Record BN govt initiative

ANOTHER FIRST: Urban Transformation Centre to help rakyat get public service under one roof

MALACCA: THE country’s first Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) opened yesterday, with Datuk Seri Najib Razak declaring it the benchmark of the best public service for the people.

The prime minister said that placing federal and state government agencies under one roof would mean the rakyat would be better served and satisfied with the services provided.

Non-governmental organisations and the private sector would also be given places in the UTC.

“I believe the Urban Transformation Centre in Malacca, which is the first of its kind in the country, with over 70 government departments and non-governmental organisations and the private sector, is a very good example of a fruitful
idea by the Barisan Nasional-led government.

“The UTC was hatched from the National Blue Ocean Strategy and once we decided on its implementation, Malacca was the first state to offer us a building and we accepted the proposal.

“The UTC in Malacca also set a new record for the BN government as it took only six weeks from conception to the opening of the centre.

“This was a fast execution project which would enable the public to come to one place to resolve all their dealings with the government and the private sector," he said after launching the UTC in  Jalan Tan Chay Yan here  yesterday.

Najib said all government departments at the centre would open from 8.30am to 10pm every day.

"Among the touch-point departments here will be the National Registration Department and the Immigration Department, where any application for MyKad and international passports can be ready in one hour.

"This centre is also people-friendly as it has a nursery, surau, library and gymnasium for the public.

"We also have the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry here, which operates a nursery that takes cares of children while their parents run errands and deal with government departments," he said to the thunderous applause of the 100,000 people at the launch.

Later, Najib said the second UTC would be opened at Pudu Sentral soon.

"We are in the midst of doing renovation there and after it is opened, I hope to open a UTC in every state."

Najib also launched the Jelajah Janji Ditepati programme, aimed at allowing ministries, government agencies and private companies to showcase 1Malaysia products and services.

Present were the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, and federal and state leaders.

Najib said the people were now benefiting from the BN government's transformation programmes.

"In the three years since I took over, we have seen so many real changes in the country. This is why we need another mandate for another five years, as there are many more changes that we can bring.

"When we make a promise, we keep it, and this is why it is important for the people to support us.

"We are not like the opposition government, where all their promises remain as promises."

Citing the incident in Kampung Buah Pala in Penang, Najib said the opposition leader concerned had, before the last general election, told the people in the village that if the opposition won in Penang, the residents could remain at the village.

"But what happened? After the opposition took control of Penang, the villagers were forced to move out of their homes and vacate the land.

"The villagers were left in the dark and the BN government, through Syarikat Perumahan Nasional Bhd, stepped in and helped build houses for them."

Najib praised Ali and Malacca, saying the state had proven itself as one that was better-governed than ones by the opposition.

He said Malacca had beaten the opposition-led states in six areas: tourism, cleanliness, poverty eradication, unemployment, building homes under the hardcore poor housing scheme, and the state administration, in which the Chief Minister's Department was recently awarded five-star status.

"I noticed that Ali was high-spirited in his speech, even though he lacks sleep.

"I watch Euro 2012, too, but only the replays, as I have to go to work the next day, unlike Ali, who, according to his wife, has not slept since the tournament started.

"Ali said Malacca had beaten opposition-ruled states in six areas, or 6-0.

"Ali even said that Malacca was better than the United States and even better than Venice, Italy.

"All this success is because the people are confident in our sincerity. We do not lie to the people but we are honest and sincere with them."

Najib listed other achievements of the BN government.

These included the opening of 1Malaysia Clinics and 1Malaysia Housing Programme.

"We can make Malacca better than the opposition states and the score could increase to 10-0, 11-0, 12-0, 13-0 and even 14-0, but this would all depend on the outcome of the 13th general election."

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak being greeted by the people after launching the Urban Transformation Centre and ‘Jelajah Janji Ditepati’ carnival in Malacca. Pic by Aizuddin Saad

The Urban Transformation Centre, a partnership between the public and private sectors, will streamline the public delivery system. Pic by Rasul Azli Samad

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