Hii (left) speaking to Ting (right) during the inspection at UTC Sibu.
SIBU: The Sarawak government may consider amending existing laws to empower local authorities (PBTs) as the sole entities responsible for approving all business-related licenses if the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ pilot project in Sibu and Kanowit proves successful within six months.
Deputy State Secretary (Operations) Datu Hii Chang Kee said that under current regulations, license approvals still require confirmation from the District Office and Treasury, preventing local councils from acting as full-fledged one-stop centres.
“We are now running this as a pilot project for six months. If it succeeds, we will submit a proposal to amend the regulations and laws so the council can become the only agency that approves business names, business licenses, and operating licenses,” Hii told reporters after inspecting the first day of the pilot project’s service counter at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) here, Friday (Aug 1).
Through the initiative, the process—previously involving separate visits to the District Office, Treasury, and local councils—is now consolidated into a single location at the Sarawak Service Centre in UTC.
Hii said applicants are now required to complete only one ‘super form’ instead of three separate forms. They also only need to visit the centre twice: once to submit their application and again to collect their license.
“Previously, you had to fill out three forms and go to three places. Now there is only one place, one form, two visits,” he said.
For low-risk businesses, applications for business names and licenses will be processed within five working days, while operating licenses from local councils are expected to be completed within 14 working days.
High-risk businesses such as tuition centres, karaoke outlets, and petroleum storage facilities requiring approvals from external agencies like the police, fire department, or Department of Education, are targeted for approval within 30 working days.
On the first day of implementation, eight applications involving all three types of licenses were submitted, while four involved only business name and license applications.
Hii noted that the success of the project hinges on close collaboration between participating agencies, including the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC), Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC), District Office, Treasury, and the State Transformation and Innovation Unit under the Sarawak Premier’s Department.
“The main purpose of this project is to make things easier for the people and the business community. But to truly become a one-stop centre, the law needs to be amended. So we are testing it for six months first,” he said.
UTC Sibu’s operating hours remain unchanged—Monday to Friday, from 8am to 3.30pm. Applications are only accepted on weekdays, as payment and document verification cannot be conducted on weekends.
The public are also encouraged to adopt e-payment methods as part of the state’s move toward a cashless society.
“Everything is still the same in terms of timing, but now it’s easier—one place, one form, one process,” Hii added.
Among those accompanying him during the inspection were SMC chairman Cr Clarence Ting Ing Horh and SRDC secretary Ng Siang Wei.
