The Council of the City of Kuching South (, abbreviated MBKS) is the city council which administers the southern part of the city of Kuching in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. This council was established after the city was officially granted city status on 1 August 1988. Their jurisdiction covers an area of 61.53 square kilometres.

The council consists of the mayor plus thirty councillors appointed to serve a one-year term by the Sarawak State Government. DBKU 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 which was formerly administered by Majlis Perbandaran Kuching (MPK) or the Kuching Municipal Board.

History Before 1922, the Kuching township was managed by the Public Works Department. In 1922, Kuching Sanitary and Municipal Advisory Board was formed which consisted of five Europeans, four Chinese, one Malay and one Indian.

In 1952, the Kuching Municipal Ordinance was enacted, which led to the formation of the Kuching Municipal Council in January 1953, with a maximum of 27 and a minimum of six members.

The first Kuching Municipal Council election took place on 4 November 1956, electing 27 councillors. A total of 58 people offered themselves as candidates for the 9 wards and 27 seats on the new Council. The newly elected Council took office on 1 December 1956. The President and Vice President were elected from among the Councillors and held office for a period of one year, with eligibility for re-election.

The 3-year term of office of the 1963 elected Councillors should have expired on 30 June 1966. However, due to certain political development in the State, the tenure of office was extended by the State Government and the Councillors who were elected at the 3rd local council elections in 1963 continued to hold office until 14 October 1981 when the council was restructured. The enactment of the Kuching Municipal (Amendment) (No.2) Ordinances 1977 made 15 December 1977 among other things, led the elective system by an appointment system of Councillors. It was provided that the council should consist of the chairman, the deputy chairman; and not less than eight and not more than twenty-four Councillors to be appointed by the Governor to serve a term not extending three years. This amendment Ordinance was only brought into force with effect from 15 October 1981 on which date a new set of Councillors were appointed and all the Councillors elected in 1963 ceased to hold office on 14 October 1981.

On 1 August 1988, the Municipality was elevated to city status, making it the fourth city in Malaysia after George Town, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. This historic date also saw the administrative division of the City into Kuching North (covering a significant part of the central areas of downtown Kuching, previously administered by the Kuching Municipal Council and including new areas across the Sarawak River, previously administered by the Kuching Rural District Council) and Kuching South (covering part of the areas previously administered by the Kuching Municipal Council to the east of downtown Kuching and come new areas to the south of the former Municipality, previously administered by the Kuching Rural District Council) comprising an area of 61.53 km2.

The Council of the City of Kuching South is a corporation established under the Local Authorities Ordinance, 1996. Like all other local authorities, it is essentially an authority providing public services within its area of jurisdiction comprising an area of 61.53 km2.

The council now consists of a Mayor, a Deputy Mayor and 30 Councillors, all of whom are appointed by the State Government of Sarawak. The State Government appoints the Councillors on a 2-year term, renewable at its discretion. The Councillors represent the various political component parties of the coalition government of Sarawak. The Councillors are responsible for formulating the Councils policies and for ensuring that the Administrator implements these policies in an efficient and effective manner.

The mode by which the council conducts its business is through the committee system. The Standing Committees normally meet once a month to deal with matters under their respective terms of reference. The Committees make decisions in the form of recommendations to the Full Council for its adoption at its ordinary meeting, which is usually held at the end of the month. The City Secretary is the Chief Administrative Officer of the City Council. Its various divisions, namely the Administration, the Treasury, the Building & Landscaping, the Engineering, the Rating and Valuation, the Public Health, and the Licensing undertake the functions of the Organisation. Each head of division controls expenditure as approved in the annual estimates of the council. The mode by which the council conducts its business is through the committee system. The Standing Committees normally meet once a month to deal with matters under their respective terms of reference. The Committees make decisions in the form of recommendations to the Full Council for its adoption at its ordinary meeting, which is usually held at the end of the month.

Appointed mayors of Kuching South No. Mayor Term start Term end 1. Song Swee Guan 1 August 1988 31 December 1996 2. Chan Seng Khai 1 January 1997 31 July 2005 3. Chong Ted Tsiung 25 September 2005 3 August 2007 4. James Chan Khay Syn 4 June 2008 31 August 2019 5. Wee Hong Seng 1 September 2019 Incumbent

List of Councillors

(15) (8) (3) (3) (1)

Zone 1 Area Postcode Green Heights 93250 Hui Sing Garden 輝盛花園 93350 Kuching International Airport 古晉國際機場 93250 Seng Goon Garden 承恩花園 Stampin 實淡賓路 93350 Party Councillor Post SUPP Philip Liaw Kian Sin Chairperson SUPP Iu Cho Heng Deputy Chairperson PRS Cr Dato Azizi Morni Member PRS Timothy Julius

Zone 2 Area Postcode Borneo Development Corporation (BDC) Garden BDC花園 93350 Stutong 斯楮東 Tabuan Heights 達閩高地 Party Councillor Post SUPP Lee Jun Choi Chairperson SDNU Wilfred Mujah Aton Deputy Chairperson SUPP Shankar Ram Pohumall Asnani Member PBB Dzamaluddin Zainudin

Zone 3 Area Postcode Batu Lintang 峇都令當 93200 Bormill Estate 婆美房地產 93150 Kenny Hill 肯尼山莊 93350 Laman Bong Chin 黃請園 93200 Marbel Garden 93350 Ong Tiang Swee Road 王長水路 93200 Upper Laksamana Cheng Ho Road 鄭和統帥路 93350 Party Councillor Post SUPP Mok Chuang Ping Chairperson SUPP Lim Swee Chiaw Deputy Chairperson SUPP Katharine Voon Yian Wie Member PBB Drahman Jaladin

Zone 4 Area Postcode Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone 莎玛再也自由工业区 93350 Setia Raja Road 斯帝亞拉者路 Tabuan Desa 達閩德沙 Tabuan Dusun 科丹地路 Tabuan Laru 達閩拉魯 Tabuan Melayu Village 達閩馬來村 93450 Tabuan Park 達閩園 Party Councillor Post PBB Iskandar Sharkawi Chairperson PBB Sebali Chik Deputy Chairperson PDP Yong Li Na Member PRS Rosaline Neging PBB Mohamad Ali Han

Zone 5 Area Postcode Foochow Road 福州路 93300 Padungan 浮羅岸 93100 Petanak Road 畢打那路 Song Thian Cheok Road 宋天祝路 Party Councillor Post SUPP Lau Sie Tung Chairperson PBB Sufian Ateng Deputy Chairperson SUPP Bong Lian Huan Member SUPP Jong Yean Pin

Zone 6 Area Postcode Bintawa Road 民達華路 93450 Kilang Road 工廠路 Peace Road 和平路 Pelabuhan Road 碼头路 Pending 朋嶺 Semangat Road Riverview Garden 河景園 93050 Sungai Apong 雙溪亞邦 93450 Party Councillor Post SUPP Kho Teck Wan Chairperson SUPP Ong Chee Chiang Deputy Chairperson PBB Abdul Baderi Sahnmat Member SUPP Chai Ju Loon

Zone 7 Area Postcode Chawan Road 詔安路 93300 Foochow No. 1 Road 福州第一路 Kenyalang Park 肯雅蘭園 Supreme Garden Uplands Road 高原路 93350 Party Councillor Post SUPP Goh Tze Hui Chairperson SUPP Patrick Gordon Song Deputy Chairperson PDP Lamanu Talit Member PBB Mulok Saban PDP Theresa Dunstan Udam

References

See also Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) Padawan Municipal Council (MPP)

External links