Sibu Municipal Council

Sibu Municipal Council Majlis Perbandaran Sibu
Local Authorities Ordinance 1996
Type
Type	Local authority of the Sibu Town
History
Founded	1 November 1981
Leadership
Chairman	Tiong Thai King
Motto
Majulah Sibu (Go ahead Sibu)
Meeting place
Sibu Municipal Council, Floor 19-24, Wisma Sanyan, Sibu, Sarawak.
Website
www.smc.gov.my
Footnotes
Sibu Municipal Board (31 January 1925-31 December 1951) Sibu Urban District Council (1 January 1952-31 October 1981)

Sibu Municipal Council (Malay: Majlis Perbandaran Sibu) (MPSibu or SMC) is a local authority which administers Sibu Town. The agency is under the purview of Sarawak Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.^[1]

History

Sibu Municipal Board

Sibu Municipal Board was founded on 31 January 1925 during the period of Kingdom of Sarawak. Resident of the third division of Sarawak was the chairman of the municipal board. The municipal officer at that time was Sibu District Officer. Other members of the municipal board includes Sibu Divisional Engineer, Superintendent of Sibu Lands & Surveys, and Sibu Divisional Medical Officer. "Unofficial members" which is also known as Sibu Municipal Commissioners were nominated from the leaders of various communities.^[2]

Sibu Urban District Council (SUDC)

Sibu Municipal Board was named to Sibu Urban District Council in 1952 when the Council is capable of managing its own finances and internal affairs. The Sibu District Officer was the chairman of the Council until 1957. The original area of jurisdiction for the Council was 3 square miles (7.77 km²). The area was extended to 20 square miles (51.8 km²) in 1957. In 1947, the population was 9,983 but it increased to 29,630 in 1960. Sibu town roads was completed by Public Works Department (consisted 16.61 miles (26.73 km) of bitumen road and 6.59 miles (10.61 km)) gravel roads was handed over to the Council in 1962. First attempt of bitumen road construction was done by the Council at Tiong Hua Road.^[3]

Bus shelters were provided since 1960s. The Council also spent RM 45,000 for the construction of bitumen running track for "King George VI Memorial Grounds" (now "Padang Sukan Tun Datuk Patinggi Tuanku Haji Bujang" at Bukit Lima Sports Complex, Sibu). Olympic sized swimming pool was completed by Public Works Department in November 1963 at a cost of RM 0.5 million. Sibu Fire Brigade moved out from old place (now MAKSAK Building at Channel Road/Cross Road) and shifted into present Fire station at Central Road on 25 December 1959. The Council also completed Island Road/Hospital Road pavement for Lau King Howe Hospital in 1958, bus station (now used for car parks at Market Road) in 1959, Sungei Bakong Market and Channel Road Market in 1959, Khoo Peng Loong Road Market in 1964, and Channel Road Hawkers' Stand in 1965.^[3]

Sibu Municipal Council (SMC)

SMC customer service centre on 21st floor Wisma Sanyan.

SUDC was upgraded to Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) on 1 November 1981. In 1991, the Sibu Municipality have 126,000 residents. Chairman, Deputy Chairman, and 24 Councillors are to serve the SMC for 2 year term. During this period, Traffic Garden at Rejang Park was completed in 1983, Rejang Esplande Park was completed in 1988, Mission Road Mini Park was completed in 1990, Bukit Lima Recreational Park in 1991, Multi-Storey Car Park at Jalan Kampung Nyabor and Jalan Wong Nai Siong in 1993, Taman Jubli Bukit Aup (Phase I) was completed in 1993 and Phase II in 1997. New Sibu Central Market at Channel Road was completed in 1996. A new market at Grand Height, Jalan Upper Lanang was completed in 1999. SMC moved its headquarters to Wisma Sanyan in 2001.^[4]

Purpose

SMC is responsible for public health and sanitation, waste removal and management, town planning, environmental protection and building control, social and economic development and general maintenance functions of urban infrastructure.^[5]

Administration

Administrative area of SMC included Sibu town centre, Sungei Merah Bazaar, extending from east bank of Rajang River to Teku, Ulu Oya, and Salim roads. The area of coverage has increased from 50 km² during the administration of SUDC to 129.5 km² when SUDC was upgraded to SMC.^[4]

SMC public library

SMC public library

The library was started as a Methodist Missionary Library in the 1950s. It was taken over by SUDC in 1955. It was relocated to SUDC (now SMC town hall) at Wong Nai Siong road from 1962 to 1985. The library was moved to the present location at Keranji road in 1986.^[6] In 2014, the library was relaunched with a new logo, mascot, website and also free wi-fi service for its members.^[7]

See also

• Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC)

References