The Local Government and Housing Ministry has taken several measures to beautify towns in the State. 

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Jaujan Sambakong (pic), who is also Local Government and Housing Minister, said the State Cabinet had approved in March the State Landscape Development Planning Standards.

“Another initiative currently being implemented is the New Public Park Development Programme,” he said during the question and answer session in the State Legislative Assembly sitting, here, Wednesday. 

“The programme involves improving the landscape beauty and equipping with components not only for the purpose of aesthetics but also to provide a more conducive environment.

“Another initiative is the green landscape and infrastructure development programme which emphasises on the development of town landscape and rural beautification,” he said when answering a question by Tan Lee Fatt’s (Likas-DAP).Apart from that, the Ministry had also conducted a research and development programme as well as conservation and preservation.

“This programme involves the inclusion of a potential and interesting area in the priority list of conservation and preservation,” he said.

Other programmes, Jaujan said, were promotional and upgrading of public parks and improvement of landscape assets. 

He also said the Ministry was in the midst of improving the quality of stalls as they can be turned into tourism products.

To a supplementary question by Datuk Abidin Madingkir (Paginatan-Upko), Jaujan disclosed that he will propose a law relating to solid waste soon.

“During my visit to East Kalimantan recently, I found that the town folks do not know the meaning of ‘throwing rubbish’ as for them garbage is an economic opportunity. However, it should start from the people’s own awareness. 

“The responsibility to curb this problem should not be shouldered solely by the authorities but, instead, shared equally by all quarters. Once the awareness has been created, garbage bins may no longer be needed just like in Balik Papan, Kalimantan,” he said. 

“They created a ‘garbage park’ as the people have reached a high level of awareness…we will try to do the same but it will take a long time to generate awareness among the community,” he said.