THE proposal to upgrade Penampang into a municipal council will be brought to the State Cabinet by July this year, said Deputy Chief Minister II cum Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.He said while the Penampang District Council is qualified for the upgrade, input and reports are still needed from the Finance Ministry as well as other agencies involved before it can be done.
“Some reports may take a few days or a few months. Once these are ready, we can table it to the Cabinet, hopefully by July,” he told reporters after officiating the Penampang District Council 2023-2025 oath-taking and appointment letter presentation ceremony at Hyatt Centric, Kota Kinabalu.
Dr Joachim, however, cautioned that the upgrade comes with bigger responsibilities that will require District Council members to be more resilient in taking pressure.
“It’s not just about upgrading into a municipality. There will be even more pressure to resolve issues but I believe the (newly-appointed) line-up can handle it,” he said in his speech earlier.
As such, Dr Joachim called on the District Council members to be united and work as a team with the Council’s management in dealing with challenges and demands from time to time.
Penampang MP Datuk Ewon Benedick, who was also present, echoed Joachim’s sentiments, saying the District Council is more than qualified to be upgraded.
Ewon, who is also Federal Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, said the newly-appointed District Council members play an important role in realising this goal.
“They play a role in complementing the efforts of various State and Federal Government departments and agencies to develop this district.
“The line-up will also determine whether the services are eligible to upgrade this District Council to a municipal council or vice versa.
“As a fellow leader in Penampang, I fully support and request the Sabah Government that the Penampang District Council be upgraded to a municipal council,” he said.
Headed by Penampang District Officer Francis Chong, the newly-appointed District Council members for the 2023-2025 term are Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan, Augustin Anthony, Alexander Hugo Malakun, Andre Norbert, Arnold Jobi, Bernadette C. Edmund, Chong Pit Fah, Chu Chi Ken, David Ong Choon Chung.
The others are Dg. Sarinah Mohd Yassin, Dr Felix Tongkul, Jafery Jomion, John Chryso Masabal, Lee Yun Meng @ Alvin, Lim Teck Sin, Luvita Koisun, Martin Lugu, Matthew Siefred Gumpil, Michael Jimli Gujilo and Richard Chong Lee Check.
Also present were Senator Datuk John Ambrose, Senator Datuk Noraini Idris, Upko Vice President Datuk Donald Mojuntin, Local Government and Housing Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Dr Jamili Nais and Penampang District Council Executive Officer Robert Malangking.
