter (of appointment) only on Monday morning, just a few hours before Madingkir officially handed over the Mayorship in a simple but unique investiture ceremony – the handing over of mayoral regalia such as the official Sceptre, collar chin, robe and chair at City Hall's meeting room, witnessed by State Secretary, Tan Sri Sukarti Wakimin. Among those present include Datuk Jainab Ahmad. State Minister of Community Development and Consumer Affairs, Datuk Edward Yong, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department and State Attorney General, Datuk Mariati Robert as well as all Department and Section heads of DBKK . Yeo will only assume duties today (Tuesday Feb. 2) to coincide with the 16th KK City Day celebration at Padang Merdeka. The investiture ceremony was preceded by a march past by City Hall's enforcement officers before forming a guard of honour, with music from a police band.Sources told Daily Express there were five candidates eying the post. "We can expect to see DBKK move forward from Day One instead of getting someone who comes in to learn the trade from scratch," an insider told Daily Express. Meanwhile, Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) President, Datuk Seri T. C. Goh, said it is confident that Yeo would deliver what the Government wants."We welcome Yeo as our new Mayor and believe that he will do his best to improve our beloved city."The federation would also like to extend its appreciation to the State Government for appointing Yeo as the first Chinese to hold the post since Kota Kinabalu was elevated to city status," he said, after attending a charity event, organised by Everise Ventures Sdn Bhd (EVSB), the management company for Sandakan Turf Club at Lido Square, Monday. Goh, who is also President of EVSB, said although pleased that a Chinese is now heading the city, Yeo's appointment must benefit everybody. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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