By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, June 25: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has called on architects, planners, and developers to embrace responsible design that honours Sarawak’s natural heritage and safeguards the well-being of future generations.
“When we design well, we create not merely handsome façades but healthier, happier communities.
“When we build responsibly, we honour our rivers, our forests and the generations yet to come,” he said in a speech read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian during the AIR Architecture Competition prize-giving ceremony held at HSL Tower in Kota Samarahan today.
Abang Johari also noted the Project AIR tagline, ‘The AIR Above Us, Di Bawah AIR Mengalir’, as a simple phrase which distils Sarawak’s long tradition of living in harmony with nature — from longhouses upriver to the shophouses of the Nanyang style that line old Kuching.
“Great cities grow from great rivers, whether in Kuala Lumpur or here at Kuching,” he added.
He reaffirmed that the Sarawak government will continue to support developments that reflect the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation — key pillars of the State’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030.
“Our goal is to ensure that development in Sarawak does not come at the expense of our ecological integrity or community values,” he said.
“We want cities that are not only smart and beautiful but also resilient and rooted in the unique identity of our land and people.”
The Premier further encouraged Hock Seng Lee (HSL), Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM), and the wider design community to share ideas generated from the competition with the public through exhibitions, digital platforms, and academic collaboration.
The AIR Architecture Competition, jointly organised by PAM and HSL, was praised as a platform for bold, people-centric design that reflects Sarawak’s aspirations for livable, forward-thinking cities.
Abang Johari also commended the participating architects for submitting proposals that demonstrated a deep understanding of local culture and environmental context, particularly in how they incorporated riverfront development with sensitivity and innovation.
Also present at the event were HSL managing director Datuk Paul Yu Chee Hoe and PAM president Adrianta Aziz. — DayakDaily
