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Kuching is relatively
free of all the ills found in larger cities. There is peace and
harmony. Serious crimes are the exception rather than the norm.
It has ward-winning Waterfront, the Cultural Village, a world
famous museum, affordable housing for most of its citizens, lots
of space and greens from which we can still see blue skies. The
two Local Authorities are already doing their part in making
Kuching City pleasant and have won national awards for their
effort. Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) have their Vision
of Kuching as a "Beautiful, well-planned and cultured City",
while the Vision for Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS) is
"Clean, green and beautiful Kuching".
However, even though Kuching have achieved
city-status its citizens still retain some of their old habits
and problems. Its squatter areas still do not have basic
amenities and facilities and they continue to be source of
infections to other parts of the city and State. Its
construction workers continue to be housed in shacks at the
construction sites and their makeshift latrines overhang drains.
The sanitation of its wet markets still leaves much to be
desired. In
addition, the City's drainage system is unable to drain run
water fasts enough leading to flash floods in some areas. It is
also starting to experience traffic jams; its public transport
system need to be improved. And, there are still people who use
their house as workshops exposing their neighbours to such
nuisance as noise, smell, grease and so on.
Also, in common with many cities, the
various Departments and Agencies responsible for supplying and
maintaining the City's services tend to work in isolation. thus
it is not unusual to find that after one Agency has finished
paving a road, another Agency will dig the road up the following
day to lay pipes or wires.
From the preceding descriptions, it can be
inferred that Kuching City is not sick. However, we believe in
the adage:
"You do not have to be
sick to get better".
And, Kuching will definitely get better by participating in the
Healthy Cities movement. | 
