MIRI: The Miri City Council (MCC) has formed a task force to plan, strategise and facilitate the Sarawak Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) programme here.
MCC stated that the establishment of the task force was in line with the state government’s intention to promote S-MM2H and to assist Miri City’s economic recovery post-Covid-19.
“The main objectives of this task force are to support the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) to develop S-MM2H in Miri and to promote Miri as the choice location for this programme.
“Besides that, the task force will assist and facilitate the S-MM2H programme development as well as lead local entrepreneurs to enhance the conditions for the development of the programme in Miri.
“At the same time, the task force will facilitate and expedite the S-MM2H programme projects in Miri.
“With the formation of this task force, the first official meeting will be called soon to deliberate the work that needs to be done,” it said on Thursday (Oct 21).
MCC pointed out that Miri City was blessed with exceptional conditions for the success of S-MM2H such as being located by the sea, availability of quality medical facilities, tertiary education, affordable housing, 4G and broadband Internet connectivity.
“In addition, Miri has a cosmopolitan and liberal atmosphere imbued by a century of expatriate community of oil and gas workers, the presence of all 28 races and tribes in Sarawak giving rise to a colourful and harmonious multiracial, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society.
“Miri is also a gateway to Unesco Heritage sites such as Mulu National Park, Niah National Park, Lambir National Park and Loagan Bunut National Park. There is air connectivity to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as well as Bandar Seri Begawan International Airport, Brunei.
“There is also a concentration of oil and gas companies like Shell, Petronas Carigali, Nippon Oil and the related oilfield service companies.”
The task force would consist of Motac assistant minister Datuk Sebastian Ting, its permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee and Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chairman Dennis Ngau as advisors.
The task force’s chairman is Mayor Adam Yii, deputy chairperson Cr Warziedea Ahmad, who is also MCC Tourism Development Standing Committee chairperson, secretary PARC Shared Office Andrew Lau and secretariat MCC head of public affairs Mohd Zaidi Adrus Razali.
The members are chief executive officer of Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) Chew Chang Guan, Cr Mohd Sardon Zainal, Cr John Trawe, Cr Tan Lek Jin, Cr Rexsoll Gilum, Cr Misiah Abdullah, Miri City engineer Abdul Rahman Taupek, Dr Lew Tek Yew of Curtin University and STB member Albert Sim.
