KUCHING: A former colleague of the new Kuching City South (MBKS) mayor James Chan on Sunday expressed confidence that the corporate figure, with his vast experience in the private sector, would be able to continue to make the city a better place for all.

BREAKING NEWS: Lawan (right) talking with a visitor during his Gawai Dayak open house.

Donald Lawan, a former director of Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), described Chan as a “very friendly man besides being knowledgeable and approachable.”

Speaking to The Borneo Post when met at his Gawai Dayak open house at Tabuan Supreme here, Lawan said:

“I’ve known James (Chan) for years. When I was the director of Hardwood Timber, he was already the general manager.”

“I think he will make a fine mayor, with all his experience in the corporate sector.”

Lawan, who is a former assemblyman for Bukit Begunan and father of Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan, pointed out that the Chief Minister had made the right decision to appoint Chan as the new mayor.

“I’m sure the people of Kuching will like him (Chan), and he can help solve a lot of problems in and around the city,” he added.

Citing the late mayor Chong Ted Tsiung as example, he said, the non-politician who was in office for less than a year managed to bring about a lot of improvements to the city.

Lawan believed that a political figure who could be worried about losing votes would not be able to fulfill the role as mayor.

“Take illegal hawkers who are also the voters as an example. If the mayor adheres to the council’s by-laws, he risks losing votes. If the mayor goes against the by-laws, then he is doing something wrong. It is sort of like either losing votes or pleasing them,” he said.

Asked whether Chan should step down as general manager of Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd after he is sworn in as the new mayor, Lawan said: “Ya… I think he should quit the general manager’s post because the mayor’s post is a full-time job, different from corporate duties.”

The 65-year-old businessman believed that Chan would not face a lot of problems in running the council given that MBKS had many veteran staff like the deputy mayor Mohd Amin Hassan to assist him.