Latest news with #MiriCityCouncil


Borneo Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- Borneo Post
S'wak deputy minister commends SK St Columba Miri for promoting holistic development through Sports
Ting watching the pupils from each house march in formation during the opening ceremony. MIRI (July 19): SK St Columba hosted its 68th annual sports day with a vibrant showcase of athleticism, teamwork and community spirit at the Miri City Council field here today. State Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I, Datuk Sebastian Ting, who officiated the event, commended the school's efforts in promoting holistic development among its pupils through sporting activities. 'Sports is more than just physical activity. It instils discipline, builds character, and nurtures the spirit of friendship and cooperation among our younger generation,' Ting said. Ting, also the Piasau assemblyman, further reminded pupils that success is a journey that requires perseverance, encouraging them to remain committed in both academics and co-curricular pursuits. 'Keep going, keep trying. Be honest in your competition,' he advised. Meanwhile, school headmistress Eno Liau expressed her appreciation to the school management board, the Parent-Teacher Association, teachers, and parents for their contributions in making the event a success. She also extended her gratitude to Ting for his continued support in securing development funds through the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP). The event featured a total of 58 sporting competitions, including a friendly parent-child telematch, aimed at strengthening bonds between families and the school community. miri Sebastian Ting SK St Columba sports day


Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Power up Mosjaya hawkers centre without delay, S'wak minister tells MCC, SEB
Lee (third right) joins SUPP members and hawkers in raising the Sarawak flag at Tamu Mosjaya. MIRI (July 18): State Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin has urged Miri City Council (MCC) and Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to expedite electricity supply to the two reconstructed hawker centers and markets at Mosjaya Commercial Centre. During a working visit today, Lee expressed surprise that the facilities remain without power despite having been completed two months ago and already in use by hawkers. 'It was already completed two months ago, but I found that there is still no electricity supply during my working visit today. 'I call upon the council and Sarawak Energy to connect the power supply without delay as everything is ready,' said the Senadin assemblyman. The two centres were rebuilt by the city council after being damaged in separate fires previously. Lee was accompanied by councillor Jeffery Phang and members of SUPP Riam during his visit. Lee also addressed safety concerns raised by operators, calling on the council to build a ramp to the coffee shop section of Tamu Mosjaya to improve accessibility and patron safety. At the same event, Lee and his team also distributed Sarawak flags to hawkers at both centres, noting increased public awareness of Sarawak Day's significance among Miri folk. 'Except for a few older ones, most replied 'Sarawak Day' when I asked them if they knew what July 22 means,' he said, referring to the upcoming Sarawak Day celebration. 'All the hawkers from different communities are in high spirits when they talk about Sarawak Day, and this shows it is well promoted,' he stressed. Miri serves as the centre for this year's state-level Sarawak Day celebration. The annual commemoration was gazetted by the Sarawak government under the late Chief Minister Tun Pehin Sri Adenan Satem in 2016. Sarawak Day marks July 22, 1963, when the territory was granted self-rule in preparation for joining the Federation of Malaysia on September 16 of the same year. After World War II, Sarawak was briefly administered by the British Military Administration before becoming a Crown Colony in 1946, when it was ceded to the British Government by Charles Vyner Brooke. Lee said this was the first day of self rule by the administration led by Stephen Kalong Ningkan as first Chief Minister, and Sarawakians should take pride in this occasion. He also called upon Mirians to fly Sarawak flags with pride as the city gears up for a three-day celebration starting this Sunday. electricity Lee Kim Shin Mosjaya Commercial Centre


Borneo Post
12-07-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
‘Toxic, degrading': Tmn Hilltop Miri residents endure months of unbearable living conditions
Ang points at the septic tank, now precariously 'hanging on' to what is left of her backyard. MIRI (July 13): The sound of crumbling earth at 3am on Chinese New Year's Eve was the beginning of a nightmare for the three families at Jalan 3A of Taman Hilltop in Miri – one that continues to haunt them until this day. Forced to be living in stench-filled environment with no gas supply, these families are not only exposed to the risk of developing health issues, but the changing weather further erode the soil underneath this area, putting the remaining walls of the next neighbour to possibly collapse. Pauline Sim recalled being abruptly woken up to a huge rumbling sound, followed by voices of her neighbours shouting. 'The retaining walls on our backyards collapsed. Prior to this, it had been pouring for a month. My heart really sank because it occurred on the eve of the Chinese New Year. 'It should have been the most celebrated time, but we were forced to face this challenge,' she told thesundaypost . After the wall collapsed, a strong gas odour was detected. Police and firefighters were called to the scene immediately, as it was discovered that the gas pipes were damaged following the collapse. It was a moment of danger, said Sim. 'Had the authorities not intervened, things could take a turn to the worse, like a gas explosion.' Officials from Miri City Council (MCC) were also called to the scene to carry out investigation. The residents were told that the collapse of the retaining walls was triggered by ageing structure, exacerbated by strong water flow caused by the heavy rain. The MCC gave assurance that it would undertake the repair works, in view of the situation being regarded as a collateral damage from a natural disaster. Sim and others were told that the fast-flowing water might have been slowly eroding the soil underneath the walls, weakening the structure. The month-long downpour, also classified as natural disaster, was the key contributing factor to the collapse. Gas supply cut Due to the damaged gas pipelines, the gas company had cut off the supply on the afternoon of Jan 28 as an emergency measure, fearing that fireworks or firecrackers during the Chinese New Year festivities might trigger a gas explosion. The incident had adversely affected three houses, comprising 20 residents in total. These households, having been accustomed to getting natural gas supply, were forced to go without it for nearly two months, before they were able to obtain gas tanks. 'We couldn't buy gas cylinder during the New Year period and the situation persisted after that because the floods in Bintulu had disrupted the production. 'We had take-outs every day and settled for the cheapest meals, but each still cost us RM40 to RM50 because I have a big family. Covering three meals a day, the cost was overwhelming – exceeding my monthly budget,' said Sim, shaking her head in remembering those difficult weeks. Sim shows her backyard – or what is left of it after the collapse. The situation was compounded by a region-wide shortage. Miri, at the time, was facing shortage of cooking gas tanks, as Bintulu was affected by the floods. Sim said although they were able to get gas tanks later on, she was still anxious about when the repair works would begin. 'With no clear timeline for when everything will resume to normal, we have been left waiting up to this day.' Unbearable conditions When the backyard was 'gone', the septic tank that was supposed to be supported by the soil had tilted because of its weight, and the pipe got disconnected from the house. As a result, each time the toilet got flushed, all the human waste would gush out of the soil, exposed to air. That, and the stench that came with it, made the living environment unbearable, said a resident Ang Yick See. 'It was a living nightmare, which got worse every single day. 'Imagine waking up every morning to the smell of sewage right outside your kitchen window – it was not just unpleasant; it's toxic, degrading and it's slowly destroying our family's health and our will to continue living here,' she said. The septic tank, according to her, is now sitting at a dangerously precarious angle – half-dangling into what used to be the drain. 'I worry that if anything were to burst, it might cause a bigger health disaster.' Ang said the owner of the house that her family had been renting for more than five years, had been reaching out to various government agencies including Miri City Council (MCC), as well as the local elected representative, trying to get attention that would help expedite the repair works. 'We were told that because of disaster, the funding for the repairs should be from the SDMC (Sarawak Disaster Management Committee), to be channelled to the city council as implementing body,' she said. Sim added: 'During a meeting between us, residents and the city council, the council's engineer promised that they would come to look at the severity of the situation; to see whether they could do anything about the septic tank. 'Nothing has happened yet.' Miri MP Chiew Choon Man (right) and local Democratic Action Party (DAP) man Alan Ling seen during a recent site visit. The waiting game Following the septic tank incident, the homeowners had repeatedly reached out to the authorities, hoping to get concrete action and also the timeline for any repair works. However, they felt that all efforts had been hampered by bureaucratic delays and 'unfulfilled promises'. It is said that due to severity of the damage, the houses are listed by the council as the fourth priority to be repaired among all disaster-affected properties. Initially, in February, the homeowners sought attention from Senadin assemblyman Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, submitting to him a letter appealing for assistance to expedite the repair works. They were then told that a letter, highlighting the matter of funding, had been sent to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, the Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. The last time thesundaypost checked with the MCC, which was on June 30, the council engineer said that the funding had not been received yet. Photo, taken right after the collapse of a retaining wall, shows water running fast, eroding all the soil underneath. The affected families are now calling upon the authorities to resolve the issue without further delay. It is their hope that the authorities would immediately repair the retaining walls, the gas pipelines and the sewerage, to ensure the safety and hygiene of their residence and its surroundings. 'We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for basic human dignity; the right to live in our homes without being surrounded by sewage; the right to cook for our families; the right to feel safe in our own backyard,' said Sim. focus landslide lead miri Taman Hilltop


Borneo Post
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Borneo Post
Extra funds needed to fix Desa Indah basketball court before July 19 tourney
Lee (second right) points at cracks on the basketball court at Jalan Dato Permaisuri 3C Recreational Park. MIRI (July 11): Additional funding is needed to repair surface cracks and repaint the basketball court at Jalan Dato Permaisuri 3C Recreational Park in Desa Indah here, said Senadin assemblyman Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin. The state Minister of Transport said efforts are underway to secure the necessary allocation to repair and repaint the basketball court floor. He also urged for the electricity supply to the court to be expedited so that the facility can be used at night. 'We hope the lighting system can be operational before the Under-18 and Open 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament scheduled for July 19,' he said after visiting the site yesterday morning. Lee noted that a previous RM350,000 grant was used for the construction of the court's roof, as well as drainage and irrigation works around the perimeter, including the installation of four culvert crossings outside the court area. 'The floor repair works should have been included in the original project scope. We will now work on securing additional funds to address this,' he explained. The project, carried out by Miri City Council (MCC), commenced in January and was completed on May 9. The recreational park has since become a popular spot for residents in the surrounding neighbourhoods, featuring not only the basketball court but also a football field and a combined badminton/sepak takraw court. Separately, Lee reported the completion of a drainage project at Jalan Dato Permaisuri 2C, which started on Jan 6 and was completed on May 5. The RM300,000 project involved constructing a 2.5-meter-wide covered concrete drain spanning more than 200 meters. Lee expressed hope that the improved drainage system will help reduce flash flooding in the area, which had previously been prone to water stagnation – a key contributor to mosquito breeding and dengue problems.


Borneo Post
07-07-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Lee orders immediate inspection of Kampung Tudan 3 road widening project
Lee (second left) inspects the ongoing Kampung Tudan 3 road widening project. Also seen in the picture are Peter (second right), Chong (left) and Hiung (right). MIRI (July 7): Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin has directed an immediate and comprehensive inspection of the ongoing Kampung Tudan 3 road widening project following public complaints regarding the quality and safety standards of the construction. Lee, who is also the Senadin assemblyman, personally inspected the site on Friday, July 4, after receiving feedback from residents expressing concern that the stone base in the widened areas may not meet the specified construction standards. 'Any non-compliance issue must be addressed before proceeding with the laying of the premix,' said Lee in a statement, following the site visit. He was accompanied by Miri City Council (MCC) engineer Peter Ukin, MCC councillor Hiung Chien Yii, and community leader Kapitan Chong Ah Muk. Lee instructed the engineer to carry out a thorough inspection of the stone base to verify the contractor's compliance with the required technical specifications. The Kampung Tudan 3 to Kampung Cina road widening project is being implemented under the Senadin constituency Rural Transformation Project (RTP). Lee also emphasised the proper use of construction waste for earth-filling works, requiring that only specified materials be used in compliance with environmental and structural standards. To avoid similar issues in future projects, Lee urged MCC to assign dedicated technical staff to regularly verify that construction standards and specifications are strictly adhered to. During the same visit, Lee and his team also inspected several completed road resurfacing projects in Tudan, including Lorong Harmoni with a total road length of 2,060 metres, and Lorong Perdana, covering 2,082 metres. The completed works at both locations were found to be satisfactory. kampung tudan lead Lee Kim Shin road upgrades