Silat demonstration by Persatuan Silat Permyjaya.
MIRI: The 12th Miri City Day celebration at Miri City Fan, one of the significant events to mark Miri’s elevation to city status, was held in style with colourful stage performances that signify Miri’s peaceful community of multi-racial and multi-religious backgrounds.
Themed ‘Miri Uniquely Borneo’, the celebration kicked-off with performances by Miri-based dance studios like V Dance Academy and Misa Luvi, to the mesmerising voice of local talents such as Eliza Sherance who belted a song in Iban.
The Miri City Day celebration is a crowd puller that is attracting hundreds of spectators and revellers.
In his welcoming speech, mayor Adam Yii dedicated Miri’s progressive development to several prominent figures who had worked tirelessly to make Miri the first non-capital city in the country.
“The ‘happening team’, headed by Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, laid down the foundation and subsequently transformed Miri. He (Dr Chan) was the driving force behind the happening team and our council, thus he truly earned the title ‘Architect of Modern Miri’,” Yii said in expressing his gratitude.
He lauded Miri City Council (MCC) as the leading example of local government, owing to the capability, and awards and recognition it received.
“Because of the growth in the infrastructure development and city transformation for the past 12 years, MCC has virtually been entrusted with increased areas of service delivery and responsibility, including the latest inclusion of Bario Sub-District in July 2015 into the scope being rendered by MCC.
“Instead of viewing it as added responsibility and challenges, we take them as opportunities to strive for greater development and that I like to give our assurance that we currently have a team of dedicated and committed group of councillors and capable administration to bring us forward to a new dimension.”
On Miri’s tourism development, Yii said MCC had recently initiated the Tourism Forum to discuss and draw up a strategic plan for tourism promotion and the immediate plan of action of holding Visit Miri Year in 2018.
“We at MCC pledge to continue with our efforts on city cleanliness, better service delivery and infrastructure development as well as a commitment to contribute towards tourism promotion of Miri as the preferred destination in this region,” Yii added.
The celebration was graced by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Abang Openg.
Other dignitaries attending the celebration were Awang Tengah’s wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Datuk Awang Daud, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting and district officer Sherrina Hussaini.