Kota kinabalu: Residents and traders in the Api-Api state constituency hope the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) will enhance efforts in maintaining cleanliness, increasing public facilities, and addressing parking issues for the comfort of both users and tourists.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, civil servant Ain Umairah Shariff Muhamad, 28, highlighted the need for more rubbish bins in public places. She pointed out the difficulty in finding bins as a significant concern, noting that if present, they tend to be located far apart. Furthermore, she acknowledged the prevalent issue of double-parking, attributing it to users' behavior in the limited space available in popular areas around Api-Api.

Office cleaner Nurhayatie Abdullah, 55, expressed her hope for the authorities to tackle parking and drainage system issues, particularly the flooding after short rain spells. She mentioned that while some action has been taken, the progress seems slow and called for continuous monitoring of drainage and parking for everyone's convenience.

Meanwhile, honey and traditional health products trader Ana Delisa, 25, commended DBKK for their daily efforts in maintaining cleanliness within the market area, noting that the market traders operate legally with licenses. Young trader Alsaisal Alhud, 23, also praised the safety and cleanliness under DBKK's supervision but suggested improvements in external facilities, particularly expanding parking areas.

Tourist Sergejs Kotovs, 48, from Latvia, shared his perspective on enhancing public facilities for a better visitor experience. He noted the need for cleaner amenities and sufficient water for washing hands in certain places. Despite these issues, he found Kota Kinabalu to be safe and convenient for tourists during his three-day stay.

The Api-Api constituency, which includes major commercial centers and tourist attractions like the Kota Kinabalu Central Market, places high importance on cleanliness, safety, and public facilities. In the 16th Sabah State Election, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Datuk Seri Christina Liew won the Api-Api seat with a majority of 5,347 votes. For the upcoming state election, PH has fielded Thonny Chee, with polling set for Nov 29 and early voting on Nov 25. The constituency has 17,782 registered voters, as reported by the Election Commission last October.