DISTRICT
OFFICERS
Being a district Officer is indeed
a challenging role. A District Officer, if he is to be efficient and effective,
must be multi - skilled and must be knowledgeable on a host of subjects ranging
from administrative procedures to legal issues covering land, family and other
matters. How well prepared are our District Officers when they asume their posts?
How do they cope with the myriad duties, tasks and responsibilities that they
have to fulfill in a given day? What are the constraints that they face as they
discharge their tasks?
When the RAKAN Sarawak team went
around to get to know some of our District Officers, we emerged from the experience
a lot more sympathetic to the situation that they face. More importantly, our
sense of appreciation for their efforts were heightened. While admittedly, there
are some who fail to perform satisfactorily and appear to be less committed
to their calling, majority of our DO's show a strong sense of dedication to
their tasks, earning the respect, admiration and affection of the people in
the areas where they serve.
Most of them are positively challenged
by the myriad duties that face them daily. They enumerated their roles as that
of an administrator, magistrate, planner, coordinator, or implementor of development
projects and a protocol officer. Besides these tasks, they may also be called
upon to play the role of a marriage counselor, or settle family feuds. Or dish
out advice on adoption matters. Being a DO thus demand excellent interpersonal
communication skills and a strong sense of empathy.
Another interesting dimension of
a DO's life is that he must be well-versed in the vernacular dialects of the
communities and areas he is assigned to. If a Malay DO, for instance, is assigned
in an area where Ibans predominate, he must be able to learn the Iban language
in order to communicate with them. Thus, it is not uncommon for anyone of our
DO's to be well-versed in several of the dialects and languages spoken in Sarawak's
rural areas. Which makes us come to the conclusion that if you wish to learn
to speak the dialects of Sarawak's ethnic groups, then work in a District or
Sub-district Office.
We also came up with a simple means
of finding out how "effective" a certain DO is in his job. And that is to walk
around the district with the DO and see how the people relate to him.
A DO, who the people have confidence
in, is truly involved in their community's affairs. They are always received
warmly by the people in the district - be it in the kampungs, in schools, in
the market place, in the civic centres, in the commercial areas. A DO who is
seen as "less involved" will usually be treated with a certain amount of deference
but without the warmth and welcome sense of familiarity usually accorded to
one who is considered a "friend".
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Sarudin bin Hoklai
(DO, Belaga)
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Hillary Bukit Guroh
(DO, Kapit)
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Jeffrey Ursee Iboh
(DO, Daro)
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Here are some of the views expressed
by our District Officers on their tasks and challenges that they face on any
given day:
Do you feel empowered to do the job
of a District Officer?
Sarudu bin Hoklai (DO, Belaga): Generally,
most of our jobs are carried out independently. In some cases, we are required
to refer to the Resident for approval.
Hillary Mukit Guroh (DO, Kapit):
In most matters, the DO is fully empowered to do his task as provided for in
the Statutes, General Orders and other rules, regulations and circulars. Development
matters are referred to the Divisional Development Committee for action or approval
as the case may be. The Resident is kept informed on decisions taken and events
and activities in the district.
Jeffrey Ursee Iboh (Distrcit Officer,
Daro): The power of the DO seem to be diminishing from day to day. He lacks
authority over the other departments operating in the District; we have limited
manpower and most approval to do things come from the Resident of the Division.
What potentials can you identify
in your district?
Sarudu bin Hoklai (DO, Belaga): There
is excellent potential for eco-tourism programmes in Belaga due to the vast
areas under forest reserves and national parks. The unique culture and traditions
of the local communities in the Belaga area will be good tourism attractions.
Belaga could also be good for agro-based industry such as vegetables and fruits
farming, fresh water fish culture and processing. Other industries that could
be sited here would be oil palm plantation and processing as well as timber-based
industry.
Hillary Mukit Guroh (DO, Kapit):
Kapit has great potential in timber-based industry. In fact, timber-based industry
is already quite established in this area. With sustainable forest management,
Kapit may be able to rely ont his industry for a long time. Kapit can also be
good for tourism, with its rich natural and cultural attractions. But because
of its location, it is difficult for tourists to come here. So, Kapit still
have a long way to go in this area. Because of the hilly nature of the terrain
in the district, agro-based industry is not suitable on large-scale basis here
in Kapit. Difficulty in transportation as well as the lack of suitable landform
would make cultivation and transportation of commercial crops difficult and
expensive.
Jeffrey Ursee Iboh (District Officer,
Daro): Pulau Bruit at the Northern part has potential for tourism development.
The nature of soil in the district is swampy. With proper drainage and irrigation,
the land will be good for oil palm, pineapple, padi and sago planting.
Your suggestions on how DOs can effectively
perform their duties and function.
Sarudu bin Hoklai (DO, Belaga): DOs
should have greater involvement in the planning stages of major projects in
the areas under his jurisdiction. They should also have more training on areas
such as management and Information Technology. Attachment with semi-government
agencies, corporate bodies or private companies will also give the DOs exposure
and experience, and thus, improve their abilities to formulate government policies.
Hillary Mukit Guroh (DO, Kapit):
There should be more funds allocated to Minor Rural Projects to make the rural
areas more pleasant places to live in. Good transportation infrastructure should
also be given priority in the rural areas to facilitate fast and efficient travel
within the district. Increase, hasten and upgrade the use of IT in the office
work process. Officers should not serve more than 3 years in one District (especially
the remote areas) to avoid boredom and familiarity with the environment. this
may cause complacency.
Jeffrey Ursee Iboh (District Officer,
Daro) In order for a DO to effectively discharge his duties, the following must
be taken into account: A DO must have enhanced power or part in the Panel Pergerakan
gaji; he must be informed of all activities in the District by the other departments;
the human and financial resources in the District must also be increased.
An effective DO should be able to
come up with a 5-year District Development Plan for his district and must have
up-to-date comprehensive data of his district. To help him accomplish this,
a DO must be involved in the overall master plan preparation and must be involved
in all discussions at State-level on matters that involve his district.
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