Public Park in Miri

I am someone from Miri. A small town. I wrote about Miri for a contest before, you can read here. 
I love Miri because it is so small, but too small.


In Miri, whenever friends and relatives come visiting, we would bring them to visit parks. I used to bring my friend to library....


Among many parks in Miri, I like this park. No special reason for liking it.

In this park, their water fountain is int the shape of 'donkey's head. 'Donkey' is a drilling equipment for land oil drilling. You can see many 'donkeys' in Brunei. However in near future, these 'donkey' will start appearing in Miri.

In this park, there is a high tower which looks like an oil rig. It kind of looks like Grand Old Lady, first oil well in Malaysia. Many couples came here for dating because it is very dark up there at night. It is romantic to date here with the stars and no one can recognise them.

Here comes the interesting thing. I like this slides because it is high. Around 5 years ago, my dad and I played the slides. I know we were not young. But who says only young kids can play slides. It is extremely exciting when turning at the corner. wooooooofoooooooooooo.... IT was very fun.

This can be a nice place for wedding photograph, if only there are no rubbish hanging around. Can't figured out how someone would throw the rubbish up. Are they testing the rule of gravity?

Actually the main attraction of this park is their hanging bridge. There are many hanging bridges connected with each other. Really can sweat a lot walking around this park. Not a good park for those who are acrophobia.

The name of this park is Taman Awam (Public Park). The park is sending the message of 'Keep Clean' by arranging many many rubbish bins in front of the sign. This is my favorite photo because of all the rubbish bins. I love rubbish bins. 

One of the solutions for public urination.

Let's continue the discussion of public urination.

After I told my dad about the scene of people urinate in public, my dad said some men at certain age will have problem controlling their bladder. As [SK] commented in my last post, sometimes the force of nature call can be too strong to reject. Hence the act of public urination is unavoidable. This came a realisation to me. Most of the time, even a small matter can have many speculation from different view. I guess no one will choose to urinate in public if they are not force to.

This problem can actually be solved by having more mobile toilet.

 The photo above is mobile toilet in Taiwan. It is a good way to overcome the problem of public urination. Seems like we have to accept the fact that middle age men in Miri is increasing and the problem of public urination is become more obvious. I believe that there is always have people urinate publicly since years ago. It is just that it is not as obvious as now, because Miri was not as developed as now. There were more trees and bush around the town before it is a city. Mobile toilet is more financially wise and it is be located anywhere. Hence we really need mobile toilet!

However will mobile toilet be appreciated by public? Are we able to keep it as clean as possible? hmnnn...... If we still want to see people urinate in public, we can continue vandalise our public toilet. Here is an interest post about vandalism of an office's toilet.

Horror Genre

It is night. It is time for horror story.

According to myth, ladies like to watch horror movies. Maybe ladies like to watch horror movies with male homosapien. It will be a good chance to take advantage of that male homosapien. Are you wondering why I think ladies only like to watch horror movie with male homosapien?

So far not many of my lady friends would suggest to watch horror movies with me. I seldom go to watch movies in cinema due to bad condition of the cinema in my town. Mouse may run over my foot when I am in the cinema.

For a period of time, I always went to cinema with my lady friends. I always don't get a chance to watch any horror movies, and I always end up watching romance or family movies which is better to watch at home. I don't think crying scenes need a good sound effect (as if the cinema have a good one). It is no fun to watch with someone who prefer to close her/his eyes when the person is 'watching' a movie. So I don't think many ladies like to watch horror movies. The statement of ladies like to watch horror movies is only true if 'Notebook' is consider horror.

I am a fan of Stephen King's story. The story line in the movie usually does not have too much difference from the book. It is great because it will match up with my imagination when I read the book. Stephen King's way of writing is very captivating. Every small details was written that I can feel I am in the scene itself. His stories usually evolved around children and more like urban legend.

My favorite horror movie is IT. After watched IT, I was scared of drainage hole in bathroom and clown. Any doll made from hard material with movable eyelids does not appeal to me. Try to imagine a clown's hand suddenly come out from the under of bed and hold your legs. It is freaking enough just to see a clown doll, sitting on a chair and keep smiling to you. I still can't figure out why kids like clown.

Once I read a compilation of Stephen King's short stories, I can't continue reading after reading it for a week straight. During that period, I was staying in hostel of UTM KL. The hostel's toilets were very scary because the big pipe above our head always produced sound due to pressure or water. I was so scared that whenever I was in need, I ran to the toilet and finish the business as fast as possible. I didn't even dare to look into any mirror. I didn't wish to see anything in the mirror. It was only after few weeks, I forced myself to finish reading it because I had to return it to the library.

From time to time, I like to scare myself. Who want to watch horror movie with me?

Miri Community

Below is a conversation between my dad and the motel owner in Singapore, during our breakfast.

My dad : We are from Miri.

Owner :  Ooo.. Miri. That oil producer town, Miri. That city o, if you dig dig the backyard of a house, oil will just gush out o.

(Pardon my Nanaish version of Singlish)

I almost choked on my morning tea when I heard that. I guess that all Mirian are rich now, with oil gushing out from their backyard.

Miri, view from Canada Hill.

Miri is also known as Oil Town. One of the main industries in Miri is oil and gas, but we do not have oil gushing out of our backyard.

I am Mirian, but who is Mirian??? Miri was a fishing village before oil was found in 1882. Basically, it means Miri was a very very small village, which lived on fishing income. That is one of the reason not many Mirian are pure Mirian. Most of Mirians are actually migrants from other towns in Sarawak and Brunei. I was born in Sibu and my family moved to Miri when my dad had to work between Miri-Brunei. During big celebration such as Chinese New Year, the city will be isolated as many will go back to their hometown.


Here are some jokes about Mirian (Credit to my brother):
1. There are no pretty girls (Mei nu) in Miri (Mei li), Miri (Mei li) only have 'Mei nu', but the 'Mei' is 'Fa mei (mold)'s 'Mei'. This joke sound better in Mandarin language.
2. Comparing to Sibu, Miri's ladies have longer duration from expiry date, that's why Miri's ladies do not get married as young as Sibu's girls.


All those jokes originated from my unmarried elder brother. I guess he made up those jokes as excuses for not being able to get a girlfriend in Miri.


Community in Miri is a very close knitted community. Everybody knows everybody's business, that's where the term of 'busybody comes into our community. Actually, we are just being friendly to each other, not nosy about each other. In my neighbourhood, we still trust our neighbour to take care of our house when we are out of town. I do not think that can still be done in big city such as Kuala Lumpur or Johor. We only need to behave ourselves when we are in Miri, if we do not want any rumour going around in the city.

This is Miri City Council Emblem. The emblem consist of blue colour, yacht (Miri as resort city), Seahorse (Miri's mascot), Periwinkle (Miri's official flower), Grand Oil Lady (Miri's Landmark signified Miri as Oil and Gas producer), Pustaka Miri (symbolized educational and IT excellence), buildings (development in Miri) and Golf (sports and recreation).


Wherever we go around the city, we can see many signboard and design related to seahorse. Once you touched down at Miri Airport and going to the city center, the first roundabout encountered is a roundabout with seahorses. At Marina Bay, there is a lighthouse designed in the shape of seahorse, signaling Miri is there for you even when you are offshore. 


Adapted from Miri City council's website:
"Sea Horse has a unique, beautiful and distinctive figure. Its gentle and charming nature has often been used by the people to denote many good values in life such as caring for each other and possessing an upright character. It also symbolizes harmonious relationship and peacefulness. As it is living in the sea, it signifies Miri's close relationship with the sea, coral reef and a resort paradise."


Indeed it is....


It is a really good emblem actually. First impression of the emblem is that Miri is a rich city. Indeed Miri is a rich city. Miri is rich of oil, and a resort city as well. Miri attracted many tourists with our Mount Mulu National Park, Niah National Park, Lambir Hills National Park and Loagan Bunut National Park. Miri have so many caves until I said I live in cave when some naive person asked me does Sarawakians still live on trees.

Personally, Miri is a home for me. I know Miri is always there for me. I wish it is same for all Mirian. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, remember to contribute some to your home, Miri.



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This post is written for Miricom Blogging Contest 2009 organised by www.miricommunity.net

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