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• ADMINISTRATION & ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
• LEGAL DIVISION
• DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
• HUMAN RESOURCE DIVISION
• INSPECTORATE DIVISION
• LIBRARY DIVISION
• PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION
• VALUATION & RATING DIVISION
  

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Our local authorities are part and parcel of the constitutional structure of the State Government and they are conferred with the powers as prescribed in the Local Authorities Ordinance, 1996. The Building Ordinance, 1994, the Protection of Public Health Ordinance, 1999 and various By-Laws made thereunder. By virtue of the fact that they are only to exercise their powers within their own respective areas, indicates that they are only required to deal with the local affairs.

Being local, they have better local knowledge and that can contribute towards better efficiency in the provision of community services. This system therefore enables the State Government to devote resources more fully to the provision of major services and to the planning and formulation of development policy.

Although the local authorities are providing the various services locally, it should be noted that the State Government never entirely relinquishes its overall responsibility for ensuring that such services are properly and equitably provided.

The supervisory responsibility is entrusted to the Ministry of Environment and Public Health which is formed by the State Government to ensure that the local authorities exercise their powers within the provisions of the laws and that they do not neglect their responsibilities nor exceed their jusidiction.

It is also the duty of the Ministry to secure sufficient funds from the State Government to assist the local authorities to implement their development programmes. In addition to this development grant, our local authorities also receive substantial amounts of statutory grants, both from the State Government as well as the Federal Government. In view of the fact that public funds are involved, it is also the duty of the Ministry to ensure that realistic budgets are prepared each year by the local authorities and that their expenditure should fall within the total expected revenue. In helping the local authorities to perform their duties and to discharge their responsibilities in a proper manner and in line with the Government's policies and programme, the Ministry is fulfilling the obligations entrusted to it by the State Government.

Since local government is a State matter and under the Inter-Governmental Committee’s Report, Sarawak retains a special status when dealing with the Federal Government on matters relating to local government as against other States in Semenanjung Malaysia. In view of this special position, Sarawak is not required to follow the policy formulated by the National Council for Local Government but on the other hand the representative of Sarawak in this Council is not entitled to vote on questions before the Council. (reference Clause 95E of Federal Constitution).

There are several sections or division under MOEPH; Administration Section, Legal Section, Development Section, Rating & Valuation Section, Human resource Division,Inspectorate Section, Library Section, Public Health Division and Environment Division.