KUNAK: The Kunak District Council (MDKNK) has listed several development projects to be implemented in the district, involving facility construction and road upgrades, as part of efforts to provide efficient and effective services to the community in line with its vision to create a planned, clean and beautiful town.
Kunak District Council Executive Officer Mohd Nazri Pintal said the projects to be undertaken by the local authority include constructing a new Kunak Community Hall, upgrading the ingress and egress routes at the Boheyan Plaza building, upgrading Jalan Kg Jaya Baru, and installing new solar-powered lighting systems in Kg Buang Sayang, Kg Kunak Jaya and Kg Singgah Mata.
Nazri said this during a briefing for State Local Government and Housing Minister, Datuk Mohd Arifin Arif, during the Minister’s Aspiration Tour (JAM) programme to the Kunak District Council, held on the first floor of the AS Centre Ballroom, Boheyan Plaza, here Saturday.
Nazri represented Kunak District Council Chairman Majaran Osman, who is also the District Officer, during the session.
Also present were Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Maijol Mahap, Assistant Youth Development, Sports Advancement and Creative Economy Minister Dato Sri Anil Sandhu, who is also Kunak Assemblyman, as well as ministry officers and staff.
Nazri said several development projects in Kunak currently being implemented by other agencies include the development of the Kunak Lipids Sdn Bhd’s palm oil mill and the construction of SK Kunak Jaya, while the development of the Kunak Sports Complex and the construction of a new Kunak District Grand Mosque are in the planning stages.
The Kunak District Council, established on June 1, 1994, currently has a rating area spanning 2.0639 square kilometres.
The local authority has recorded a total of 164 plan applications from 1996 to 2026, involving earthworks material conversions, land subdivision plans, planning permissions, development plans, building plans and telecommunications structure applications.
To date, there are six housing estates in Kunak, comprising a total of 961 units. Additionally, there are seven commercial centres, two industrial centres and palm oil mills (TSH Wilmar and Sawit Kinabalu) operating near the town centre. A total of 48 telecommunications towers are recorded in the district.
Nazri said the council’s primary revenue sources include land cess, assessment rates, development plans, licences and rentals.
He disclosed several issues and challenges faced by the local authority, including the level of public awareness regarding prevailing rules and by-laws concerning unapproved building constructions, as well as limited space in certain premises.
Other challenges include the Pala’u/stateless community issue, stray dogs and a shortage of enforcement personnel.
Despite these constraints, enforcement duties and operations continue to be carried out, including collaborations with other government agencies.
In operations targeting stray dogs, the Council recorded 566 stray dog captures from 2023 until this year, resulting from 18 complaints received during that period. One fatality involving a stray dog attack was recorded in 2025.
Regarding solid waste management, the Council records around 20 to 25 tonnes of solid waste collection daily, which is transported to the Pangkalan Madai Waste Disposal Centre using compactor trucks and Roro (Roll-On Roll-Off) lorry services.