Monday, August 25, 2008

MONDAY-25 AUGUST 2008- LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO SET UP ONE-STOP CENTRES:HAJIJI

Local authorities to set up one-stop centres: Hajiji


KOTA KINABALU:


The Local Housing and Government Ministry will introduce several measures in line with the call on developers to be transparent with local authorities so that inefficiency and problems are dealt with. Among the main measures being introduced at local authority level are the setting up of one-stop centres for processing development plans (DPs) and Occupation Certificates (OCs). Its Minister, Datuk Haji Hajiji Haji Noor, said that the local authorities have received guidelines from the Ministry on the setting up of the one-stop centres. “Among the objectives of the one-stop centres is to approve DPs within 10 weeks, building plans in four weeks and OCs also in four weeks,” he said Hajiji was speaking during the Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (SHAREDA) Nite 2008 cum SHAREDA’s 30th Anniversary at Magellan Sutera Harbour here on Saturday. This year’s theme was ‘Challenge for Sustainable Development’. Other measures that will be introduced are for the issuance of permits and licences for premises where the local authorities have been directed to reduce bureaucratic red tape and introduce on-line applications and approvals. “Through training, motivation and exemplary leadership, local authorities will also seek to raise their level of integrity and discipline so as to earn a higher level of trust from the public. “To motivate the employees, the Ministry is finalising a policy move to turn all local authority employees into ‘Perkhidmatan Gunasama’ or common pool service so as to allow wider opportunities for lateral or vertical promotion,” he said. Hajiji added that the Ministry looks forward to receive public feedback so that measures introduced may be adjusted and strengthened to ensure the desired outcome. Meanwhile SHAREDA President Kong Kwok Wah said that this year, the organisation will introduce for the first time the SHAREDA award for outstanding performance. “The basic rationale of this award is, other than recognising excellence, to continue to raise the benchmark of excellence in the housing and real estate sector. “This year the awards are given to outstanding developers in recognition of their outstanding significant contributions to the property development industry and the economy in Sabah,” he said. During the event, SHAREDA contributed RM10,000 to the Sabah Society for the Blind and another RM10,000 to the Kudat Division People’s Welfare Association. There were also lucky draws for the public with prizes comprising return air tickets to Zurich, Switzerland, Goldcoast, Australia, Kunming China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Also present during the event were Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Edward Yong Oui Fah, Mayor Datuk Illiyas Ibrahim and SHAREDA Immediate Past President Haji Abu Bakar MYahya.

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