S’wak plans to relocate Samarahan Social Welfare Department service centre

KUCHING (Dec 15): The Sarawak government has plans to relocate the Samarahan Social Welfare Department (JKM) service centre due to the high demand in service and limited space, revealed Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

She said a visit to assess the existing location at Samarahan Resident Office had already taken place.

“Indeed, it is acknowledged that the place is small, but the demand for the (JKM) service is really high. So, we cannot afford to have people becoming angry because of that.

“I was informed that there’s a plan for the state government to shift JKM Samarahan elsewhere. When? I am not so sure,” she told a press conference here today.

Nancy was speaking on concerns that have recently surfaced on social media on the unsatisfactory service and conduct of officers at JKM in Bintulu as well as in Samarahan.

According to Nancy, she was made aware of the situation involving JKM officers.

“The location in Samarahan is crowded, especially on Mondays, with only two counters operational.

“Sometimes, the mood may not be favourable when individuals, including parents with differently abled children, have to stand in line,” she said.

On the investigations, Nancy said that she has no jurisdiction over the matter in Sarawak.

“So, with the new location, hopefully things like this will not continue.

“We always remind our staff to be careful and patient. We cannot blame people for behaving a certain way; it is due to their circumstances.

“We need to understand those seeking our services, and we need to be more patient than them,” she said.