KUCHING: With the people’s participation, Kuching City can be the best place to live in not only in Malaysia and hopefully in Asia, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian at the presentation of prizes ceremony for the Kuching City Parade 2018 at MBKS’ lobby here, yesterday.
He also thanked the residents of Kuching and MBKS for doing a fantastic job.
“Congratulations to MBKS for a fantastic Kuching City Street Parade 2018. It was very appropriate as a closing ceremony for the 30th anniversary celebration of the City of Kuching. Kuching City Street Parade is indeed of high quality and very colourful that a few people have suggested that it be promoted as a tourism event,” he said.
“It involved the people-young and old, middle age and all races and all wearing different costumes and it really reflected the City of Kuching is a city of unity of different people of all ages, people of different religions and different races.
“I am very sure if we fix the date of the Kuching City Parade earlier on a certain date, I am sure the community will mark it in their calendar and that is what we want do,” Dr Sim said.
According to Dr Sim he was very sure that all the 53 or 54 groups (contigents) had participated in the parade on 22 Sept not because of the prizes as the prizes are small amounts and the time, the effort, the costumes and the designs and all those things, would be worth a lot more than the prizes.
“You have participated in the Kuching City Street Parade because this is your Kuching and you want to show the world what “My City, My Kuching, My Talent” means,” he said, adding that it is what is called the ‘Soul of Kuching’.
“I am very sure that through this community participation is worth a lot more that the government agencies’ participation. We don’t want you (the people to just be by-standers. We don’t want that but we want you to contribute. So I want to thank everyone for participating,” he added.
He also thanked MBKS Mayor Dato James Chan for hisleadership and all the councillors for making Kuching City Street Parade a success.
“Thank also to all the residents of Kuching for making Kuching City (Your City My City, Your Kuching, My Kuching) the best place to live in not only in Malaysia but hopefully in Asia,” he said.
Mayor Chan said in the parade not everybody could get prizes and the judging was done by professionals who are locals. He said what was important was the spirit of participation and the people were very happy watching the event.
“The Kuching City Street Parade was done under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Good health, sustainable city and partnership with the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the Cultural Troupe Category, the top five winners were Chung Hua Middle School No.3 Kuching, SIDA College Sarawak, Sri Bandaraya City Dancer, Gemalai Kenyalang Muhibbah and Persatuan Hockien Kuching. The five winners received RM5,000, RM4,000, RM3,000, RM2,000 and RM1,000 and trophies each, respectively. The three consolation prizes of RM300 each were won by Petra Dancers, Kumpulan Hadrah Kpg Bintangor Besar and Kelab Gagung Sarawak.
In the Fancy Costume category, 1st prize was won by The Dance Academy (Kuching) (B) which received RM5,000 and a trophy; in 2nd place was Fit Aerobics and Dance Academy (RM4,000 and a trophy), in 3rd place was De Jackie Inspiration (RM3,000 and a trophy) in 4th place was Kuching Zdance Club (RM2,000 and a trophy) and in 5th place was Zeed Zeeda Management which won RM1,000 and a trophy. Three consolation prize winner of RM300 each went to Perbadanan Kemajuan Perusahaan Kayu Sarawak (PUSAKA); K-Wheel Rider (Kuching Electric Unicycle and Kuching Buddhist Society Culture & Dance Troupe (Group A).
In the Fancy Costume Category, the Dance Academy (Kuching) (A) which won the first prize received RM5,000 and a trophy; in 2nd place was KBS Culture & Dance Troupe (Group B) which received RM4,000 and trophy; in 3rd place was Sutra Kencana dancers which received RM3,000 and a trophy), in 4th place was Kelab tarian SJK Chung Hua Batu 4 ½ Kuching which received RM2,000 and a trophy and in 5th place was SK St. Teresa, Kuching (A) which received RM1,000 and a trophy.
The two consolation prize winners of RM300 each went to SK St. Teresa, Kuching (B) and Rapet Dancers.
In the Marching Band category, the 1st prize was won by Golden Hornbill Drumpline UiTM Cawangan Sarawak which received RM5,000 and a trophy; in 2nd place was Pancaragam PDRM Sarawak which won RM3,000 and a trophy; in 3rd place was Pancaragam Gabungan 1 Divisyen (ATM) which received RM1,000 and a trophy. The only consolation prize of RM300 was won by Kuching Chung Hua Middle School Combined Band.
Also present was the organising chairman of Kuching City Parade 2018, Councillor Mohd Taufik Abdul Ghani.
