Kuching to be declared ‘City of Unity’ on Aug 1

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Abang Wahap (sixth right), with Chan on his left, show the banner on ‘Kuching City Day 2015’ with others after the press conference.

Abang Wahap (sixth right), with Chan on his left, show the banner on ‘Kuching City Day 2015’ with others after the press conference.

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem will declare the state capital as the ‘City of Unity’ this Saturday.

According to Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai, the ceremony will take place at 9am at Stadium Perpaduan here, in conjunction with the 27th Kuching City Day celebration this year.

“MBKS (Kuching South City Council) Mayor Datuk James Chan will also be present,” he said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

The ‘City of Unity’ began as a proposal by Yayasan 1Malaysia, which was then accepted by the state government.

Abang Wahap said Kuching fulfilled the characteristics required for such recognition comprising respect, trustworthiness, accommodating, empathy and fairness. This year, he added, DBKU would be hosting the festival, including the many activities that came with it.

Kuchingites get to savour a variety of ‘laksa’ dishes this Saturday at the ‘Pesta Macam-Macam Laksa’ taking place at the stadium carpark, where there will also be a flea market. Elsewhere that day, there will be a ‘City Day Fun Ride’ at the Kuching Waterfront.

Meanwhile, the Godown Amphitheathre here will stage the ‘Sarawak Traditional Dance Festival’ this Sunday, and the ‘City Day 2015’ poem declamation on Aug 31. On Aug 15, Pustaka Negeri in Petra Jaya will be the venue of the ‘Datuk Bandar Cup 2015’ storytelling competition.

The celebrations continue with the hosting of the ‘2nd International City With A Soul Conference’ on Sept 4-5, Datuk Bandar Cup 215 futsal competition (Sept 5-6), the ‘3rd Annual International Orchid Show 2015’ at Orchid Park (Sept 17), DBKU’s ‘Jom Sihat 2015’ at Medan Niaga Satok (Sept 26), Kuching City Street Parade and Grand Finale at Padang Merdeka (Oct 10) and the ‘6th International Cat Show’ at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (Oct 17-18).

For more information about these events, call DBKU at 082-446688 / 414488.

Meanwhile, Chan said he was happy to work with DBKU in striving to make Kuching a liveable city in the world. He said MBKS had also lined up various programmes to commemorate the city festival.

There will be the annual ‘Food Fair’ at Dewan Masyarakat here as well as a trade fair – both running from July 31 to Aug 23. Moreover, the open stage at Kuching Park near Jalan Padungan will hold the ‘Friendship Cities Night’ on July 31-Aug 3, followed by nightly entertainments running from Aug 4 to 23. The park will also host a ‘Garden Show’ from July 31 to Aug 23.

Get ready to rock this weekend as semi-finalists for this year’s ‘Kuching Got Talent’ will battle it out for a spot in the grand showdown on Aug 22 at the open stage of Kuching Park.

The festival will also have a ‘Sports Toto 3-on-3 Basketball Jamboree’, ‘Kuching Zumba Fiesta’, exhibition and competition of remote control machines, Yuanji and other folk dance shows, a rugby tournament, martial arts demonstrations, traditional Oriental music performance, the Mayor’s Cup 2015 football challenge and a hockey championship.