By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 29: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) is giving Sarawakians the opportunity to leave their mark on a future city landmark through its newly launched ‘Name Our Spaces’ Contest.
Its Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said the public naming initiative invites the community to suggest names for an upcoming gastronomy centre and water fun park complex, to be developed at the existing swimming pool site along Jalan Padungan here.
“Through this contest, we are inviting the public to propose meaningful and suitable names for the various spaces within this complex, including the overall complex, the water fun park, dining areas, retail corridors, exhibition hall, co-working space and multipurpose hall.
“Each name will become part of the story and identity of this place for years to come,” he said during a press conference at the MBKS building today.
Wee said public spaces should carry names that resonate with the community, adding that the contest offers an opportunity for the public to celebrate local heritage, creativity and a sense of belonging.
The ‘Name Our Spaces’ contest is open to all Sarawakians and participation is free. Details on eligibility, submission requirements and contest rules are outlined in the official terms and conditions available here.
To encourage participation, MBKS is offering attractive prizes, including RM3,000 for first prize, RM2,000 for second prize, RM1,000 for third prize, and five consolation prizes of RM500 each. Winning entries will be judged based on suitability, originality and relevance to the character of each space.
Wee explained that during the judging process, submissions will be assessed individually and collectively, and winning entries do not automatically guarantee that the proposed names will be adopted.
Instead, MBKS may select and match the most suitable names to different spaces within the complex, regardless of prize ranking, before submitting recommendations to the relevant authorities for final approval.
“Submissions can be made using the official contest entry form available on the MBKS website or at the MBKS lobby. Entries may be submitted by email or in person within the contest period,” he added.
He also said entries may be submitted in Bahasa Malaysia, English or Mandarin, stressing that language should not be a barrier as translations will be handled by MBKS.
“Don’t let language become an obstacle. Use the language you are most comfortable with. We can always translate it,” he said.
Wee further noted that the RM65 million upgrading project at the site, which began last year, has reached more than 60 per cent completion and is expected to be completed by mid-2026. – DayakDaily
