Is it just me, or is the "Sarawak Forward" vision actually just "Kuching Forward"? 🙄
Just saw the news about yet another extension for the Kuching Waterfront. Don't get me wrong, it looks great and I’m happy for the capital, but as a Mirian, it’s getting really hard not to feel like we’re the "forgotten middle child" of Sarawak.
It feels like every time I open the news, there’s a new multi-million ringgit project for Kuching. New museums, autonomous rapid transit (ART), waterfront extensions, fancy bridges... the list goes on.
Meanwhile, back in Miri:
Kampung Wireless: We’ve been hearing about "upgrades" and "redevelopment" for years. It’s one of the most iconic, historical parts of Miri, yet it still looks exactly the same as it did a decade ago. Where is the urgency to modernize our waterfront?
Infrastructure:Our roads are struggling, and the "Resort City" title is starting to feel more like a polite suggestion than a reality.
The "Oil Town" Paradox:We literally fuel so much of the state’s economy with our O&G resources, yet the "glow-up" budget seems to stop at the Sri Aman division border.
It’s frustrating because Miri has so much potential to be a proper northern hub, but we’re constantly left with the scraps while Kuching gets the 5-star treatment.
Are any other Mirians (or people from Bintulu/Sibu/Limbang) feeling this way? Or am I just being salty? I love our state, but Sarawak is huge—it’s time the development budget reflected that.