Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (third left) and other dignitaries admiring a cat sculpture at the 35th Kuching City Day celebration at Kuching Waterfront. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
KUCHING: Sarawak will gazette a new nature reserve in Petra Jaya here as an additional green lung in the city, says Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The Premier said the new reserve would cover a 44ha site between the Sarawak State Library and Bukit Siol.
"Once it is a nature reserve, no development will take place there. It will be a green lung like the Sama Jaya Nature Reserve in Stutong," he told reporters after launching the 35th Kuching City Day celebration at the Waterfront here on Tuesday (Aug 1).
The Sama Jaya Nature Reserve lies within the jurisdiction of the Kuching South Municipal Council (MBKS), while the new reserve at Bukit Siol would come under the Kuching North City Hall (DBKU).
Abang Johari said Sibu and Miri also had the Bukit Lima and Piasau nature reserves respectively within their urban limits.
"So in all our major towns we have nature reserves for the people to enjoy recreational activities while maintaining green spaces. Any development around the nature reserves will be monitored by the State Planning Authority, with a limit on the height of buildings," he said.
Abang Johari also said indigenous trees such as belian and nyatoh would be planted in the new Bukit Siol reserve.
"Landscape experts will assist in the design of the nature reserve," he said, adding that it was in the process of being gazetted.
In his speech, Abang Johari said Kuching had developed rapidly since it was elevated to city status on Aug 1, 1988.
He said the state capital's accolades included being recognised as a City of Unity in 2015 and Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy in 2021.
"This is a testament to the cooperation and commitment of the city councils and the people," he said.
