KUCHING, Feb 7 — The Chinese community in Sarawak has been urged to answer the call of the government to join the civil service.
Federation of Chinese Associations Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division president Datuk Richard Wee said this would contribute towards a more racially balanced and diversified civil service.
“We encourage and urge more Chinese to answer the call of the government to join the civil service.
“We hope that in the not-too-distant future, we will be able to achieve a more balanced composition of our different races in the civil service which will reflect the demography of the population in Sarawak,” he said at the federation’s Chinese New Year Dinner which was graced by Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg here last night.
He pointed out that the recent announcement by the Sarawak government on the setting up of a retirement fund and provision of gated housing were among the benefits that were very much welcomed for Sarawak’s civil servants.
“With the added welfare provided, it will encourage more Sarawakians to join the civil service,” he added.
On another matter, Wee proposed that a dialogue session be held between relevant authorities and stakeholders in regards to the revision of quit rent which was recently announced by the government.
“This is so that they can have a better understanding and clarity to avoid any confusion and doubt of the policy and scheme.
“On this, our Federation of Chinese Associations would gladly volunteer to assist the government in facilitate the dialogue,” he said.
He also touched on the recent African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in the state which has affected most of the pig farmers and created a major adverse economic impact to the entire industry.
He said this has resulted in the lack of supply to the market, steep rise in the price of the commodity, and heavy losses to the farmers.
“We would like to suggest that since the state government currently has an allocated area in Simunjan with centralised and modern comprehensive facilities together with an abattoir for pig farming, we would urge the government and the affected farmers to have a constructive engagement between both parties for a long-term solution to this issue whereby the farmers can lease the land from the government in the allocated areas.
“In addition, we hope that the government can provide urgent financial assistance to the farmers for them to resuscitate the industry,” he proposed.
At the dinner, Wee received a grant of RM200,000 from Abang Johari which will go towards funding the Federation of Chinese Associations Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division as well as activities for its Youth and Women Sections.
There was also a presentation of the Datuk Amar Wee Hood Teck Outstanding Leadership Award to Lim Ah Ted and the Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wee Boon Ping Chinese Community Service Award to Ko Wai Neng for their contribution to the Chinese community and the field of education.
Also present at the celebration were Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, Consul-General of China in Kuching Xing Wei Ping, Kapitan Tan Teck Ming, Federation of Chinese Associations Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division executive advisor Michael Teo, Women chief Georgina Chong, and event organising chairman Vincent Chiew. — Borneo Post
