Latest news with #BruceWalker
Borneo Post
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Organising committee finalises seven-point declaration ahead of 722 Independence Day parade
(From left) Organising Committee members of the 722 Sarawak Independence Day Cultural Parade 2025 — Alim GA Mideh (Publicity), Bruce Walker (Treasurer), Haji Awang Ahmad (Advisor), Patrick Anek (Legal), Dominique Ng (Legal), Francis James Noew (Organising Chairman), Anthony David (Organising Secretary), and Raymond Thong (Advisor) pose for a photo call. KUCHING (July 14): The Organising Committee of the 722 Sarawak Independence Day Cultural Parade 2025 has finalised the Seven 722 Sarawak Independence Day Declarations. These declarations, rooted in Sarawak's historical rights and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), will be formally adopted and proclaimed during the cultural parade on July 22, 2025. The declarations outline seven key demands and will be displayed on large banners during the event for public endorsement. Both English and Malay versions will be available, similar to the banners used during the 2013 (Telang Usan) and 2018 (Tasek Biru, Bau) commemorations. 'In witness whereof, we hereby adopt and proclaim this Declaration on the 22nd day of July, 2025, as an affirmation of our unity, rights, and sovereign identity as the People of Sarawak,' a committee spokesperson said when contacted. The public will be invited to sign these banners, symbolising support for the declaration. These signed declarations will then be submitted to the Governor of Sarawak and the Premier for further action. The first declaration calls for the full implementation of the MA63, regarded as the foundational legal instrument for the formation of the Federation of Malaysia. The committee demands that the agreement be honoured without delay, including the restoration of Sarawak's original legislative, fiscal, judicial, and administrative autonomy. The second declaration calls for Sarawak's exclusion from the Petroleum Development Act 1974, which the committee argues was enacted without the consent of the Sarawak government or the Sarawak Legislative Assembly. It reaffirms Sarawak's exclusive regulatory authority over petroleum and natural resources within its territorial boundaries, both onshore and offshore. The third point demands that all Native Customary Rights (NCR) land be recognised, surveyed, documented, and granted individual titles under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code. It stresses that the land rights of indigenous communities must not be infringed upon without consent and fair compensation. Another key demand is free higher education for all 'bangsa Sarawak', to ensure equitable access to knowledge, development, and self-determination. The fifth point also advocates for the equitable distribution of employment and business, with priority given to Sarawakians in both public and private sectors. The sixth point calls for the revival and formal recognition of the Sarawak Rangers as a state-regimented institution to help preserve Sarawak's martial heritage and ensure local security. Finally, the declaration calls for the protection of educational institutions from religious influence, stating that all academic institutions in Sarawak must remain secular and independent. This is to safeguard freedom of belief, interfaith harmony, and Sarawak's cultural pluralism. The organising committee described the declarations as a 'a matter of legal, moral, and political imperative,' urging authorities and institutions across Malaysia to honour and implemetn them. The 722 Sarawak Independence Day Cultural Parade 2025 will take place at Tasik Biru, Bau on July 22 to commemorate Sarawak's attainment of self-government in 1963. 722 gathering declaration Malaysia Agreement 1963 Sarawak independence day
CBS News
06-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Last NASCAR Chicago Street Race wraps up in Grant Park. Do Chicagoans want it to return?
The checkered flag has been waved for potentially the last NASCAR Street Race weekend in Chicago. The final races wrapped up right as rain showers rolled into the area. For an event plagued by heavy rain the past two runs, the weather held until after the checkered flag on Sunday. This left many racing fans with a very sunny review of the event's success. Crowds in attendance on Sunday, most from the Chicago area, said this was their first-ever NASCAR event. When asked their thoughts on the event, they gave nothing but praise. It may be a hometown advantage thing, but each person also thought the event should continue in Chicago. "I would love for it for to stay here. I'm really excited for Foret to be here. So I think this is something that would bring people back," Tay'Hiana Welch said. "They need to come back again. They really do. I think it's a… It's very entertaining. If you look, you got people who have never been to the races before," Bruce Walker said. "I cannot see it in any other city, honestly. Chicago is the best," Aishah Hasan said. The Chicago Sports Commission estimates that more than 53,000 people attended last year's street race, about 6,000 more than the inaugural event. Of the people who came last year, more than half were non-local who came to Chicago primarily for the event.
The Courier
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Broughty Ferry house featured on Scotland's Home of the Year
Episode four of Scotland's Home of the Year focuses on Tayside and Stirlingshire. The first house featured is in Broughty Ferry. The Tree House is a 1960s modernist home that has been lovingly updated by its new owners. It was built by architect Bruce Walker, who lectured at Duncan of Jordanstone and worked for Historic Scotland. Walker built Tree House in 1962 when he was in his 20s and lived there until his death in around 2015. The Tree House sits in a quiet corner of Broughty Ferry. Image: BBC. It lay empty for more than five years until Paul Durrant and his wife Jackie McKenzie bought it in 2021. They previously lived nearby, on Victoria Road, and wanted to downsize but remain in the area. 'We walked past the house and saw it was for sale,' Jackie explains. 'Paul fell in love with it instantly and I wasn't far behind him. A young architect built it for his family when he was in his 20s and lived there right through until his 80s. There's a lot of trees around the house and that's why we called it the Tree House.' Renovating the Tree House The couple spent 18 months dramatically overhauling the Tree House. Remarkably, apart from a one-week stay in an Airbnb, they lived in the home throughout the renovation project. 'We didn't want to live in a 1960s museum piece,' Jackie continues, explaining the ethos behind the project. 'But we wanted to retain the features that made it special.' The home's large windows and original beech flooring have been retained. Image: BBC. The exposed brick walls are still a feature of the home, as is the 40mm thick beech flooring, which was sanded and recoated. The natural pine doors have been kept and while they've plasterboarded over the pine ceilings they have been retained so future generations can open them back up should they wish to. They painted the external brickwork black and clad the outside walls in radiata pine. Interior brickwork was painted white to make a neutral backdrop for the couple's art collection. Edinburgh based Block 9 did the architectural work and local trades were used, including Ardach Joinery and West Developments for the main building work, and painter and decorator Andrew Stott. Developing the attic The Tree House originally had a flat roof but it failed and was replaced in 1980 with a metal clad pitched roof that increased the height of the building. It was accessed by a Ramsay latter and Bruce Walker used this space as an office and storage for his architectural work. Jackie and Paul installed an oak staircase and made the upper level into their own private space. Th attic contains a stunning master bedroom. Image: BBC. 'One of the many things I love about the house is the ground floor is open plan and fantastic for socialising,' Jackie continues. 'But upstairs is just for us. We have a snug, our bedroom, a dressing room, and an en suite. The bedroom has an enormous window looking over the garden.' The attic has a private snug area. Image: BBC. Bruce Walker was influenced by Scotland's agricultural buildings which is why the Tree House is clad in corrugated metal. There are no gutters and instead the overhangs stretch out so water is deposited well away from the house and is soaked up by the garden. 'Sitting on the sofa in winter with the wood burner on when it's raining heavily is like looking out through a waterfall,' Jackie says. 'I just love it.' Exploring inside The ground floor has a kitchen/diner, a lounge, three bedrooms and a bathroom. Upstairs there's a snug, bedroom, shower room, and dressing room. The L-shaped living room and kitchen are semi-open plan, with a brick column creating a divider. Meanwhile the bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and an enormous window giving views over the garden. The living spaces are semi-open plan. Image: BBC. The living room windows look out over a lovely Japanese courtyard, with a beautiful acer tree as its centrepiece. Paul says: 'You've got a little bit of LA, it's like a house from Hollywood Hills. You've also got a house that's a little bit Scandi noir. You've got a Japanese courtyard, and upstairs we've got our own big room which really is up in the trees.' Scotland's Home of the Year The Scotland's Home of the Year judges loved the Tree House's sense of peace and tranquillity Anna Campbell-Jones says: 'One of the things that is really successful about this home is the arrangement of the spaces and their interrelationship with each other. It's an absolute masterstroke.' It's not called the Tree House for nothing. Image: BBC. Danny Campbell is also full of praise for the Tree House: 'I've absolutely fallen in love with this home. It's positioned on its site perfectly to take advantage of the southeast light in the courtyard. The clean lines and deep reveals of the ground floor completely contrast with the carefree abandon of the angles, exposed structure and chaos of the window placements upstairs.' There is a particularly touching reason why Jackie, 60, and Paul, 70, decided to put themselves forward for Scotland's Home of the Year. 'We did it to pay tribute to Bruce Walker, the architect who created the house,' Jackie says. 'We never met him but he was known in the neighbourhood. He designed this amazing house when he was just in his 20s. 'Throughout the project we always considered what he might think about what we were doing with the house he built. I hope we've done him proud.' The Tree House in Broughty Ferry features in Episode Four of Scotland's Home of the Year which is on BBC One Scotland on Monday May 12 at 8.30pm and then on iPlayer.
