Chief Minister launches Kuching Festival, calls on people to support mayors in improving city
Adenan (fourth right) together with (from right) Abdul Wahap, Wong, Chan, Jamilah, Asfia and Abang Johari blow out the candle on the cake of Kuching 26th birthday. Joining them is Kuching city mascot Alca. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The city council and commission here have been urged to build a great, clean and almost crime-free safe Kuching city where people can live in peace and harmony.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem made the call when he launched the Kuching Festival and the 26th Anniversary celebration of Kuching City last night.
“There is no place like Kuching in this world and this is where you and I belong. This is where we feel at home.
“I love Kuching and everyone loves Kuching because the people are warm, friendly and always smiling,” he said.
Looking back, Adenan said 60 years ago Kuching was a very small place where everyone cycled as there were only a few cars and motorcycles which were mainly Bristish-made.
“The roads were rough with pebbles and stones while the only bridge was the Satok (suspension) bridge at a time.”
The chief minister said the city had developed by leaps and bounds since then and he urged the people to give all support to the mayors who had been trusted to build Kuching.
Noting that Kuching is known as Cat City as its name means ‘cat’ in Malay, Adenan said, “It is a very clean animal so Kuching has to have the clean characteristic like ‘kucing’ (cat),” he said, adding that many foreigners had praised Kuching for its cleanliness.
“Therefore, please support our mayors in making beautiful to more beautiful, safe to safer, great and greater for our generation and our great grandchildren.”
Adenan was confident the two mayors, Kuching City South Council (MBKS) mayor Datuk James Chan and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) Datuk Bandar Datuk Abdul Wahap Abang Julai would continue to keep this Cat City spiky clean.
“Not only the city is clean but the administration and management of both councils are also clean,” he commended.
Also present were chief minister’s wife Puan Sri Dato Hajah Jamilah Anu, Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Local Government and Community Development minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nasar, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani, as well as community leaders.