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) , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 =
State State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * '' Our ...
, subdivision_name1 = , subdivision_type2 = Division , subdivision_name2 = Miri Division , subdivision_type3 = District , subdivision_name3 = Miri District , established_title1 = Founded by
Royal Dutch Shell Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New ...
, established_date1 = 10 August 1910 , established_title2 = Granted municipality status , established_date2 = 6 November 1981 , established_title3 = Granted city status , established_date3 = 20 May 2005 , government_type = Miri City Council , government_footnotes = , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Adam Yii Siew Sang , total_type = Miri City , area_footnotes = , area_magnitude = 1 E+6 , area_total_km2 = 997.43 , elevation_footnotes = , elevation_m = 8 , elevation_max_footnotes = , elevation_max_m = , elevation_min_footnotes = , elevation_min_m = 0 , population_footnotes = , population_total = 300,543 , population_as_of = 2020 , population_density_km2 = 301 , population_density_sq_mi = , population_blank1_title =
Demonym A demonym (; ) or gentilic () is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, ...
, population_blank1 = Mirian , timezone1 = MST , utc_offset1 = +8 , timezone1_DST = Not observed , utc_offset1_DST = +8 , postal_code_type =
Postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, included in a postal ...
, postal_code = 98xxx , blank_name = Area code(s) , blank_info = +6085 (landline only) , blank1_name =
Vehicle registration Motor vehicle registration is the registration of a motor vehicle with a government authority, either compulsory or otherwise. The purpose of motor vehicle registration is to establish a link between a vehicle and an owner or user of the vehicle. Th ...
, blank1_info = QM and QM****A (etc..)
HQ , website = Miri ( Jawi: ; ) is a coastal city in northeastern
Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, located near the border of
Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...
, on the island of
Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java Isl ...
. The city covers an area of , located northeast of
Kuching Kuching (), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River at the southwest tip of the state of Sara ...
and southwest of
Kota Kinabalu , image_skyline = , image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
. Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of 300,543 as of 2020. The city is also the capital of Miri District of the Miri Division. Before Miri was founded,
Marudi Marudi is a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and is a part of the division of Miri. It is the seat of Marudi District, and is located on the banks of Baram River, about upstream from the river mouth. Marudi was the administrative centre ...
was the administrative centre of the northern region of
Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
. Miri was founded in 1910 when the first oil well was drilled by
Royal Dutch Shell Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New ...
. The discovery of an oil field in Miri has led to rapid development of Miri town. Miri became the administrative centre of the northern region of Sarawak by 1929. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the Miri oil fields were destroyed by the Brooke government to sabotage Japanese operations in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
but to no avail; Miri town was the first landing point of Japanese troops in
Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java Isl ...
. The subsequent Japanese occupation led Miri to become a target of Allied air raids which caused the destruction of oil refinery facilities in Miri. The petroleum industry continued to be a major player in the city's economy after the war. Oil exploration has moved offshore since the 1950s, but subsequently new inland oil fields were found in 1989 and 2011. In 1974, the formation of Malaysian oil and gas company
Petronas Petroliam Nasional Berhad (National Petroleum Limited), commonly known as Petronas, is a Malaysian petroleum, oil and natural gas, gas company. Established in 1974 and wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested w ...
led to co-operation between Petronas and Shell on oil exploration in the Miri region. In 2005, Miri became the 10th city in Malaysia to be granted official city status, the first non-state capital city to be bestowed such status. Miri is the main tourist gateway to the world-famous
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
,
Gunung Mulu National Park The Gunung Mulu National Park is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The park is famous for its c ...
;
Loagan Bunut National Park The Loagan Bunut National Park ( ms, Taman Negara Loagan Bunut) is a national park located in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the Borneo island. The park was named after the Loagan Bunut lake nearby, which is connected to ''Sungai Bunut'' ...
;
Lambir Hills National Park The Lambir Hills National Park ( ms, Taman Negara Bukit Lambir) is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is a small park, at , and is composed largely of mixed dipterocarp forest, with some small area ...
; Niah National Park and Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park. The
Gunung Mulu National Park The Gunung Mulu National Park is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The park is famous for its c ...
with its Sarawak Chamber, which is the largest known cave chamber in the world by area, remains one of the favourite
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
destinations in Miri. Miri is also the birthplace of the Malaysian
petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...
industry. Other major industries in the city include timber,
oil palm ''Elaeis'' () is a genus of palms containing two species, called oil palms. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African oil palm '' Elaeis guineensis'' (the species name ''guineensis'' referring to its co ...
and
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...
.


Etymology

Miri town is named after a minority ethnic group called "Jatti Meirek" or simply "Mirek", or "Miriek". This ethnic group is the earliest settlers in the region of Miri Division. Europeans who later came to the region for oil exploration mistakenly pronounced "Miriek" as "Miri", and this name continues to be used today.


Prehistory

The first foragers visited the West Mouth of Niah Cavelocated southwest of Miri city50,000 years ago when
Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java Isl ...
was connected to the mainland of
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
. The landscape of Niah Cave was drier and more open than it is now. Prehistoric Niah Cave was surrounded by a mosaic of closed forests with bush, parkland, swamps, and rivers. The foragers were able to survive in the rainforests through hunting, fishing, mollusc collection, and plant gathering. The earliest evidence of human population in the area dates back to 40,000 BC in Niah Cave at
Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός '' palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone to ...
period. This is evidenced by the discovery of a ''
Homo sapiens Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' skull nicknamed "Deep Skull" in a deep trench uncovered by Tom Harrisson in 1958, which is the oldest modern human skull in Southeast Asia. The skull probably belongs to a 16- to 17-year-old adolescent girl. Unfossilised ''Manis paleojavanica'' (Asian giant
pangolin Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota (, from Ancient Greek ϕολιδωτός – "clad in scales"). The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: ''Manis'', '' Phataginus'', and '' Smuts ...
) bone dated back to 30,000 BC was also found in the proximity of the "Deep Skull", as well as with the
Mesolithic The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymo ...
and
Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several part ...
burial sites inside the Niah Caves.


History


Brooke administration

Charles Brooke succeeded
James Brooke Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak (29 April 1803 – 11 June 1868), was a British soldier and adventurer who founded the Raj of Sarawak in Borneo. He ruled as the first White Rajah of Sarawak from 1841 until his death in 1868. Brooke was ...
as the new Rajah of Sarawak in 1868. By 1883, Sultan of Brunei ( Sultan Abdul Momin) ceded the Baram region (including Miri) to Charles Brooke. The fourth division of Sarawak was immediately created with the installation of Claude Champion de Crespigny as the first Resident of the Division. The Miri area was still a fishing village at that time. It was a small settlement surrounded by mangrove and Nipah palm jungles consisted of 20 scattered houses, a few wooden shops operated by Chinese traders and a lone Arab trader. A fort was built in Claudetown (present day
Marudi Marudi is a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and is a part of the division of Miri. It is the seat of Marudi District, and is located on the banks of Baram River, about upstream from the river mouth. Marudi was the administrative centre ...
, to the east of Miri) in 1883. Claudetown became the administrative centre of the division. Mr Claude's administration was helped by two junior officers, 30 rangers, and a few native police. Charles Hose succeeded Mr de Crespigny as the new Resident in 1891 and the fort in Marudi was renamed as "Fort Hose". To restore peace among various ethnic tribes fighting in the Baram region, Charles Hose decided to organise a peace conference at his fort in April 1899. This peace conference also led to the birth of first Baram Regatta, a long boat race competition among the natives which continued to be held until today. The local population in Miri has indeed started to extract oil from hand-dug wells for centuries. '' Song Huiyao Jigao'', a documentation of the
Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
of China, mentions the imports of Borneo
camphor Camphor () is a waxy, colorless solid with a strong aroma. It is classified as a terpenoid and a cyclic ketone. It is found in the wood of the camphor laurel ('' Cinnamomum camphora''), a large evergreen tree found in East Asia; and in the k ...
and petroleum in the 11th century. In 1882, Mr de Crespigny reported to the Brooke government on 18 hand-dug oil wells in the Miri area. He also recommended that area near Miri River should be thoroughly explored. However, his recommendations were ignored. But when Charles Hose took over the Resident office in 1891, he was interested in Mr de Crespigny's idea and began to collaborate with him. Mr de Crespigny began to map oil seeps around the Miri area, however a consultant geologist from England discouraged the oil exploration in Miri due to poor logistical conditions. After his retirement from administrative positions in Sarawak, Charles Hose went back to England. He later went to London to discuss the idea of oil exploration in Miri with the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company (later became a part of
Royal Dutch Shell Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New ...
Company in 1907). Benjamin, a branch manager from the petroleum company, was interested in this idea. Finally in 1909, Rajah Charles Brooke came to London to sign the first Sarawak Oil Mining Lease. Royal Dutch Shell dispatched a senior geologist named Josef Theodor Erb together with Charles Hose back to Miri. Erb started to map Miri oil fields from August 1909 to July 1910. He also identified a location known as "Miri Hill" (now known as "Canada Hill", above sea level) is suitable to act as an
anticline In structural geology, an anticline is a type of fold that is an arch-like shape and has its oldest beds at its core, whereas a syncline is the inverse of an anticline. A typical anticline is convex up in which the hinge or crest is the ...
for oil drilling. Finally, on 10 August 1910, the first oil drilling operation was started. A rig (nicknamed the "Grand Old Lady") made up of wooden derricks and cable tool drilling was used in the operation by Royal Dutch Shell. On 22 December 1910, oil was struck after of drilling at the well. Royal Dutch Shell also founded a subsidiary company named Sarawak Oil Field Ltd, which now operated as Sarawak Shell Berhad. Since then, another 624 land wells have been drilled around Miri until 1972 which are collectively known as the "Miri field". The Miri field is the only onshore field in Sarawak, because oil production has shifted offshore since the late 1950s. The first oil well on Canada Hill (Miri Well No. 1) produced a total of for the next 60 years until its closure on 31 October 1972. The first oil refinery and submarine pipeline was built in Miri in 1914. The oil refinery has since been relocated to Lutong, to the north of Miri, in 1916. Resident Office moved from Marudi to Miri in 1912. Miri grew as fast as the rate of oil production by the Shell company. In 1920, roads were built in Miri. Bicycles and motorcycles were also bought into the town. By 1921, there were 40 shop houses in Miri, with one English school and one Chinese school. Motor cars were later introduced to the town. In 1924, Pujut Road was built to link Miri with Lutong. By 1925, rotary drilling was introduced. Oil production continued to increase until it reached a peak of per day in 1929. Water supply were improved, jungles were cleared, and more roads were built. Miri became the administrative centre of the entire Baram region in 1929.


Japanese occupation

The Brooke government had been actively lobbying for the British government to accept Sarawak as one of its protectorates in an event of a war. By 1888, the British finally agreed to grant the protection to Sarawak. The British dispatched several troops to Sarawak to strengthen its defences in the 1930s. By 1938, under the leadership of Rajah
Charles Vyner Brooke Vyner, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG, full name Charles Vyner de Windt Brooke (26 September 1874 – 9 May 1963) was the third and last White Rajah of the Raj of Sarawak. Early life The son of Charles Brooke and his wife Margaret de Windt ( Ranee ...
, airstrips were constructed in Miri, Kuching, Oya, and Mukah in preparation for an imminent war. However, by 1941, British
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
and
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
had withdrawn from Sarawak and returned to Singapore. Therefore, the British government advocated a "
scorched earth A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy that aims to destroy anything that might be useful to the enemy. Any assets that could be used by the enemy may be targeted, which usually includes obvious weapons, transport vehicles, commun ...
policy" for the Brooke government in the event of a Japanese attack. A Denial Scheme was formulated to destroy oil installations in Miri and Lutong. This was because the coastline measuring from Lutong to Miri was impossible to defend from Japanese landings due to shortage of manpower. By May 1941, 1 Infantry Company from 2/15 Punjab Regiment, 6-inch Hong Kong-Singapore Royal Artillery Battery, and 1 Platoon of Royal Engineers were stationed at Miri to oversee the destruction of the Miri oil fields. In August 1941, an operation was carried out to reduce Miri oil output by 70%. Soon after the news of Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawa ...
, Japanese planes were seen making reconnaissance flights over Miri. The Brooke government decided on a complete destruction of oilfields and airfields in Miri. Shell company officials received orders to carry out the Denial Scheme on 8 December 1941. In the evening on the same day, the task was completed. All producing oil wells were sealed up with vital equipment and machinery dismantled and shipped off to Singapore. Skilled workers and important company papers also went along with the equipment and sent to Singapore. The Punjab Regiment and several officials were sent to guard Kuching. On 16 December 1941, 9 days after the Pearl Harbor bombing, Japanese troops consisting of 10,000 men landed on Tanjung Lobang Beach, Miri without much resistance. However, on 17 December 1941, a Dutch flying boat from
Tarakan Island Tarakan is an island and the largest city of the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan. The island city is located in northern Borneo, midway along the coast of the province. The city boundaries are co-extensive with the island (including a cou ...
attacked the Japanese destroyer ''Shinonome'' (under the command of Hiroshi Sasagawa) off Miri. The ship was sunk along with the entire crew of 228. Another flying boat X-33 also damaged a Japanese transport ship. After the fall of Singapore on 15 January 1942, skilled workers that went into hiding with their equipment were sent back to Miri by the Japanese. They were immediately put to work for Japanese oil supply service company named Nen Ryo Hai Kyu. Much of the Japanese oil drilling and refinery equipment was portable. A total of were produced during the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945. During the occupation, Miri and Lutong became a periodic subject of Allied air raids and bombings. Food, clothes, and medicine were scarce. Workers of the Japanese oil supply service were used to reconstruct and maintain Lutong Bridge and Lutong airstrip from Allied bombing damage.


Recent developments

Petronas Petroliam Nasional Berhad (National Petroleum Limited), commonly known as Petronas, is a Malaysian petroleum, oil and natural gas, gas company. Established in 1974 and wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested w ...
, a Malaysian national oil and gas company, was formed in 1974. As a result, a concession system was changed into production sharing contract system (PSC) between Shell and Petronas. All the foreign oil companies including Shell required to obtain licenses from Petronas. The first two PSCs were signed on 30 November 1976. Foreign oil companies are required to keep not more than 41% of the oil produced until their original costs are recovered. After a return of their investments, the oil companies will keep 30% of the revenue after all operating costs and oil royalties are deducted. Petronas also formed a company named Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd which was directly involved in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas in the country. Petronas also initiated the Baram Delta Gas Gathering (Bardegg) project which involves the collection and compression of gas from five fields, namely Betty, Bekor, Baram, Baronia, and West Lutong, located offshore from Miri. This is to ensure the minimisation of gas loss during oil production. Petronas and Shell are also involved in educational outreach activities such as awarding scholarships to deserving students. Both companies are also involved in Malaysian first rig-to-reef project, in an effort to preserve bio-marine life in the sea offshore Miri. In this project, an abandoned offshore platform was made to become part of the Siwa reef. Both companies also started to establish Piasau Nature Reserve in 2014. Miri Municipal Council has adopted the seahorse as the town's official symbol. It was proposed by the former Sarawak chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and introduced as part of the "I love Miri campaign" in 1994. The seahorse is chosen because of its distinctive figure with gentle and graceful motion. These characteristics describe multiple ethnic and cultural identities of Miri which live in peace and harmony with good values of life. It also denotes the location of Miri town near to the sea and coral reefs and the city status as a resort paradise. Miri was elevated to
city status City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose. Historically, city status ...
on 20 May 2005 and became Malaysia's tenth city. Miri is also the first town in Malaysia which is not a
state capital Below is an index of pages containing lists of capital cities. National capitals * List of national capitals * List of national capitals by latitude * List of national capitals by population *List of national capitals by area *List of capital c ...
to be granted city status. Miri City Day is celebrated each year on 20 May since it was declared by the past
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
,
Abdul Taib Mahmud Abdul Taib bin Mahmud ( Jawi: عبدالطيب بن محمود; born 21 May 1936) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak since March 2014. He served as the 4th Chief Minister of Sarawak for 33 y ...
. A time capsule containing news article of the day and a souvenir book was buried at Petroleum Science Museum at Canada Hill, Miri. The time capsule will be opened 100 years later on 20 May 2105. An effort has also been made to develop Miri as liveable resort city.


Governance

Miri City currently elects one member of parliament from the Miri parliamentary seat (P.219) into the
Parliament of Malaysia The Parliament of Malaysia ( ms, Parlimen Malaysia) is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives, lit. "People's Assembly") and the D ...
. The city also elects 3 state assemblymen into the
Sarawak State Legislative Assembly The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly is the legislative chamber of the unicameral legislature of the Malaysian state of Sarawak; the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak forms the other part of the legislature. The Assembly is modelled after the ...
, namely Piasau, Pujut, and Senadin.


Local authority and city definition

Miri was formerly administered by the Miri Municipal Council for 24 years. It was upgraded to Miri City Council (MCC) on 20 May 2005, with Adam Yii Adam Yii Siew Sang as its current mayor, headquartered at Kinsgway Road, Miri. Area under the jurisdiction of MCC is . Miri lies within the boundary of the Miri District, which consists of Miri City, Sibuti sub-district, and Niah sub-district, with a total population of 290,274 and total area of . Miri Resident Office and Miri District Office are located at Kingsway Road, Miri City.


Geography

Miri is situated on the
alluvial plain An alluvial plain is a largely flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A floodplain is part of the process, being the s ...
of the Miri River on the western shore of northern Sarawak on the island of
Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java Isl ...
. Because of the prevailing southerly off-shore current, beach drift has built up the Peninsula Road as a barrier beach between the Miri River and the shore causing a "Yazoo effect" where the river runs parallel to the coast before breaking through into the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
. The city is predominately located on the inland (east) side of the Miri River with only a few scattered residential neighbourhoods, a Golf Club and a small airstrip on the Peninsula Road.


Climate

Miri has a
tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...
. There are two monsoon seasons: the
southwest monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...
, which is the dry season from April to September, and the
northeast monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...
, which is the wet season from October to March. The annual rainfall is around 250 to 380 cm (100 to 150 inches). The air temperature is between to the whole year round. But in rare occasions, temperature can reach down to to especially in the months of November, December and January. Lowest ever recorded is in December 2010 when the temperature dropped down to .


Demography

File:San Ching Temple.jpg,
San Ching Tian Temple zh, 美里三清殿 , image = San Ching Temple.jpg , caption = , location = Miri , coordinates = , religious_affiliation = Taoism , district = Miri District , state ...
File:Masjid Nur Hijrah - panoramio.jpg, Nur Hijrah Mosque
People from Miri are called "Mirians". The growth of Miri population is shown below:


Ethnicity

According to the 2010 Malaysian census, Miri City has a total population of 234,541. Indigenous people form the largest ethnic group in the city (61.3%, 143,736) which consists of Iban (61,273), Malay (46,723), other indigenous tribes (24,119), Melanau (8,313), and
Bidayuh Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo, which are broadly similar in language and culture (see also issues below). The ...
(3,308). This is followed by Chinese (32.1%, 75,329), non-Malaysians (5.7%, 13,362) Indians (0.5%, 1134), and Others (0.4%, 980). The
Malay people Malays ( ms, Orang Melayu, Jawi: أورڠ ملايو) are an Austronesian ethnic group native to eastern Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and coastal Borneo, as well as the smaller islands that lie between these locations — areas that are col ...
here consists mainly of Bakong, Daliek, Miriek, Bruneian and Kedayan people. Miri has 19 out of 27 Sarawak ethnic groups, including
Berawan Berawan is an Austronesian language of Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located i ...
, Lakiput (often pronounce as Kiput), Kedayan, Lun Bawang, Kayan, Kenyah, and Kelabit people. Chinese in Miri mainly consist of the Foochow majority with significant populations of Hakka and Cantonese including a small number of Teochews and Hainanese. A majority of non-Malaysians in Miri are Kadazan and Bajau people from the working at Baram Delta as fishermen. There are also
illegal Illegal, or unlawful, typically describes something that is explicitly prohibited by law, or is otherwise forbidden by a state or other governing body. Illegal may also refer to: Law * Violation of law * Crime, the practice of breaking the cr ...
Kadazan and Bajau people entering Miri using Pulau Tikus (near Baram Delta) as a transit point.


Languages

There is great diversity in terms of languages spoken in Miri, as it is a location where there are migrants from all over Sarawak, some West Malaysians, several foreigners, and several Eurasians. Among the main languages spoken here are Malay: which includes both the local variety of Malay, Sarawakian Malay or Bahasa Sarawak, and Standard Malay;
Malaysian Mandarin Malaysian Mandarin () is a variety of Mandarin Chinese spoken in Malaysia by ethnic Chinese in Malaysia. Today, Malaysian Mandarin is the ''lingua franca'' of the Malaysian Chinese community. Malaysian Mandarin speakers seldom translate ...
, and Iban. The pronunciation and accent of spoken Malay differs depending on each individual's native language, background and history. English is generally well spoken by the older generation, many of whom received primary and secondary education in the 1960s, which then, was in English: a token of British colonialism; or who have worked in oil & gas related companies that operate in English, where they picked up English, Malay and Iban to varying levels of mastery. This is not the case for many younger Mirians, who generally were and are being educated in either Malay or Mandarin; most are capable of speaking basic English with grammar that is heavily influenced by either Malay or Mandarin. This, owing to the fact that the English language was reduced to a mere standalone subject after the 1980s. There is currently a minuscule minority of Miri-born Millennials and Generation Z members that speaks English as its first language, with varying levels of proficiency. The indigenous races speak their various languages as well, all of them Austronesian. These include languages such as
Berawan Berawan is an Austronesian language of Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located i ...
, Lakiput (often called Kiput), Bruneian/Kedayan, Miriek, Iban,
Bidayuh Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo, which are broadly similar in language and culture (see also issues below). The ...
, Kayan, Kenyah, Lun Bawang and Kelabit. Meanwhile, the Chinese Malaysians speak
Malaysian Mandarin Malaysian Mandarin () is a variety of Mandarin Chinese spoken in Malaysia by ethnic Chinese in Malaysia. Today, Malaysian Mandarin is the ''lingua franca'' of the Malaysian Chinese community. Malaysian Mandarin speakers seldom translate ...
,
Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hun ...
,
Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
, Teochew,
Hainanese Hainanese ( Hainan Romanised: ', Hainanese Pinyin: ',), also known as Qióngwén, Heng2 vun2 () or Qióngyǔ, Heng2 yi2 (), is a group of Min Chinese varieties spoken in the southern Chinese island province of Hainan and Overseas Chinese ...
,
Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...
and
Foochow Fuzhou (; , Fuzhounese: Hokchew, ''Hók-ciŭ''), alternately romanized as Foochow, is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian province, China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute t ...
, in addition to possibly Henghua, a minority Chinese language in Malaysia. However, many Millennials and Generation Z members in Miri tend to use the lingua francas Malay and Malaysian Mandarin rather than their indigenous languages (such as Kayan and Kelabit) and Chinese dialects (Hokkien and Foochow); with the exception of Iban, which is widely used here; although certain efforts have been made in the past to promote the usage of indigenous languages among the younger generation.


Religion

Religions in Miri include
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
, Islam,
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
,
Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Ta ...
,
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global po ...
,
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit= Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fr ...
and
Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...
. Among the Christian churches, there are the Borneo Evangelical Church, Anglicanism,
Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...
,
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
s. Respective religious groups are free to hold processions in Miri city. Among notable religious places in Miri are: Tua Pek Kong Temple, Che Sing Khor Moral Uplifting Society, Lian Hua San Ching Tian Temple (莲花山三清殿, Taoist temple), St Joseph Cathedral (Roman Catholic), Hwai En Methodist Church, St Columba church (Anglican), Al-Taqwa Mosque, Al-Jamek Mosque, Sikh Temple, and Kamini Durga Eswari Amman Temple (Hinduism).
Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
is predominantly Christian, in contrast with most of the
Indonesian archipelago * See also: Names of Indonesia , location = Southeast Asia and Oceania , waterbody = * Indian Ocean * Pacific Ocean , total_islands = ± 17,000–18,000 islands , major_islands = , area_km2 = 8,300,000 , area_footnotes = , rank = , length ...
Muslim 207176162 (87.18%), Christian 16528513 (7), Catholic 6907873 (3), Hindu 4012116 (1.69), Buddhist 1703254 (0.72), Confucianism 117091 (0.05), Other 299617. This is also owing to the 2 previous
Christian Revivals Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρισ ...
: the Bario Revival and the Ba’ Kelalan Revival that occurred between the 1960s and 1990s.


Economy

There are a few industrial areas in Miri, some examples include Kuala Baram Industrial Estate (Mixed, Light, and Medium Industries), Piasau Industrial Estate (Mixed Light Industries), Senadin Industrial Area, Eastwood Industrial Estate and Bekenu Light Industrial Area (food processing). Miri mainly relies on its oil and gas industry, which contributes significantly to the
Gross Domestic Product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a money, monetary Measurement in economics, measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjec ...
(GDP) of Sarawak. Sarawak Shell Berhad ( upstream business) and Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd have their offices based in Miri. Other multinational oil and gas companies also set up their offices here, including
Nippon Oil , formerly , or NOC or ''Shin-Nisseki'' (新日石) is a Japanese petroleum company. Its businesses include exploration, importation, and refining of crude oil; the manufacture and sale of petroleum products, including fuels and lubricants; and ...
,
Schlumberger Schlumberger Limited (), doing business as SLB, is an oilfield services company. Schlumberger has four principal executive offices located in Paris, Houston, London, and The Hague. Schlumberger is the world's largest offshore drilling comp ...
,
Baker Hughes Baker Hughes Company, organized in Delaware and headquartered in Houston, is one of the world's largest oil field services companies. The company provides products and services for oil well drilling, formation evaluation, completion, productio ...
,
Halliburton Halliburton Company is an American multinational corporation responsible for most of the world's hydraulic fracturing operations. In 2009, it was the world's second largest list of oilfield service companies, oil field service company. It has o ...
, Technip, Ranhill WorleyParsons, and Petra Resources Sdn Bhd. In 1989, Asam Paya Oilfield was discovered in Sarawak inland areas. In 2010, Petronas discovered two oil fields offshore between Bintulu and Miri. In 2011, new underground reserves of oil and gas deposits were discovered by Nippon Oil in an inland region near Miri, Sarawak. In the 1970 to 1980s, timber exporting industry became one of the major income generators for Miri. Multinational conglomerates based in Miri such as Shin Yang and Samling had their early beginnings in timber industry. Besides, shipbuilding companies such as Sealink Shipyard, Shin Yang Shipping & Shipyard, Berjaya Dockyard, and Sarawak Slipways have their major shipyards set up in Miri - Kuala Baram industrial area along the Baram river. First large-scale oil palm plantation in Sarawak began in 1968, in which the newly formed Sarawak Oil Palm Berhad (SOPB) planted a total of oil palm plantations near Miri by employing Indonesian workers at these plantations. Since the 1980s, SOPB has a total of of oil palm in Miri and Bintulu Divisions, generating a total revenue of RM 85 million in 2005. SOPB is now majority-owned by Shin Yang Group and Sarawak Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) with its headquarters in Miri. By 2014, oil palm plantations between Miri-Bintulu zone constituted 60% of total oil palm estates in Sarawak. Miri Port Authority (MPA) was established on 1 February 1981 and commenced operation on 1 March 1983. It is located near the mouth of Baram River. The port is able to take in ships measuring up to 1,500 GT (
Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage (GT, G.T. or gt) is a nonlinear measure of a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage. Neither gross tonnage nor gross register tonnage should be confused with measures of mass or weig ...
), with general cargo area of 50,895 m2 and total developed area of 34 hectares (0.34 km2). It is mainly used in handling petroleum, timber products, coal, and building materials. A total of 23.94 million metric tonnes of goods was handled by MPA from 2011 to 2013, which earned a total revenue of RM 48.58 million in port dues. Miri is a shopping destination for visitors coming from the neighbouring country of
Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...
because of a discrepancy in currency exchange rate (100
Brunei dollar The Brunei dollar (sign: B$, Malay: ''ringgit Brunei'', currency code: ''BND''), has been the currency of the Sultanate of Brunei since 1967. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively B$ to distinguish it from o ...
to 300
Malaysian ringgit The Malaysian ringgit (; plural: ringgit; symbol: RM; currency code: MYR; Malay name: ''Ringgit Malaysia''; formerly the Malaysian dollar) is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 ''sen'' (formerly ''cents''). The ringgit is issue ...
), cheaper items, and a variety of resorts here in Miri for recreational activities. Bintang Plaza and Boulevard Shopping Mall are the two major shopping destinations for Brunei people. As of 2014, Miri visitor movement along Kuala Baram-Kuala Belait checkpoint ( Sungai Tujoh, along the Sarawak-Brunei border) reached a total of 2.9 million people in one year. Miri is also an eco-tourism gateway to four national parks and a marine national park. Miri is also a destination for Bruneians to go clubbing on occasion. The education sector is another income generator for Miri.
Curtin University, Malaysia Curtin University Malaysia, previously known as Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia is a private university in Miri, Sarawak and is the largest international campus of Curtin University, a university based in Perth, Western Australia. It has ...
brought in RM 480 million foreign exchange annually from 3,000 foreign students studying at the university.


Transportation


Land

All the roads in Miri are maintained by Miri City Council (MCC). Miri is accessible by road from
Bandar Seri Begawan Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB; Jawi: بندر سري بڬاوان; ) is the capital city of Brunei. It is officially a municipal area () with an area of and an estimated population of 100,700 as of 2007. It is part of Brunei-Muara District, the ...
(
Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...
) through the Sungai Tujoh checkpoint which is located 35 km north of Miri. Miri is connected to all major cities and towns in Sarawak including
Kota Kinabalu , image_skyline = , image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
in Sabah through the Pan Borneo Highway. Miri is also connected to Bintulu town through a coastal road and
Marudi Marudi is a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and is a part of the division of Miri. It is the seat of Marudi District, and is located on the banks of Baram River, about upstream from the river mouth. Marudi was the administrative centre ...
through a 42 km road.
ASEAN Bridge The Batang Baram Bridge or ASEAN Bridge is the longest bridge in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The bridge is located along Miri-Baram Highway (Federal Route ). The ASEAN Bridge is located approximately 2 km upstream of the New Miri Po ...
is located along the Miri-Baram Highway and crosses the Baram River, providing direct access to neighbouring country of Brunei, and the towns of Limbang and Lawas in Sarawak.


Public transportation


Local Bus


Buses and Taxis

Miri city has 2 bus stations, namely the local (located at Melayu Road next to Tamu Muhibbah and Wisma Pelita Tunku) and long-distance bus stations (located at Pujut Corner). The city bus station serves the Permyjaya, Tudan, Senadin, Miri Hospital, RTM (Eastern road from Pujut 1 to Pujut 5), Taman Tunku and Sungai Rait + Bakam. Buses to Lambir Hills National Park, rest of division within Sarawak and
Pontianak, Indonesia Pontianak or Khuntien is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, founded first as a trading port on the island of Borneo, occupying an area of 118.31 km2 in the river delta, delta of the Kapuas River at a point where it ...
depart from the long-distance bus station. Local taxi services are also provided in the city with the main taxi stand at China Road in the city centre. Taxis here do not use meters. There is no direct bus to Miri Airport, most people will prefer to use car or taxi because of short distance between airport and city.


Air

Miri Airport (IATA: MYY, ICAO: WBGR) is an important gateway to the northern region of Sarawak. It is located 11 km south of Miri city. It serves as a hub for domestic, international, and rural air services. Miri Airport is the Top tenth busiest airport in Malaysia and second in Sarawak. It provides services to 2.2 million passengers in 2013. The airport has only one direct international flights to
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
. It also receives flights from domestic destinations such as
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
, Johor Bahru,
Kota Kinabalu , image_skyline = , image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
,
Labuan Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan), is a Federal Territory of Malaysia. Its territory includes and six smaller islands, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capi ...
,
Kuching Kuching (), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River at the southwest tip of the state of Sara ...
and other major towns in Sarawak. Miri Airport also caters flights to the Sarawak interior such as Bario, Ba'kelalan,
Marudi Marudi is a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and is a part of the division of Miri. It is the seat of Marudi District, and is located on the banks of Baram River, about upstream from the river mouth. Marudi was the administrative centre ...
, Lawas, Limbang, and Mukah through MASwings using DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft. Currently, there are three airlines serving Miri airport, namely
Malaysia Airlines Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB; ms, Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad), formerly known as Malaysian Airline System (MAS; ), and branded as Malaysia Airlines, is the flag carrier airline of Malaysia and a member of the Oneworld airline alliance. (The ...
, Air Asia and MASwings.


Water

Kuala Baram Express Boat Jetty is located 45 minutes away from Miri city centre. It was last operated in the year 2014 and was closed due to the presence of a better air and road connectivity to the interior especially Marudi Town and all other major towns in Baram.


Other utilities


Courts of law and legal enforcement

The current court complex is located at Merdu Road, Miri. It contains the High Court, Sessions Court, and the Magistrate Court. Miri city also has Syariah Subordinate Court which is located at Wisma Pelita Tunku, Miri with area of jurisdiction of Miri District and Marudi District. There is one district police headquarters at Pujut Road, Miri. Miri central police station is located at Raja Road while other police stations are located at Bakam Road, Miri Airport, Kampung Tulang Road,
Bekenu Bekenu (also known as Bekenu Bazaar or Bakenu) is a small fishing town near Miri, in Sarawak, Malaysia. It lies approximately northeast of the state capital Kuching. The town has a few rows of shophouses, a fish market, several places to eat, an ...
, and Niah. There is also a central prison in Miri.


Healthcare

Miri Hospital started operation on 6 May 1995, located 2.5 km away from Miri city centre and with an area of 87.11 hectares. The hospital has 339 beds, and it provides specialist services such as surgery, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynaecology (ONG), and radiology. It is also the secondary referral hospital in the northern region of Sarawak. There are also 2 polyclinics in Miri namely Miri polyclinic and Tudan polyclinic. Miri City Medical Centre is a private hospital that started its operation in 2002 and has 30 beds. It is located at Hokkien Road, Miri. Columbia Asia Medical Centre was formerly known as Selesa Medical Centre. It was acquired in 1998, located 4 km downtown Miri. It serves the communities from Miri, Limbang,
Marudi Marudi is a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and is a part of the division of Miri. It is the seat of Marudi District, and is located on the banks of Baram River, about upstream from the river mouth. Marudi was the administrative centre ...
, and Brunei. Shell employees make up the largest customer base for this private hospital.


Education

All the primary and secondary schools in Miri (under National Education System) are managed by the Miri District Education Office located at Kipas Road, Miri. Among the Chinese primary schools are SJK (C) Chung Hua Miri, SJK (C) Chung Hua Pujut, and SJK (C) Chung Hua Lutong. SK Agama Miri is an Islamic primary school. There are several national primary schools such as: SK Anchi, SK Senandin, and SK St Columba, along with several other national secondary schools in Miri namely SMK Agama Miri,
SMK St. Columba St. Columba's National Secondary School ( ms, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan St. Columba) or simply St. Co is a public secondary school in Miri, a city in the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. Established in 1929, it is the oldest school in Miri. The ...
, SM Sains Miri, Kolej Tun Dato Tuanku Haji Bujang, SMK St.Joseph, SMK Lutong, SMK Pujut, SMK Lopeng Tengah, SMK Chung Hua Miri and Sekolah Menengah Vokasional Miri. Miri has 2 out of 14 Chinese independent schools in Sarawak. These are Pei Min Middle School (培民中学) and Riam Road Middle School (廉律中学). Tenby International School is the first international school in Miri. Other private schools in Miri such as Sekolah Rendah Sri Mawar and Sekolah Rendah Sri Mulia are providers of primary education.
Curtin University, Malaysia Curtin University Malaysia, previously known as Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia is a private university in Miri, Sarawak and is the largest international campus of Curtin University, a university based in Perth, Western Australia. It has ...
is the first foreign university to establish its campus in Sarawak since 1999. It offers business, accounting, and engineering courses. Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia Kampus Miri Sarawak (Teachers training Institute Malaysia Miri Campus) offers training for teachers placements in primary and secondary schools. I-Systems College offers a nursing programme. Fajar International College (FIC) offers a Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health (DIPOSH), accounting, and business studies courses. IBS College was established in 1998, currently offering finance, business, accounting, and security courses. Maxcel Institute of Management offers Diploma programme for Hotel and Tourism Management. Cahaya Education and Training Academy (Ceta) offers training courses on oil and gas industries. Institut Latihan Perindustrian Miri (Miri Industry Training Institute) was formed in 2004, currently offering courses such as electrician, product design, and telecommunication. RIAM Institute of Technology Sarawak (RIAMTEC) was established in 1996, offering technical training in the fields of agriculture and mechanics. Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (National Youth skills Institute) and Pusat Pembangunan Kemahiran Sarawak (Sarawak Skills Development Centre) also offer technical training for students. Kolej Komuniti Miri (Miri Community College) offers short module courses upon request from the public. Open University Malaysia (OUM) also opens a learning centre here.


Libraries

Miri City Council Library was established in 1958. Currently, it has branches in Piasau, Lutong, and Taman Tunku. Pustaka Miri is a regional library established by the state-run Sarawak State Library. It is located at Miri City Fan.


Culture and leisure


Attractions and recreational spots


Cultural

Miri May Fest has been held in Miri since 1989. It is a month-long celebration of entertainment programmes, trade fairs, cultural, arts, sports, and social activities organised by various governmental agencies. Miri City Day will also be held during the Miri May Fest. Gong Xi Fa Cai Bazaar is held annually a few weeks before the Chinese New Year eve. There will be stalls opening daily selling food and drinks, clothes, decorative items, potted plants, paintings, and handicrafts. Various entertainment programmes such as lion and dragon dances will be held every evening. Miri International Dance for Humanity is held annually since 2004 by Miri Chapter of
Malaysian Red Crescent Society The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) ( ms, Bulan Sabit Merah Malaysia (BSMM)) is a voluntary humanitarian organization that seeks to promote humanitarian values, as well as provide service and public education in disaster management, as we ...
to promote racial and cultural harmony. This event will showcase up to 40 to 50 multicultural dance troupes which attract an audience of around 3,500. No dancing competition will be held during this event. Donation cards will be distributed to raise funds for the Red Crescent Society. 916 Malaysia Day Countdown cum Street Party has been held annually since 2010. It consists of a variety of outdoor sports events, street parties, and entertainment programmes which runs beyond midnight to commemorate the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Miri International Deep Sea Fishing Tournament is held annually at Luconia Shoals at
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
. Participants will depart from the Marina Bay, Miri and head up to the ocean for 3 days. The participant who catches the biggest fish in that category wins. Miri city Christmas Parade is held annually since 2007. Churches in Miri would start the parade at Miri City Fan and cover the main streets in the city centre.


Historical

In 2005, a petroleum museum was opened in Miri to preserve the city's roots as an oil and gas city. The petroleum museum is built at the site of "Grand Old Lady", the first oil well in Malaysia which was opened in 1910. Visitors are able to interact with advanced devices displayed in the museum. Niah Archeology Museum is located near the archaeological site of Niah cave. It exhibits the prehistorical artefacts found in the area. Baram Regional Museum was opened in 1997, housed inside Fort Hose at
Marudi Marudi is a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and is a part of the division of Miri. It is the seat of Marudi District, and is located on the banks of Baram River, about upstream from the river mouth. Marudi was the administrative centre ...
. The fort was burnt down in 1994, but it was rebuilt later according to its original design and was converted into a museum. It displays historical and cultural artefacts belonging to various ethnic groups living in the area. The Miri Tua Pek Kong Temple was built in 1913 to give thanks to a monk who was believed to chase away evil spirits. The evil spirits were believed to have caused an unknown epidemic in Miri. It is the only building which survives World War II.


Leisure and conservation areas

Miri is surrounded by five national parks namely:
Gunung Mulu National Park The Gunung Mulu National Park is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. The park is famous for its c ...
, which is a renowned
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
; Niah National Park;
Lambir Hills National Park The Lambir Hills National Park ( ms, Taman Negara Bukit Lambir) is a national park in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is a small park, at , and is composed largely of mixed dipterocarp forest, with some small area ...
;
Loagan Bunut National Park The Loagan Bunut National Park ( ms, Taman Negara Loagan Bunut) is a national park located in Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the Borneo island. The park was named after the Loagan Bunut lake nearby, which is connected to ''Sungai Bunut'' ...
and Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park. Tanjung Lobang Beach is the oldest recreational park in Miri. There are two wooden piers extending out into the ocean which offer a view of the coastline and the seahorse lighthouse at Marina Bay. Taman Selera (which serves seafood meals), Miri Marriott Hotel and Parkcity Everly Hotel are located at Tanjung Lobang Beach. Marina Bay also has berthing facilities for yachts. Hawaii Beach is located 15 minutes away from Miri city. Picnic and barbecue facilities are provided here. Lutong Beach is suitable for
paragliding Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched Glider (aircraft), glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a :wikt:harness, harness o ...
and
paramotor Paramotor is the generic name for the harness and propulsive portion of a powered paraglider ("PPG"). There are two basic types of paramotors: foot launch and wheel launch. Foot launch models consist of a frame with harness, fuel tank, engine, ...
sports. Luak Esplanade Beach is located 11 km south of the city. It is a common spot for barbecues and picnics. Further down to the south of Luak Esplanade Beach is Bungai Beach, which is located at
Bekenu Bekenu (also known as Bekenu Bazaar or Bakenu) is a small fishing town near Miri, in Sarawak, Malaysia. It lies approximately northeast of the state capital Kuching. The town has a few rows of shophouses, a fish market, several places to eat, an ...
, about 1 hour drive from Miri city. Since 2015, the "Blue Tears" phenomenon caused by
Dinoflagellate The dinoflagellates (Greek δῖνος ''dinos'' "whirling" and Latin ''flagellum'' "whip, scourge") are a monophyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes constituting the phylum Dinoflagellata and are usually considered algae. Dinoflagellates are ...
bioluminescence can be seen at Miri beaches particularly at Tusan beach, which is a half-an-hour drive from the Miri city. Miri Bulatan Park was opened to the public in 1993. It has a man-made lake, a jogging track, and a traffic garden. Traffic games will held every year at Miri Bulatan Park. Taman Awam Miri (Miri Public Park) is located 3 km away from Miri city centre. It has a children's playground, botanical garden, and a jogging trail. Miri City Fan is an urban park complex that has a variety of theme gardens, botanical garden, a swimming pool, a library, and an amphitheatre where concerts are frequently held. Taman Bunga (Flower Garden) is located at Asrama Road. Every plant here has a label which list the name and characteristics of the plant.


Other attractions

Miri Crocodile Farm cum Mini Zoo is located near the Baram Delta. It houses 1,000
estuarine An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environmen ...
crocodiles including
Malayan gharial The false gharial (''Tomistoma schlegelii''), also known by the names Malayan gharial, Sunda gharial and tomistoma is a freshwater crocodilian of the family Gavialidae native to Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra and Java. It is listed as Vuln ...
crocodiles. Man-made sanctuary pools are also constructed for the crocodiles. Other animals can also be found here such as
cassowary Cassowaries ( tpi, muruk, id, kasuari) are flightless birds of the genus ''Casuarius'' in the order Casuariiformes. They are classified as ratites (flightless birds without a keel on their sternum bones) and are native to the tropical ...
, sun bears, python, monkeys and porcupines. Visitors are allowed to feed the animals with bananas available from the canteen.


Shopping

The shopping malls in Miri are Bintang Megamall, Boulevard Shopping Complex, The Imperial Mall, E-Mart, Miri Plaza (Servay Hypermarket), MYY Mall, Permy Mall, Soon Hup Shopping Complex, Wisma Pelita Tunku, and Permaisuri Imperial City Mall. Saberkas Weekend Market is located at Sarbekas Commercial Centre. It opens in late evening every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are over 170 stalls in the market which sell vegetables, fruits, sea products, drinks, satay, grilled fish, BBQ chicken wings and other products such as local handicrafts, clothes as well as used magazines at reasonable prices. Miri Handicraft Centre is located at Brooke Road, Miri. It features handicrafts and souvenirs of Sarawak such as colourful bags, beadwork, woodcarvings, and textiles made by local indigenous groups, Chinese, and Malay artisans.


Music

There are three music festivals in Miri, namely
Borneo Jazz Festival Borneo Jazz Festival is a 2-night festival of 4 performances in each night by local and international jazz musicians at Parkcity Everly hotel in Miri, Sarawak. The festival is one of the longest running Jazz festival in the region.Hitz FM Sarawak (105.8), Era FM Sarawak (101.3), MY FM Sarawak (103.2) and
Cats FM Cats FM is a private FM radio station airing from Jalan Bako, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The radio covers areas of Sarawak and Brunei. The radio airs in Malay and Iban. The station used to air programmes in English and Mandarin Chinese. Cats F ...
(93.3).


Cuisine

Miri Central Market (also known as Miri Open Air Market) is located at the Miri Old Town centre. It offers a wide choices of local food whose recipes which have been passed on for generations. Local delicacies such as Miri curry rice, chicken porridge, open air kolo mee, and Char kway teow can be found here. Exotic dishes of pig's stomach cooked with pineapple and pig's blood with
chives Chives, scientific name ''Allium schoenoprasum'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae that produces edible leaves and flowers. Their close relatives include the common onions, garlic, shallot, leek, scallion, and ...
can also be found at the central market. There are also a variety of restaurants in Miri that offer seafood, Western food, Chinese, Japanese, and Muslim food. Authentic cuisine from Kelabit Highlands especially from Bario can also be found here.


Notable people

* Paul Phua, businessman, bookmaker, and poker player. *
Zee Avi Zee Avi (born Izyan Alirahman, also known as KokoKaina), PBK is a Malaysian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and ukulele player. Early life She is originally from Miri, located in Sarawak, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. She moved to Kuala Lump ...
, international singer and ukulele player. * Shaun Maloney, Scottish national football player. *
Abdul Taib Mahmud Abdul Taib bin Mahmud ( Jawi: عبدالطيب بن محمود; born 21 May 1936) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak since March 2014. He served as the 4th Chief Minister of Sarawak for 33 y ...
, fourth chief minister of Sarawak.Syam, M.F (2012). In
Domination and Contestation: Muslim Bumiputera Politics in Sarawak
'.
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations ( research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes can ...
. p. 114-120. . Google Book Search. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
*
Joseph Kalang Tie Joseph Kalang Tie (born 9 March 1987) is a Malaysian footballer who plays and serves as captain for Kuching City in the Malaysia Premier League. He formerly played for the Malaysia national team. Mainly as an attacking midfielder and a win ...
, Sarawak FA football player. * George Chan Hong Nam, Sarawak's former deputy chief minister. *
Wee Han Wen Dato' Wee Han Wen is a Malaysian architect. He did his architectural studies in Australia. In 1998 he was appointed as chairman of the Miri Municipal Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government ar ...
, first chairman of the Miri City Council. *
Natasha Seatter Natasha Seatter (born 7 March 1993) is a Malaysian racing driver. Early life Seatter was born on 7 March 1993 in Miri, Sarawak to a Scottish-Malaysian parentage. Career Karting Natasha Seatter made her freshman debut in karting in 2005. ...
, Malaysian racing driver. *
Watson Nyambek Watson Nyambek (born 27 February 1976) from Miri, Sarawak is a Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen stat ...
, Ex-national sprinter. *
Noh Salleh Mohammad Noh bin Salleh (born 15 March 1985) is a Malaysian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman and principal songwriter of the rock band Hujan, with whom they have released six studio albums. He h ...
, Singer, guitarist and frontman of Hujan


International relations

Several countries have set up their consulates in Miri, including Netherlands, Romania and the United Kingdom.


Sister cities

Miri currently has two sister cities: *
Guangning County Guangning County, postal map romanization, alternately romanization of Chinese, romanized as KwongningCounty, is a county (China), county in western Guangdong, China, under the administration of the prefecture (China), prefecture-level prefect ...
, People's Republic of China *
Hualien County Hualien County (Mandarin Wade–Giles: Hua¹-lien² Hsien⁴; Pīnyīn: ''Huālián Xiàn''; Hokkien POJ: ''Hoa-lian-koān'' or ''Hoa-liân-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Fâ-lièn-yen''; Amis: ''Kalingko'') is a county on the east coast of Taiwan ...
, Republic of China


References


External links


Miri city map
{{Authority control Populated coastal places in Malaysia Populated places established in 1910 Populated places in Sarawak