KUCHING, Dec 29: Regardless of whether the 18 existing closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) launched by Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang in 2021 is part of the Kuching Smart City project, the Sarawak government should still answer for the inoperative CCTVs at the Jalan Arang-Jalan Dogan roundabout.
Michael Kong, special assistant to Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chien Jen, said the CCTV failure issue is still subject to the principles of good governance and accountability.
“RM600,000 of taxpayers’ money was used (to install the CCTVs) and therefore, it is only proper that public scrutiny be allowed to determine its efficiency and feasibility before the Sarawak government embarks on another multi-million ringgit project,” he said in a statement today.
By “another multi-million ringgit project”, Kong was referring to the proposed plan to install 800 CCTVs in 200 locations in Greater Kuching.
Kong was responding to political secretary to the Premier Tan Kai’s statement earlier today, saying that the latter should not have brushed off the issue by saying the Jalan Arang-Jalan Dogan site’s CCTV is not part of the Kuching Smart City project’s experimental setup.
“Instead of side-stepping the issue, Tan Kai should take the opportunity to find out more about the existing CCTV system at Jalan Arang and Jalan Dogan, and explain the current state of the infrastructure.
“If the State government cannot even manage 18 CCTVs which were installed on a trial basis, how are they expected to manage and maintain 800 CCTVs throughout Greater Kuching?” said Kong. — DayakDaily
