(Miri, 6th) Deputy Mayor of Miri, Arifin, today urged pet dog owners not to casually release or abandon their pets, emphasizing that such behavior not only damages the community environment but also poses public health risks such as rabies.
He pointed out that many so-called 'stray dogs' in the city are actually wandering outside with the permission of their owners, causing disturbances to the residents' lives.
During an interview at the 'Open Day' event held by the Miri City Council this morning, Arifin stated that owners must take responsibility and properly manage their pets.
He urged community residents to report sightings of stray dogs to the city council or village heads, and to participate in solving this issue collectively.
Arifin disclosed that during the 'Open Day' event, a total of 17 complaints were received, with the most, seven cases, related to the engineering department. Others included the public cleanliness and maintenance department (4 cases), public health department (3 cases), horticultural department (2 cases), and enforcement department (1 case). All complaints have been forwarded to the relevant departments for handling.
Complaints related to engineering included problems such as collapsed drains, damaged roads, mosquito breeding, pedestrian walkway damage, requests for trimming weeds, and insufficient lighting. For example, collapsed drains in Parima 2 Road residential area, broken drains and damaged pedestrian walkways in Happy Garden, and the need to resurface Pari Road.
Complaints to the cleanliness department involved the presence of stray dogs, improperly disposed garbage, dirty public toilets, and lack of trash bins. The public health department received cases about issues such as peeling cement on market ceilings, damaged public toilet facilities, and abandoned residences affecting environmental hygiene.
The horticultural department received two complaints regarding trimming of weeds and trees, in areas including residential backyards and commercial areas; the enforcement department received one complaint about illegal vendors operating in public parking areas.
Arifin reiterated that the city council highly values public opinions and will continue to strengthen communication and cooperation with the community to ensure that all complaints can be effectively followed up and addressed.