By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 2: Sarawak’s giant ‘Ibu Pertiwi’ flag hoisted at Ibu Pertiwi Square here was reported to have fallen due to heavy rain and strong winds earlier today.
Local radio station Cats FM uploaded a 43-second video clip on its Facebook page today, depicting the flag falling and landing at the waterfront nearby.
“The ‘Ibu Pertiwi’ flag came loose from the flagpole at Ibu Pertiwi Square at around 4.15pm today due to bad weather hitting Kuching at the moment,” Cats FM wrote at 5.31pm.
Not long afterwards, Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) issued a statement, informing that they had received a report on the incident.
“The DBKU team will take action by changing the flag immediately,” it said.
Heavy rain and strong winds wreaked havoc across several parts of Kuching city, with uprooted trees leading to severe traffic congestion around 4pm today.
In several posts shared by netizens on Sarawak Edition social media, fallen trees and structures were reported at Jalan Tun Salahuddin, Kampung Siol Kandis Petra Jaya, Medan Raya Petra Jaya (near Baitulmakmur building), Jalan Matang-Merdeka Interchange (beneath Satok Bridge), and Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Yakub (along Normah Hospital).
Standing 99 meters tall, the Ibu Pertiwi Flagpole was officially inaugurated during the 2024 New Year Countdown celebration at Kuching Waterfront on Dec 31, 2023, becoming an iconic landmark in Kuching.
It was later recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) as the tallest flagpole in Malaysia and Southeast Asia on Jan 1, 2024.
Initially met with skepticism when announced in January 2023, the RM28 million initiative was undertaken as part of corporate social responsibility in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Sarawak Day. — DayakDaily
