By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, Oct 8: Miri City Council (MCC) is planning to revive a beautification project on the historic site of the tomb of Dato Permaisuri or Makam Dato Permaisuri.
This was disclosed by the Mayor Adam Yii during his visit to the tomb site in Kampung Pujut Tanjong Batu on Wednesday (Oct 7)
A task force for the beautification project of the site will be formed and will consist of local community, none governmental organisations (NGOs) and Department of Islamic Affairs of Sarawak (JAIS), he added.
Yii said that the project task force will look into how to implement the project and prepare the paper work seeking for funding.
Initially, the beautification project was proposed back in 2004, but due to several reasons, had not taken off.
“In 2004, at that time, the beautification project was costed at RM5.7million, and Miri City Council back then was known as Miri Municipal Council, and the proposal to beautify the place at that time done because Miri was preparing for city status, unfortunately it did not take off,” Yii pointed out .
Yii added that MCC is working towards turning Makam Dato Permaisuri into a tourist attraction and historic site for visitors.
The area is sits on a 2.84 hectares of land nearby the Kampung Pujut Tanjong Batu.
The tomb site can be reach either by boat or by land.
The site is only located about five minutes away by boat ride from Kampung Pujut Tanjong Batu jetty, and 15 minutes by land.
According to locals, the tomb, believed to be more than 100 years old, belongs to a beautiful princess who settled down in Miri after a shipwreck.
The legend goes that this beautiful princess from Johore (Dato Permaisuri), was shipwrecked while sailing around the coast of Miri on the way to Brunei.
Fortunately, she survived and landed on the beach where the locals took care of her, and she eventually settled here.
She set up a school and spread the teaching of Islam and very much respected here for her unselfish service to the locals. — DayakDaily
