SIBU, Jan 28 – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is scheduled to arrive on Friday night for a two-day working visit here, said Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King. Addressing a full council meeting of the SMC on Wednesday, he said Ahmad Zahid would also go on a walkabout at the Sibu Central Market beginning 8.30am on Sunday.
“Let us all come and give him a warm welcome,” he said, urging the people to come out and greet Ahmad Zahid. On another matter, Tiong reminded those trading at the council’s building, market or hawker centres to obtain a permit prior to carrying out any lion dance performance during the coming Chinese New Year period.
The reminder was also directed at schools, political parties and non-government organisations which intended to hold lion dance performances for fund-raising or any other purpose in the council’s properties, he said. Tiong also said that the council was carrying out a site inspection and referencing exercise on all rateable holdings within the council’s jurisdiction for the purpose of updating assessment rates as required under Part VII of the Local Authority Ordinance 1996.
He said the council sought the cooperation of the rate payers to enable its staff to inspect and take measurements and photographs of any changes to their premises. The council staff would produce authority cards to identify themselves during the exercise, he said, adding that notices would be issued to the rate payers who refused to cooperate.
He said a request letter shall be issued for a scheduled appointment in case the owner is not around during the inspection. Tiong also said that the council would also check on Aedes mosquito-breeding grounds, particularly in high-risk residential areas, and would not hesitate to issue compound fines of RM500 against the owner or tenant found to be breeding the insect.
