Miri

Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has now a population of 300,000 people and is thus the second largest city in Sarawak. It serves as the government administrative centre of Miri District (4,707.1 square kilometers) in Miri Division of Sarawak. Miri was elevated to city status on May 20, 2005 and it is the 9th city in Malaysia and its local authority i.e. Miri City Council is the 10th city council in Malaysia.

Miri is the birthplace of Sarawak's petroleum industry, which remains the major industry of the city. The first oil well was drilled by Shell in 1910, and is now a state monument and one of Miri's tourist attractions. Shell also built Malaysia's first oil refinery in Lutong, a suburb of Miri in 1914. Recently, vast oil reserves were discovered just offshore northeast of the city. Miri has grown phenomenally since oil was first discovered in the early 1900s, burgeoning into the modern and dynamic business, commercial and educational centre it is today.

The city's other major industries include processed timber, oil palm production, and tourism. The world famous Gunung Mulu National Park, a half an hour flight from the city, is one of the favourite eco-tourism destinations. Miri is also the main tourist gateway for the Loagan Bunut National Park, Lambir National Park and the Niah Caves National Park. Miri is lately known for its exotic coral reeves as well.

Miri is considered safe generally, however, with the influx of illegal immigrants, and the evergrowing triads organisations, crime rates has increased dramatically.

1 History
2 Demographics
3 Transportation
- 3.1 Air transport
4 Tourism
5 Higher Education
- 5.1 Curtin University of Technology, Sarawak Campus
6 External links

[edit] History

The successful discovery of offshore oil in the 1970s triggered a fresh development boom in Miri; luxury hotels were built, more houses constructed and new shopping centres and industrial estates established.

The earliest officially recorded oil find in Malaysia was made in July 1882 by the British Resident of the Baram district in Sarawak. The oil was used by the local residents for medicinal purposes and later for lighting lamps and waterproofing boats. Commercial exploitation only began in 1910 when the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company, the forerunner of the present Sarawak Shell which was granted the sole right to explore for petroleum in Sarawak, struck oil in the town of Miri, marking the start of the Malaysian petroleum industry. The Miri's success encouraged further attempts to discover other onshore fields. However, only traces of petroleum were found, and these were not large enough to justify drilling activities.

Consequently, by the 1950s, attention turned to the seas. This was made possible by new improvements in offshore petroleum technology. Marine seismic surveys were carried out for the first time in Sarawak in 1954. The shift offshore began to show results in 1962 with the discovery of oil in two areas offshore Sarawak. Other finds followed in rapid succession.

Oil development began to decline in the middle 1980s as development moved from the onshore wells to offshore facilities. It is by this time that Miri began developing its tourism and service industry.

In 1989, the vision for Miri to become a city was mooted. The proposal received the blessing of Sarawak state government in 1993. A public forum was held in 1994 and a grand signature-collecting campaign was organised in 2004 and more than one-third of the population in Miri had put down their signatures in supporting the government's efforts for Miri to obtain city status. Miri had the city blue-print drawn up in the early 2000s, while the government together with the private sector had managed to fulfil the Federal Government's ten main criteria of becoming a city. The Sarawak State Government approved the then Miri Municipal Council's application for Miri to be elevated to a city and concurrently the Council to be upgraded as Miri City Council on 20 May 2004. The Federal Government approved its application on 16/3/2005. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak made an order on 12 May 2005 on the establishment of Miri City Council. The King of Malaysia, Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XII issued the Instrument for conferrment of city status of name Miri City Council on Miri Municipal Council with full jurisdiction on Miri City on 13 May 2005. The appointment of Mayor, Deputy Mayor and City Councillors of Miri City Council was published on Sarawak Government Gazette on 19 May 2005. On 20 May 2005, the official proclamation of Miri City and appointment of Cr. Dato Wee Han Wen as first Mayor of Miri City Council were held at Miri and this was then followed by city day celebration. Now, 20 May is the Miri City Day.

[edit] Demographics

Miri's population consists of Chinese, Dayak, Malay, Melanau, Indian , Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Iban, Bidayuh, Penan and other indigenous groups. Through this broad classifications, the races are further sub-divided into different tribes, each having their own particular areas of abode, occupation and language.

However, the commercial, industrial and technological advances, coupled with easy accessibility and a growing number of inter-racial marriages among locals, has shaped Miri into a potpourri of customs, traditions and beliefs inherited through the generations.

It would be a difficult task to differentiate one race from the other, for the general populace look similar, although some are a shade or two darker than others. It is interesting to note here that people of different creeds live side by side in full religious tolerance. Religious festivals of different races are celebrated by all citizens, while greetings, wishes and visits are exchanged.

Although Bahasa Melayu is the national language, the people of Sarawak have their own dialect, which is rather like a Bahasa Sarawak-which although unauthorised, has become the Lingua Franca for the general population.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Air transport

Miri Airport is also an important aviation hub for FlyAsianXpress's (FAX) fleets to rural services that operate connecting flights to isolated communities in the interior. It serves as the essential airway to national parks such as Mulu Caves, Niah Caves, and Lambir Hills. Malaysian Airlines and AirAsia operate flights from Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur to Miri at competitive prices.

The city also has a new air terminal which was launched by the Prime Minister of Malaysia on 25 July 2003. Its roof and large columns resemble the Kuala Lumpur International Airport(KLIA). The terminal has a 2,745 meter long runway and it can provide the landing of aircraft bigger than B737, like Airbus A330.

[edit] Tourism

From a bustling oil town, Miri is experiencing a development boom into a brand new resort city. The skyline of Miri has changed a lot ever since. There are ambitious plans for Miri. The Miri Waterfront and Marina Park projects will give a complete facelift to Miri City in the near future.

Even though the atmosphere in the city is relaxed and casual, it is a bustling commercial centre with lively native markets, scenic parks, beaches, excellent restaurants and pubs. Miri City has become a vibrant and exciting city to Northern Borneo’s myriad of cultural, adventure and nature attractions.

Miri, often called the Northern Gateway to Sarawak. It is one of the State's main tourist destinations. It boasts to be surrounded by four world-class national parks (Mount Mulu National Park, Niah National Park, Lambir National Park and Loagan Bunut National Park).

[edit] Grand Old Lady

The Grand Old Lady is a must see for all visitors to Miri. Historically, Miri is a town founded upon oil and nothing captures this relationship so well than the Miri Oil Well No.1 or fondly known as "Grand Old Lady".

The "Grand Old Lady" was situated on top of Bukit Telaga Minyak (Oil Well Hill). It was formerly called Canada Hill (the old folks said that there was one Canadian who lived there and his main business was to recruit foreign and local workers to work in the oil fields around this mountain). Oil Well No. 1 is the first oil well in Malaysia to be drilled by Shell Company in 1910. After a productive six decades and estimated 660,000 barrels of oil, it was shut down in 1972. It was eventually declared a national monument.

There was a lookout tower near the monument where the visitors can have a good view of Miri City with the sea as its horizon. The tower was dismantled to make way for the construction of Miri Petroleum Science Museum and it is now being replaced by a viewing platform provided on top of this Miri latest landmark. The museum itself also provides various kinds of exhibitions apart from those related to oil industry.

The Grand Old Lady is accessible through narrow and steep road. While slowly moving your way up to the hilltop, you can have a glimpse of the nice scenery on both sides of the city which is being divided by this hill.

[edit] Pubs and Bars

Miri has a considerably large number of pubs and lounges. Most of them are located in the Pelita Commercial Centre area. Both foreigners and locals usually hang out there.

[edit] Parks and Gardens

The city has 14 public parks and recreational grounds. Out of which, Miri Bulatan Park (a lake garden), Luak Bay Esplanade (a park at the sea front), Taman Selera (family picinic spot), Taman Awam Miri (a theme Park) and Miri City Fan (a park right in the city centre) are the more popular parks among residents as well as visitors. Miri City Fan Park, a 10.4-hectare park, was accorded the Malaysia's best landscaped city park in 2001.

[edit] Shopping

Miri is also well known as a shopping paradise among Malaysians and Bruneians. Miri has some of the largest shopping malls and hypermarkets in the whole of Sarawak. (Kuching doesn't have any hypermarket and its total shopping areas are only 45% of that in Miri). There are a few modern shopping malls in the city centre. These include the Bintang Plaza (or Parkson as most of the locals call it), a popular mall and hang out place for most teens; Boulevard Shopping Complex which is the largest mall in Sarawak and the largest hypermarket in Miri, Imperial Shopping Mall, E-Mart, Miri Plaza, Miri Square, Pelita Mall and many more.

In addition to this, Miri is also known for its fine handicrafts. Handicraft shops along Jalan Bendahara, Brooke Road are favourite destinations among tourists and locals. The Miri Handicraft Centre at the junction of Merbau Road and Brooke Road is also the favourite site for handicraft and souvenir hunters.

The entertainment outlets, restaurants (for both Muslims and non-Muslims) and road-side cafes along South Yu Seng and North Yu Seng Roads, are the ideal and popular night spots to those visitors who are looking for fun, nice food and quality hangouts at night.

[edit] Higher Education

[edit] Curtin University of Technology, Sarawak Campus

Curtin University of Technology - Sarawak Campus

The branch campus is the first offshore campus of Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia. Opened in 1999 in partnership with the Sarawak Government, it serves the educational needs of local and foreign students. Curtin Sarawak is the first foreign university campus to be set up in East Malaysia. Curtin has a fine reputation as a dynamic and stimulating place of learning, and the Sarawak campus partakes in this tradition.

The diverse student’s population makes campus life a learning experience in the cultural melting pot of Miri.

Sited on a 4,000-acre site, with a large man-made lake and the parent university’s signature brickwork buildings, Curtin offers world-class facilities and a home for students from across the globe. Curtin University also offers courses which are relevant to demands of the present job market.

[edit] External links

v • d • e Sarawak
Divisions	Betong Division • Bintulu Division • Kapit Division • Kuching Division • Limbang Division • Miri Division • Mukah Division • Samarahan Division • Sarikei Division • Sibu Division • Sri Aman Division
Cities	Kuching (capital) • Miri
Towns	Asajaya • Ba'kelalan • Bau • Belaga • Betong • Bintangor • Bintulu • Dalat • Daro • Debak • Julau • Kanowit • Kapit • Kota Samarahan • Lawas • Limbang • Lingga • Lubok Antu • Lundu • Mato • Meradong • Mukah • Marudi • Pakan • Pusa • Saratok • Sarikei • Sebuyau • Serian • Selangau • Sibu • Simunjan • Song • Spaoh • Sri Aman • Tanjung Kidurong • Tatau • Tebedu

v • d • e Cities in Malaysia
Alor Star • George Town • Ipoh • Johor Bahru • Kota Kinabalu • Kuala Lumpur • Kuching • Malacca Town • Miri • Petaling Jaya • Shah Alam