KOTA KINABALU, Nov 15 — The people-oriented one-stop service centres provided by Urban Transformation Centres (UTC) nationwide have gained global recognition, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib said the unique concept of the UTC has earned the admiration of other countries.

“No other countries has a similar concept service-oriented centre like the UTC,” he said in his speech when launching the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), the sixth in the country, here.

Recently, public service ministers from countries attending the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration were impressed with the concept of the UTC where all government and private services were offered under one roof.

UTC Sabah is the sixth after Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Kedah and Pahang.

The government is planning to launch several more UTCs in Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Sarawak, Perlis and another mini UTC in Kedah and Sabah.

He said Sabah’s UTC is one of the most unique among the existing UTCs, having been refurbished from an abandoned supermarket of the last 20 years.

“I was told by a Sabahan minister recently that he came here to renew his expired passport and he queued up like everyone else.

“He told me he received his new passport within 40 minutes,” he said, adding that the fast, cost-effective and impactful concept of the UTC has gained positive feedback from users.

Sabah UTC, operating as of December 16 last year, is housed in two buildings – Wisma UTC and Menara UTC with 41 state and federal government agencies offering counter services such as the National Registration Department (JPN), Road Transport Department, Immigration Department and the police.

Other agencies operating at the UTC are 1Malaysia Clinic, 1Malaysia Store, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, Pos Malaysia, Sabah State Library, Sabah State Water Department, Kota Kinabalu Water Department, Kota Kinabalu City Hall and the Inland Revenue Board.

Also available at the UTC are automated teller machines, restaurants, surau and the National Population and Family Development Board’s Cafe@ TEEN.

Najib, who mooted the idea for the setting-up of such one-stop government service centres, believes the centre will be a hit with the public and serve as a benchmark not only in terms of facilities but also provide excellent services.

The government plans to launch several more UTCs in Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, and Perlis and another mini UTC in Kedah and Sabah.

Najib is on a two-day visit to Sabah. Apart from launching the UTC, he also officiated the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) convention this morning.

Tomorrow he will attend the opening of Parti Bersatu Sabah and Liberal Democratic Party congresses respectively, after a scheduled visit to a lobster farm in Tuaran.