<b>Kuching</b>: Welcome to the world's first 'City of Unity' | Hornbill <b>...</b> |
| <b>Kuching</b>: Welcome to the world's first 'City of Unity' | Hornbill <b>...</b> Posted: 09 Aug 2015 05:02 PM PDT
The proclamation by 1Malaysia Foundation Chairman, Dr Chandra Muzaffar was timely too, coinciding with Adenan's launching of the 27th City Day celebrations. This ceremony also kick-started the Kuching Food Festival, a month-long event which brings together many of the city's popular food vendors under a common platform to showcase their respective delicacies.
To be proclaimed a 'City of Unity' is no mean feat as there are 12 conditions to meet and Kuching has met all of them. Chandra said: "Kuching City is a good example of a city that reflects the unity spirit. The communities are very sensitive and attentive to the cultures and taboos of other religions and races. That is why the communities can maintain and preserve the unity." He also mentioned that Kuching has a higher rate of inter-marriages compared to other cities in Malaysia. The city is the best example to reflect the spirit of unity and so it deserves to be declared a city of unity for other cities in Malaysia to learn from. Lee Lam Thye, a member of the Board of Trustees for the 1Malaysia Foundation, summed it up very appropriately when he explained how Kuching claimed the honour of being the city in Malaysia and "indeed the whole world to be officially proclaimed as a City of Unity." "We look at it from the perspective of how people of different races can be brought together through culture, economic activities, sports and day-to-day interactions. "We are able to see for ourselves how the people of Kuching mix and intermingle, and we feel that everywhere we went there is no doubt about this feeling of harmony and togetherness," said Lee. Adenan sprinkled the occasion with this light-hearted comment: "I want all of you to smile because this is a historic day for Kuching, the most beautiful, cleanest and the most vibrant city in Malaysia famous for kolo mee, terubok masin, kek lapis…and Adenan Satem." Not forgetting laksa, of course. Adenan aptly described Kuching as a city of "Unity in Diversity – unity in diversity in terms of races, economic activities, cultural activities, and other activities carried out by the people." The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Kuching truly exemplifies the 1Malaysia spirit. Many of us grew up in in mixed neighbourhoods and studied in schools where students came from diverse racial and religious backgrounds Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus all shared the same classrooms and sat at the same table in the school canteen during recess. This bonding, nurtured over the years, wove and knitted a strong multi-racial fabric which withstood and rode the trials and tribulations of community life in this modern, yet challenging world. On a personal note, my former classmates and I still meet up for roti bakar and soft-boiled eggs at Chinese kopitiams, enjoy mee jawa and satay at Malay food stalls and savour the curry lembu and roti tisu at our favourite Indian restaurant. You may say that we are continuing from where we left off at school. While Germany is home to 'Fraulein', Kuching is famous for its feline – the iconic cat which is our city's mascot. A museum was even built to showcase the various cat species of Sarawak and is one of the many tourist attractions on offer. How the cat became our mascot is still subject to debate. Some historians claimed that Kuching was named after an old magic well. Some said the name originated from a nearby brooke which has since disappeared. Others believed it was derived from a local fruit called 'Mata Kuching'. I guess it makes more sense to have a cat as a mascot as it is easily identified and there's also a popular Meowchat to download. Good food is found everywhere and Kuching is no exception, with our famous Sarawak laksa and kolo mee among the top favourites. Even celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain took a liking to our laksa and recently revisited the same family-owned kopitiam for a second helping of this popular local dish. While food may be a subjective topic to discuss, Kuching does offer its own unique dishes for food lovers from all walks of life. The ongoing month-long Kuching Food Fair provides an excellent opportunity for all to sample and savour many of our local favourite recipes under one umbrella – a 'one-stop food station', so to speak. Most, if not all, of Kuching's delicacies are available at this food fest which has grown in stature from a simple food fair into a calendar event for both tourists and locals. Kuchingites take pride in their city and we are proud to be the only city in Malaysia with two mayors – Kuching City North and Kuching City South, respectively. The picturesque Sarawak River serves as a natural boundary between the City North Commission and the Council of Kuching City South. We also take pride in being one of the few places in Malaysia where Malay food stalls can still be found in Chinese kopitiams with customers sipping coffee and happily chatting away, oblivious to race or religion. This is a common scene in our food courts, which as a Kuchingite and Malaysian, I am extremely proud to share.
A walk along the scenic Kuching Waterfront provides a refreshing breather for visitors and locals alike to take in a kaleidoscopic glimpse of the city's history and a number of its famous historical landmarks in the vicinity. Notably among them are the Astana, Fort Margharita, the century-old Tua Pek Kong Temple, the old State Mosque and the State Assembly building. A ride in a 'sampan' – a traditional river boat – is highly recommended and the friendly and ever-smiling boatman will gladly ferry visitors across for a small fee. It can be said that our food is, in a way, a fusion of the best of each of our community's recipes – historically, culturally, racially and religiously – nicely blended with a huge sprinkle of moderation, understanding, tolerance and respect over time. We are "as rojak as the rojak itself" – different ingredients mixed in a big bowl in the right proportions to conjure the mouth-watering outcome, yet flexible enough to 'mix and match' to suit one's palate without compromising on the quality. That's Kuching and how Kuchingites see and live life in this 'City of Unity.' I am proud to be one and always will be! Welcome to Kuching, or rather, welcome to 1Malaysia!—– Edmund Lee  |
| My Side Of The Story: <b>Kuching</b> Food Festival 2015 - It's a Fiesta! Posted: 12 Aug 2015 11:53 PM PDT So, being stuck in a foreign land is kinda daunting. Especially being here alone. But luckily for me, i am very easily "satisfied". Give me good food and i will be a happy camper.  With that in mind, i went to the Kuching Food Festival 2015 last night after feeling very emo because 2 ppl FFK my dinner plans (FML), and boy oh boy... If kolok mee is food porn, the Kuching Food Fest is an orgy. I don't know how many stalls were there but i will go ahead and say 100+.  More than a hundred stalls selling everything from local treats, to noodles, rice, buns. There's also tonnes of international food - ie: German sausages, Pad Thai, bimbimbap, sushi, Taiwan beef noodles, dimsum and so much more. And the desserts... Ohhhhhh... Ok. Enough of me drooling. I just share some random lousy photos i took (p/s: i still very shy to walk alone n take my own photos in Kuching)  So many people!!  They have pre-packed rice. Btw Kuching damn alot of pork. Like everywhere~  Lollipop chicken aunty.  Monkey cup rice/ nasi periuk kera.  Black sauce shells.  Bak gua ala Pork jerky aka dragon meat aka daging salai. Haha.    Satay  Chicken wingssss  Duck shaped lotus paste buns. So ke ai!!!   From macau - polo buns and egg tarts!!  Mini burgers~ can i have 10 please?   Salted fish bao. Hahaha.   Some serious barbecueing going on! Look at the slab of beef ribs!!!  Barbecue scallops!!?  And long sticks of barbecue lamb/ beef/ pork! *drool*  Naked fish? O_O  Haha coal grilled ikan bawal. Looks damn good but i got no one to share with~    I dont know what you call these. But it is glutinous rice that has a filling of pandan/ kaya and stuff.  Giant dumplings.  Duck head and feet. Hahaha. Omnom  Coconut ice cream    Roast duck  Chinese pork sausages  German sausages  Glutinous rice bao. Hmmm sarawakiams really like the glutinous rice -..-  Fried oyster!  OMg! Whats the super long queue for?!!?  One of those erm. Ice cream that they pretend to fry fry fry. Kepo one la. Taste same only. Pasar malam cold stone.  Hey! You look familiar~ haha Negative Celsius in Kuching!  A local favourite - Kompia   And then suddenly got one super atas fella selling lamb -.-  Grilled charcoal bread icecream    Sesame balls. Well other than food, they also got like pasar malam stuffs.   Balalallaa  But their pasar malam got sell cars one la -..-  Can do nails lagi  Got native guy doing straw alippers.  Can by casio exilim and tr some more. Geng lor -..-  Even got fun fair! Omg. Will the excitement ever end??    I bought too much food. And i have bring back alot. Hehhee. This is what i brought back. Glutinous rice in monkey cup. Hehhee. Have been wanting to try this for a long time. And it tastes awesome!!!! Btw, those who have never been to this festival should definitely visit the Kuching Food Festival as it is super fun and entertaining. I shall go there everyday until it ends on the 23rd. Heheheh so excited!! |
Kuch1ingWelcome-the785x442.jpg)
"This is a happy day for us in Kuching, a day to celebrate" – so exclaimed an exuberant Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem on the historic proclamation of Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, as the world's first 'City of Unity" on Aug 1, which is also our Kuching City Day.Kuch1ingWelcome-the540x300.jpg)
ASTANAKuch1ingWelcome-the540x300.jpg)
| You are subscribed to email updates from kuching - Google Blog Search To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |