By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, March 6: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) has received three units of outdoor gym equipment sponsored by IJM Land Berhad, aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles and encouraging greater use of public parks.
MBKS Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said the contribution, handed over at Kuching Park today, reflects the private sector’s role in supporting community wellbeing and improving public recreational facilities.
He expressed appreciation to IJM Land chief executive officer Datuk Tony Ling Thou Lung, who travelled from Kuala Lumpur to personally hand over the equipment to the council.
“On behalf of the Kuching South City Council, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to IJM Land for sponsoring three outdoor gym equipment here at Kuching Park.
“This contribution may seem simple, but it carries a meaningful impact for our community,” he said during the handover ceremony.
Wee noted that this was not the first collaboration between MBKS and IJM Land. Last year, the developer sponsored an automated external defibrillator (AED) for Dewan Masyarakat MBKS and organised training sessions for MBKS staff on how to operate the device.
According to him, the latest contribution supports the council’s efforts to create a healthy, inclusive and liveable city as well as complement MBKS’ initiatives under its Age-Friendly City agenda and the Child Friendly Cities Initiative.
He also stressed that the public must play a role in protecting shared facilities, noting that vandalism remains a challenge in some public areas.
“When facilities are damaged, the whole community loses the opportunity to benefit from them.
“I hope park users will take ownership in caring for these facilities so they remain in good condition for everyone,” he said.
At the same time, Wee highlighted that Kuching Park has been gradually enhanced with smart city features, including the installation of smart poles equipped with sensors to monitor air quality in real time.
The system enables residents to check environmental conditions before carrying out outdoor activities, allowing them to exercise more safely when air quality levels are suitable.
“When the readings indicate that the air quality is not suitable, the public will know that it may not be the best time to exercise outdoors.
“This is part of MBKS’ effort to combine technology, environmental awareness and public health in our city spaces,” he stated. — DayakDaily
