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3rd July, 2012
KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) only successfully filed 88 cases in the courts in 2011 compared with 1,520 cases in the previous year, said Kota Kinabalu Mayor Abidin Madingkir.
“Among the factors identified as contributing to this sharp decline could likely be related to weaknesses in the preparation of documents for filing in court,” he said.
Abidin said this in his speech when officiating at the ‘DBKK Workshop on Investigation and Prosecution’ held at the City Learning Centre, here yesterday. The four-day workshop, which began yesterday (Monday, July 2), was attended by 70 officers and staff of City Hall.
Abidin said, DBKK cases are categorized into two types of action; civil summons and departmental summons. Civil summons relate to outstanding assessment arrears, which makes up 95% of the total number of cases filed each year while the balance relate to outstanding arrears on house purchase and City Hall property rentals.
Whereas departmental summons relate to offenses committed or infringement of the provisions of existing laws, as those under the Provisions of Parking Places By-Law 2003, Anti-Litter By-Law 1984 and the Building By-Law 1951.
The workshop is being held to enhance the understanding and confidence among the personnel of City Hall who are involved in the preparation of investigative papers and charge sheets, he said.
It is also intended, he added, for the prosecuting officer to be familiar with their responsibilities in implementing and interpreting the existing laws correctly and thus upholding the law.
“In the interpretation and enforcement of the law, the responsible officers must understand and know the intent and the spirit under which the laws were enacted,” he said.
Besides, he said, the workshop also aims to increase awareness and understanding of the participants on the provisions of existing laws, such as the Local Government Ordinance 1961, City Enactment 1996 and the various By-Laws enforced by City Hall.
Present during the opening of the workshop were City Hall Advisory Board member and Chairman of the City Hall Enforcement and Legal Portfolio Committee, Datuk Mariati Robert, Head of Prosecution Unit Attorney General’s Department (Sabah), Jamil Aripin, and City Hall Deputy Director of Operations, Joannes Solidau.
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