KUCHING: The Reservoir Park is to be developed into a Unity Park in an effort to make Kuching a socially and culturally vibrant city.
Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg in announcing this said Kuching City North Commission (DBKU) was doing a detailed study on the proposed project and hopefully it could be implemented by next year.
He told reporters this after representing Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem at the opening of a seminar ‘Towards Socially and Culturally Vibrant Cities and Towns’ here yesterday.
“DBKU is now working on it and the project is expected to be implemented under the 11th Malaysia Plan,” he said.
He said that the whole idea of having a Unity Park in the city was to provide a proper venue and public spaces for people from different backgrounds to come together for greater understanding and unity in line with Kuching’s status as City of Unity.
“The space surrounding the existing reservoir park is big enough and should be the most suitable site to be transformed into a unity park. All we need is to provide the necessary infrastructure and facilities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the seminar which was organised by Ministry of Local Government and Community Development in collaboration with Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) mainly for districts in Southern Zone was the fourth in the series after the first seminar here in November 2013 followed by the second one in Miri for the Northern Zone (Oct 8-9, 2014) and the third seminar held in Sibu on Oct 29-30 last year for the Central Zone.
The specific objectives of the seminar were to provide an avenue to the relevant stakeholders to give inputs and recommendations for a framework on strategies and action plans towards creating socially and culturally vibrant cities and towns.
It is also aimed to produce proposals for new and enhanced social and cultural programmes and greater community engagement in activities and to enhance coordination and synergy among stakeholders towards achieving more liveable, socially and culturally vibrant cities and towns.
Four main papers will be delivered during the two-day seminar namely ‘The Role of Local Authorities in Nurturing Socially and Culturally Vibrant Cities and Town: Issues, Challenges and New Directions’ by Ministry of Local Government and Community Development (Development and Relation Community Division) principal assistant secretary Dr Asmah Othman, ‘Tourism Development Towards Creating Dynamic Cities’ by Tourism Ministry permanent secretary Datu Ik Pahoh Joyik, ‘City with a Soul’ by DBKU director Dr Saadiah Abdul Samad and ‘Transforming Cities of the 21st Century into Creative Cities’ by Universiti Sains Malaysia senior lecturer Dr Khoo Suet Leng.