A Malay / Melanau village which remains in Miri known as Kampung Wireless is one of the oldest village in Miri city. Located in the heart of Miri city, the village was built since 1949 were not many changes despite the rapid development actively developing around it.
A Kampung Wireless is formerly known as a fishing village. Kampung Wireless gets the name of a Telecommunication tower of Post and Telegraph Department, built in the middle of the village by the British colony circa 1950 ‘.
Most of the original inhabitants of these settlements are Malay and Melanau fishermen. Because of development is booming in Miri city, some of them have moved to a place further upstream of Miri River known as North Piasau or Piasau Utara. But the move did not involve the entire population of the village; there are some who still reside there until now.
Kampung Wireless should be given a new lease of life as a tourist attraction. Among the proposals that need to be addressed by the authorities is maintaining its original characteristics of Malay / Melanau traditional housing village, where the residents should be given a plot of land so that they can continue to live there without arbitrary interference due to the increasingly rapid development taking place in Miri city.
Those who live there should be given a basic facility that is more ideal so that their life is better than before.
We urge the authorities to building more jetties and facilities for tourists visiting the area as an attractive resort in the village. By building more jetties and fishing areas indirectly it will attract more tourists from inside and outside as well as residents can also increase their income by selling their merchandise. As the village is located on Miri river banks is recommended that it be a resort area and tourist attractions to suit Miri as a Miri City Resort title.
Make a Kampung Wireless as a picturesque village in the heart of Miri city and tourist attractions as a Kampung Wireless is the original village of Malay / Melanau that first built in Miri. Many traces the history of the city of Miri should be maintained so that it will not disappear simply because of development are booming.
Hope this problem will be given due consideration by the authorities so that the treasures of the past in Miri not disappear just because without it historical traces it difficult for future generations to know their origins.
The authorities can make the Kampung Wireless site as cultural village in the heart of Miri city so that historical traces the fishing village of Miri does not extinct posterity.
Cooperation with the authorities to maintain the historic heart of Miri should be given appropriate attention, so that future generations can still see traces the history of Miri in the future.
*** Haji Jofri Jaraiee is PAS’s Sarawak Deputy Commissioner III cum PAS Miri Chief
