MCC Tourism Development Committee chairperson Councillor Warzidea Ahmad (centre) joins Chai (second right), Jong (third left), and other council’s representatives in a group photo, taken after the simple ground-breaking ceremony.
MIRI (Aug 8): Northern Sarawak Journalists Association’s (NSJA) has just launched its corporate social responsibility (CSR) project, ‘Sayangi Miri’.
This RM45,000 project involves the construction of the ‘Sayangi Miri’ icon, measuring 170 inches (around 4m) in height and 276 inches (7m) in width, at a vacant site in front of old Resident’s Office at Jalan Kingsway here.
The project’s organising chairman Chai Chon Chin, who is also NSJA treasurer, said the plan was to show the association’s love and appreciation for Miri and its community.
“The proposal was first announced at NSJA’s 45th anniversary celebration, which was held on Nov 20, 2019.
“Initially, the works should have commenced last year, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order (MCO), we could only resume the progress in July this year,” he said prior to performing a simple ground-breaking on Thursday.
It is informed that the project is being run in collaboration with Miri City Council (MCC).
The project, said Chai, had also received monetary support of RM20,000 from Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting, and RM10,000 from Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, who is also the chairman of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB).
The ‘Sayangi Miri’ icon, he added, would be ‘NSJA’s gift to Miri city’ in celebration of its 16th anniversary since it was elevated to city status in 2005.
“Ideally, it should become one of Miri’s attractions where visitors can ‘check-in’ and take photos in front of the icon,” said Chai.
NSJA president Andy Jong, meanwhile, viewed the icon’s location as ‘the right place’.
“More importantly, the old Resident’s Office is famously known as the oldest colonial building in Miri and would be upgraded to become a Cultural and Heritage Museum, of which the budget for its upgrading has been proposed to be included under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
“We hope that our initiative could contribute significantly to Miri’s tourism,” said Jong.