Ting (right) and his deputy Mohammed Abdullah Izkandar Roseley with the award and mock cheque.
Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) has vowed not to become complacent after winning it’s first Premier of Sarawak Environmental Award (PSEA).
Instead, it aims to make Sibu the cleanest and most environmentally-friendly place in the region.
“Sibu is our home and we want to make it as beautiful as possible,” said SMC chairman Clarence Ting.
“We may not be the largest town but we can certainly be the cleanest.
“In doing so, we can also become the most environmentally-friendly place in Sarawak,” he told a press conference.
Ting recalled the reaction of peers as he represented SMC to receive PSEA 2023/2024 in Kuching.
Many attendees approached him, he said, eager to learn about factors leading to the local council’s success.
“So many people approached us to ask what SMC did to earn the award. They also asked how Sibu managed to beat Kuching, Miri and Bintulu,” he said.
He explained that the competition was open to local authorities and SMC had competed against six local councils including Kuching South City Council, Kuching North City Hall, Padawan Municipal Council, Bintulu Development Authority and Miri City Council.
The winning factor, Ting said, turned out to be SMC’s efforts in environmental conservation.
“Besides providing essential municipal services such as waste collection, street sweeping, grass cutting and drain cleaning, SMC has also carried out sustainability initiatives.
“These are aimed at protecting our planet and extending the lifespan of our landfills, in line with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
“These initiatives included Earth Hour, Love Earth Day, recycling schemes, waste-to-wealth programmes, composting, garbage enzyme production, tree planting and nuisance management.”
Ting said SMC also emphasised community involvement and worked closely with non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
He thanked community leaders, government agencies, NGOs and Sibu residents for their support.
“This prestigious achievement belongs to the people of Sibu.
“SMC looks forward to continuing our collaboration with stakeholders to build a greener, cleaner and more sustainable future for Sibu,” he added.
On the RM10,000 prize money, Ting said the council would use it to produce a video of SMC’s environmental conservation efforts.
PSEA, a biennial award from the Sarawak government, is now in its 11th iteration.
