MIRI: Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, Datuk Sebastian Ting, has called for a new Central Police Station here to replace the existing one that has been in operation since the British era.
Speaking after inspecting improvement works at the current station on Monday, he stressed the need for discussions between the Sarawak and federal governments to ensure proper planning.
“This is under the federal jurisdiction, but since this is Sarawak, the state government wants to have a proper discussion with the federal side to plan for each station,” Ting said.
He stressed that Miri, as Sarawak’s second city, urgently requires a modern police station to better serve the community.
The existing structure, built in 1953, is now 71 years old and no longer meets the city’s growing demands.
“For my part, I will convey the message that Miri needs a new central police station. We are looking into the possibility of including this in Rancangan Malaysia ke-13, which is coming up soon,” Ting added.
Located along Kingsway Road in the central old town, the current police station is a single-storey building.
Over the years, it has undergone several renovations to accommodate modern amenities like police radio and network upgrades, as well as air-conditioning.
However, despite these efforts, the aging station has struggled to keep pace with the demands of a bustling city.
Ting reiterated that Miri, as one of the key divisions in Sarawak, deserves a more modern facility.
In the meantime, improvement works are currently underway at the station under Ting’s Rural Transformation Programme (RTP).
The project, which kicked off in early September, involves repairing the roof, enlarging the rain gutter, and repainting the ceiling.
The total cost of the repairs is RM150,000, with 60 per cent of the work already completed.
The project is expected to be finished within six months.
Ting said that the police station has been dealing with frequent leaks during rainy seasons and that the current repairs aim to address these long-standing issues.
