By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, Dec 15: Miri City is what it is today because of the contributions and support of various organisations and individuals, says the city’s Mayor Adam Yii.
“The history proper of Miri started in the year 1909 when a company known as Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company (predecessor of Shell) obtained a 75-year lease from Sir Charles Brooke, the Rajah of The Kingdom of Sarawak, and in the following year in 1910, the first oil well in Miri was spudded on top of Canada Hill and oil was first struck on December 22nd, 1910. As the saying goes, the rest was history,” Yii said at the Miri City Mayor Awards 2019 on Saturday night.
He noted that Miri slowly and eventually grew out of the shadow of Shell over the last 60 years, after the Second World War when Sarawak became a British crown colony on 1st of July 1946 and later formed Malaysia together with Malaya, Singapore and North Borneo (predecessor of Sabah) on September 16,1963.
“In its journey to this present day status, there have been many individuals, organisations, associations, societies, corporations and government agencies that have contributed positively and tremendously to the development of Miri City in its economy, commerce, industries, tourism, environment, education, employment or job creation and so on,” said Yii.
A total of 14 recipients in 14 categories comprising various ndividuals and organisations in Miri received appreciation awards for their contributions to the city.
“These awards appropriately reflect the positive and meaningful contributions from the winning individuals, organisations, associations, and societies and happily we have the pleasure to recognise the tremendous contribution by an airline to the development of Miri City,” Yii pointed out.
The award recipients were Unity Dance Academy; EV Photo; Sarawak Chinese Association, Benaya Sdn Bhd (Miri Crocodile Farm); Fun Borneo Sdn Bhd (Coco Cabana); Kolej Tun Datu Tuanku Haji Bujang Miri; Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Miri; Boon Foo Ping; Cr Karambir Singh; Anderson Kalang, David Labang; Dayang Enterprise Holdings Berhad; Pantai Bayu Indah Sdn Bhd and AirAsia Berhad.
Also present at the ceremony were Assistant Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting, Sibuti MP Lukanisaman Awang Sauni, and Deputy Mayor Julaihi Mohamad. — DayakDaily
