Kota Kinabalu: THE State Government currently has no plans to establish a separate District Council for Sook, said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif.
He said the proposal requires careful evaluation to ensure all criteria for forming a local authority are met before any decision can be made.
“Several key requirements must be studied before a new district council can be formed. These include population size, annual revenue, infrastructure readiness, administrative capacity, and development planning,” he said during the State Legislative Assembly sitting on Monday.
Arifin was responding to a question from Sook Assemblyman Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup, who asked whether the Ministry planned to establish a Sook District Council in view of the area’s size and its growing administrative and development needs.
He explained that local authorities are classified into three categories – District Councils, Municipal Councils, and City Halls – each governed by specific criteria under guidelines issued by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in 2025.
For a district council to be established, an area must typically have a population of fewer than 150,000 people and generate annual revenue between RM5 million and RM25 million. It must also possess sufficient infrastructure and public utilities, as well as the capacity to deliver basic municipal services.
In addition, the area is required to have an interim administrative structure in place for at least three years, a formally approved boundary delineation, and a development plan outlining potential economic growth.
However, Arifin noted that flexibility may be exercised in certain cases.
“The main consideration is whether the new council can sustain itself financially with strong and stable revenue sources,” he said.
During supplementary questions, Arthur argued that Sook already meets several key criteria. He pointed to its status as a full district, the emergence of new industries and tourism activities, and its potential to contribute to state revenue through taxation and development.
He also highlighted logistical challenges faced by residents, noting that many must travel long distances to Keningau to access administrative services.
He urged the Ministry to consider shortening the requirement for a three-year interim administrative structure and to begin early planning for the council’s establishment.
In response, Arifin said the Ministry would initiate engagements with relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the District Office, the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), and the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KPLB), as well as agencies from Japan, to conduct a detailed study on the proposal.
“Following the engagements and study, the matter will be finalised and brought to the State Cabinet for consideration,” he said.
