SIBU, Feb 9: The state government has been told to consider setting up a youth centre in Sibu that can cater for sports, recreational and business activities under one roof.
The centre could also become a co-working space, said Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) deputy president Datuk Chieng Buong Toon.
“This (youth centre) is in fact, a global trend that reaches out to the young people today. Sarawak must provide a venue to help expose and train talents of our young people,” he said at the Sibu SUPP Chinese New Year Open House celebration yesterday.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg was present.
Chieng said attracting the youths to socialise and build networking was also in line with the chief minister’s aspiration for the young people to focus in developing their careers and living a healthy lifestyle.
He voiced his support on the state’s digital economy agenda, which also focused on empowering the youths to be skilled in the information technology field.
“The youth of Sarawak will head towards this globalised information technology age and the direction is to take the state towards the platform of this new era.”
Chieng, who is also SUPP Bukit Assek chairman, said the Sibu Urban Renewal Committee would like to propose the state government to initiate a redevelopment plan (in phases) for the slum areas in Bukit Assek into an eco-friendly, modern neighbourhood.
He added that there was a need to inject new development concept to join and link up the new and the old areas in Sibu.
“To talk about development in Sibu, we must first talk of the problems faced by the low-lying Bukit Assek area.
“Sadly, this low-lying areas get flooded every downpour, the houses are collapsing, the roads and drains are sinking and the water-logged areas have become the breeding grounds of mosquitoes,” he lamented.
He added that although Sibu Municipal Council has repeatedly repaired the infrastructures to overcome these problems, it seems that the problems could not be solved.
“The only solution now is the redevelopment of the Bukit Assek area,” he said. — DayakDaily
