(Kuching, 26th) Kuching South City Council Mayor Dato Teo Hong Seng stated that Sungai Apong, which has been marginalized for nearly twenty years due to structural and political factors, must be brought back onto the mainstream track of urban development.
He said the local community has long faced difficulties in securing development resources, resulting in repeated delays in infrastructure improvements and environmental upgrades—these are basic rights that residents are entitled to.
Dato Teo Hong Seng made these remarks on Sunday (January 25th) when attending the Nine Emperor Temple celebration and Chinese New Year banquet in Kuching. He emphasized that the stagnation in development experienced by Sungai Apong is not the fault of the residents, and they should not bear the consequences for external factors beyond their control.
He said: “Community development should not stall because of political factors.
Basic infrastructure, safety, and a livable environment are rights that should never be delayed.”
He pointed out that, in the past 20 years, Sungai Apong has been gradually excluded from mainstream development agendas, despite the area facing urgent issues such as high-density living, fire safety, and public risk management.
He emphasized that, although land matters may be complicated, public safety and residents’ welfare should never be compromised.
Dato Teo Hong Seng said that now is the time to change the status quo. The many missed development opportunities in past years are not beyond discussion or negotiation—as long as the community can unite and make a clear commitment to fighting for its own rights.
He also stressed that Sungai Apong must coordinate its operations within the existing state policy framework in order to secure more stable and long-term support; internal fragmentation and opposition will only further slow down development.
Earlier in his speech, he pointed out that true urban development should not be measured solely by the scale of construction or economic data, but by whether society takes proper care of its most vulnerable groups.
He added that religious institutions such as the Nine Emperor Temple play an important role in promoting community stability, unity, and care, and complement Kuching’s overall development as a diverse and harmonious city.
He said the local community has long faced difficulties in securing development resources, resulting in repeated delays in infrastructure improvements and environmental upgrades—these are basic rights that residents are entitled to.
Dato Teo Hong Seng made these remarks on Sunday (January 25th) when attending the Nine Emperor Temple celebration and Chinese New Year banquet in Kuching. He emphasized that the stagnation in development experienced by Sungai Apong is not the fault of the residents, and they should not bear the consequences for external factors beyond their control.
Basic infrastructure, safety, and a livable environment are rights that should never be delayed.”
He pointed out that, in the past 20 years, Sungai Apong has been gradually excluded from mainstream development agendas, despite the area facing urgent issues such as high-density living, fire safety, and public risk management.
He emphasized that, although land matters may be complicated, public safety and residents’ welfare should never be compromised.
Dato Teo Hong Seng said that now is the time to change the status quo. The many missed development opportunities in past years are not beyond discussion or negotiation—as long as the community can unite and make a clear commitment to fighting for its own rights.
He also stressed that Sungai Apong must coordinate its operations within the existing state policy framework in order to secure more stable and long-term support; internal fragmentation and opposition will only further slow down development.
Earlier in his speech, he pointed out that true urban development should not be measured solely by the scale of construction or economic data, but by whether society takes proper care of its most vulnerable groups.
He added that religious institutions such as the Nine Emperor Temple play an important role in promoting community stability, unity, and care, and complement Kuching’s overall development as a diverse and harmonious city.