Eyes on Miri

The year ends with a statistics of dengue cases in Miri, with almost 90% decrease of dengue cases for the year 2011 compared to last year. The number of dengue cases are less than 10 cases per month by the end of November, with 93 cases compared to 746 cases in 2010. It is not known if these are confirmed cases or suspected cases.

When compared to 2007-2009 figures, 93 cases seemed fairly normal as the (missing) statistics of 2010 spike of 746 cases seemed like an anomaly.

See 2007-2009 figures

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The bridge in Piasau connecting to Miri Peninsular is near completion and is expected to be opened to public use sometime during Chinese New Year. The original proposal was meant to be single lane, but this was later deemed inadequate and changed to dual lane to ease traffic. What's left now are the finalizing work, such as street lights.

Without this bridge as a shortcut, Mirians would have to go through Lutong to get to the Miri peninsular. Many years ago, a ferry near the other end of the Miri peninsular handled the traffic to and fro as a third option to access the peninsular.

The Old Piasau Bridge, which has stood in its place and reinforced a few times for more than 30 years, would be handed over to the Public Works Department (JKR) for maintenance.

Apparently the bridge was given a name of "Miri River Bridge", and the old one next to it was "Piasau Bridge", but we think this is just a recipe ripe for confusion. Why not call it "New Piasau Bridge? Never mind the RM9,000,000 cost yet.

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It's been about a year since the ban of plastic bags everyday of the week. The ban of plastics are set in place to create awareness among the public on the dangers of expansive use of plastic, reduce or minimize the plastic usage starting from shopping complexes by using recyclable shopping bags and encourage public from various levels to participate in environmental awareness programme.

That is the idea. The reality however, is that I still see people resorting to those plastic trash bag packs sold at convenience stores for their trash. The blame on the plastic bags causing pollution in the sea and rivers are not justified either - this is purely as a result of irresponsible people throwing them into the sea and not the plastic bag's fault. What about the use of paper bags or biodegradable plastic bags? Or what about the excessive use of plastics on manufactured products?

It is worth noting that the many, many booklets of parking coupons issue by the Miri Council itself are made of questionable material as well. How biodegradable are the parking coupons, and are the silver scratching material toxic?

Is this campaign actually working? What are your thoughts on it?

Math quiz: Parking coupons in Miri are supposed to cost RM4.25. They take RM5 and give you back RM0.70. What happened to the RM0.05?

The person in the parking booth claims they do not have 5 cents left (this early in the morning at 9am!)

So what do they do? Don't return the 5 cents, of course. Well of course to make excuses for laziness for not preparing enough 5 cent coins. We all know that if theyare to 'fix' this problem they will probably round the price up to RM4.30 or RM4.50, not issue more 5 cent coin changes.