MIRI: The city’s annual ‘Halaman Cantik’ competition reached its finale this week, celebrating residents, schools and organisations that have transformed their surroundings into green, welcoming spaces while fostering a stronger sense of community.
The prize-giving ceremony, held at Miri City Hall on Tuesday, was officiated by Mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang, who is also the Pujut Assemblyman.
He was accompanied by Deputy Mayor Ariffin Mohamad, senior city officials and councillors.
Yii reminded the audience that the competition was “more than just a friendly contest” but a reflection of civic pride and collective responsibility.
“Planting flowers, greening spaces, and keeping our city clean is not only about creating a pleasing view. It brings fresh air, comfort and strengthens neighbourly ties. The true value of a city lies not just in its infrastructure but in the care and creativity of its people,” he said.
The contest, which ran from late March to early May, featured five categories – primary and secondary schools, government agencies, hotels and resorts, and a special homestay category for Bario in the highlands.
Judging took place in Miri in May and in Bario in late June.
Among this year’s winners were SJKC Chung Hua Miri (primary school), SMK Merbau (secondary school), Jinhold Hotel (hotel category) and Miri Port Authority (government agency).
Yii noted that the initiative supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).
He also commended the city council’s landscape division, which recently won the CEO’s Garden Award at the Borneo Flora Festival in Labuan, saying it had “brought pride to Miri at the regional level”.
Launched as a yearly tradition, the ‘Beautiful Garden’ contest has become a fixture in Miri’s civic calendar.
More than just a showcase of landscaping skills, it has become a grassroots platform for residents, schools, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government bodies and the private sector to work together towards making Miri a cleaner, greener and more liveable city.
