DEPUTY Chief Minister II Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam said the Sandakan Municipal Council (SMC) had yet to comply with two more requirements to pave way for the town to upgrade its status to city.
In response to a question from Sungai Manila representative Datuk Mokran bin Ingkat who asked about the potential elevation of Sandakan Town to a city, Joachim provided insights into the criteria necessary for such an upgrade.
According to him, there are 11 key criteria that any Municipal Council must fulfil to be upgraded to a City Council.
These criteria include aspects such as population size, annual revenue, organisational structure, sustainable development planning, cultural alignment, economic focus, educational institutions, cultural and international conventions, infrastructure facilities, and national or international recognition.
SPONSORED CONTENT Shell awards Sabah LiveWIRE winners Kota Kinabalu: Shell has awarded five enterprises as the state winners of Shell LiveWIRE Malaysia 2024, following the Sabah state finals held at Plaza Shell in Kota Kinabalu. . Read more While the State Government has shown a willingness to upgrade the SMC to Sabah’s first City Council, Joachim who is also Local Government and Housing Minister, highlighted that the Council still needs to meet specific criteria, particularly related to population size and annual revenue, to obtain city recognition.
To work towards achieving this goal, he said the SMC has developed a Strategic Plan aimed at guiding the elevation process.
This plan sets targets for upgrading SMC to a City Council by or before the year of 2030.
The efforts outlined by Joachim reflect the State Government’s commitment to enhancing Sandakan’s status and fostering its development as a potential city.
The focus on meeting the established criteria underscores the importance of strategic planning and growth to position Sandakan as a significant urban center in Sabah.
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