KUCHING: There is a Lion King in Miri!
Standing tall at Taman Bulatan Park in Miri is a bright orange lion statue that has recently taken social media by storm.
With its strikingly bold mane and an unique expression that has sparked humorous comparisons online, it is quickly becoming an unexpected internet sensation.
Many locals reminisced on social media, sharing that the statue has been a part of their childhood memories.
Miri City Council (MCC) Mayor Adam Yii clarified the statue’s history, saying it was not new.
“The lion statue is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project under the Lions Club. It has been there since 1993.
“The Lions Club of Miri repainted it on Nov 23,” he said when contacted.
The statue also caught the attention of popular social media page, Meanwhile in Malaysia (MIM).
“We welcome the new derby lion in Taman Bulatan Park, Miri. Maybe he can play with the Serian beliang buffalo,” MIM wrote.
Netizens were quick to share their views with their own interpretations of the lion statue.
A commenter, AD Too jokingly said: “Serian have a jump-scare Buffalo and Miri have a very friendly lion but lack of nutrition I guess and he look like just revived from having a good amount of fresh air. I guess he needed a tonne of fresh meat though.”
Another Facebook user, Jess T Yong described the lion statue as a cool lion, while Marly Agoh said it looks naive.
Shuqor Haron humorously wondered, “We’ve got a lion statue and a buffalo statue — what’s next?
The comparisons to Serian’s famous water buffalo statue, which gained similar viral attention last year after a repaint, were inevitable.
The buffalo statue, believed to have been in place since before 2000 became an online sensation for its shocked expression.
It cannot be denied that both statues, with their unusual appearances and new makeovers, have now become iconic representations of their respective towns.
