Sarawak’s flagpole construction is ahead of schedule

Construction of a new flagpole that will be the tallest in Malaysia has begun in the city of Kuching. The 99-metre flagpole, funded by the private sector as part of corporate social responsibility, will be completed by the end of the year.

Kuching North City Commission is the implementing agency for the project, and KKB Engineering Berhad is the design and builds contractor.

Flagpole will be a tourist attraction for Kuching

Once completed, the flagpole, located between the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex and Fort Margherita, will be four metres taller than Malaysia’s current tallest flagpole at Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur. It will weigh around one tonne and will become a part of Kuching’s tourism infrastructure.

The Office of the Premier of Sarawak clarified that the RM30 million project had nothing to do with Malaysia Agreement 1963 but is rather a contribution to the 60th anniversary of Sarawak’s status as a party to the formation of Malaysia. The project will also help demonstrate loyalty to Sarawak.

As of April 23, the flagpole construction had progressed to 25.2%, with the completion date set for November 30. Minister in charge of Kuching North City Commission, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, said that the construction was 7.02% ahead of schedule.

World rankings for the tallest pole

The current tallest flagpole in the world is the 171m flagpole in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In Malaysia, the current tallest flagpole, standing at 95m, was erected in Kuala Lumpur in 1989. The new Sarawak flagpole will become the tallest in Malaysia, 4m taller than the Kuala Lumpur pole.

The Kuala Lumpur flagpole, located at the southern end of Merdeka Square, was erected at a historic site where the Union Jack was lowered to signify the end of British rule. The Malayan flag was then raised for the first time on 31 August 1957. The Kuala Lumpur flagpole is said to be the 12th tallest flagpole in the world, following the Belagavi flagpole in India, which stands at 110m tall.

With its completion set for the end of the year, the Sarawak’s flagpole construction is ahead of schedule and will also become a tourist attraction in Kuching, adding to the city’s tourism infrastructure.