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Juanda in an interview with the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) on June 24, 2026. Photo credit: UkasAdvertisement
By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 25: The Sarawak Local Authorities (PBT) Conference 2026, scheduled to take place on July 6–7 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), is set to become a key platform for strengthening governance, enhancing integrity, and accelerating the transformation of local authority service delivery in response to rising public expectations.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman), Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya, said the conference has been designed as a strategic platform bringing together local authority leaders, industry experts, academics, and various agencies to exchange experiences, share best practices, and generate new ideas to improve public service delivery.
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He said the programme will also emphasise good governance, a strong culture of integrity, responsible financial management, digital transformation of services, and expanded collaboration between Sarawak’s local authorities and their counterparts nationwide.
“Most importantly, we want to ensure local authorities remain relevant, resilient, and capable of meeting the people’s expectations for high-quality services,” he said in an interview with the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) on Wednesday (June 24).
Juanda said the theme, “Local Authority Transformation: Towards High-Impact Service Delivery Based on Integrity,” underscores the fact that successful transformation is driven not only by technology and systems, but fundamentally by a work culture rooted in integrity.
He noted that today’s public not only expects faster services but also demands transparency, fairness, and trustworthiness in delivery.
“Integrity is the foundation of all transformation efforts. Even with strong systems and comprehensive procedures, public confidence cannot be sustained without integrity,” he stressed.
He added that the two-day conference will cover eight key focus areas: financial management, integrity and accountability, digitalisation of services, smart city development, complaints management, revenue diversification, and the role of audits in strengthening local authority governance.
“We will feature speakers from various sectors, including the Auditor General’s Department, the Sarawak State Accountant’s Office, the Sarawak Ombudsman, Sarawak Multimedia Authority, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NFCC), urban planning experts, and representatives from local authorities recognised for successful transformation initiatives.
“Sharing their experiences will also be representatives from Subang Jaya City Council, Taiping Municipal Council, Ipoh City Council, Petaling Jaya City Council, as well as Sarawak local authorities such as Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), Kuching South City Council (MBKS), and other high-performing councils,” he said.
He added that the diverse participation will allow attendees to gain practical insights and best practices that can be adapted to their respective organisations.
The conference is open to all local authority personnel, including councillors, government officers, statutory bodies, academics, students, researchers, industry players, and those interested in urban development and public service delivery.
Juanda urged those who have yet to register to take the opportunity to participate, highlighting the benefits of knowledge sharing, professional networking, and inspiration for institutional improvement.
“The Sarawak government hopes to see more innovative, forward-looking, high-integrity, efficient, and responsive local authorities that are well equipped to meet the needs of the people.
“I am confident that participants will return not only with knowledge and new networks, but also with the drive to implement meaningful transformation that strengthens local authorities for the wellbeing of the people of Sarawak,” he said. — DayakDaily
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