13 roads to close for parade rehearsal

SIBU: Thirteen roads here will be closed from Oct 9 to 11, and on Oct 13 to enable the police to carry out a parade rehearsal in conjunction with the birthday celebration of the Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud from Oct 12 till 14.

The roads are Jalan Bujang Suntong, Jalan Simpang Khoo Peng Long to Jalan Temple, Jalan Morshidi Sidek, Jalan Ramin to Jalan Morshidi Sidek, the road behind RH Hotel and Maybank, Jalan Sanyan, Jalan Island, all lanes along Jalan Ramin, Jalan Kpg Datu (front portion) and Jalan Kpg Nyabor (from Post Office to Jalan Kpg Datu).

They will close from 6am to 1pm. District police chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit, however, said the roads would reopen to traffic if the rehearsal finished earlier on the respective days.

Sibu Division will play host to this year’s state-level celebration to mark the 82nd birthday of the Head of State. The celebration, comprising six segments, will kick start with a Thanksgiving Prayer at An-Nur Mosque here on Oct 12.

The parade on Oct 13, will showcase 82 contingents, comprising more than 4,000 people at the Sibu Town Square.

The public are invited to watch the parade which will start at 8am.

The highlight of the parade will be a speech delivered by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Other interesting programmes will be performances by 800 students, presentation of patriotic songs and other items coordinated by Sarawak Arts Council under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youths and Sport.

Meanwhile, starting 8pm of the same day, there will be ‘Konsert Dirgahayu’, featuring popular Malaysian singers and several winners of the Akademi Fantasia reality television show such as Hafiz Suib (AF 7) and Zizi Kirana (AF 7), Noh Salleh (Hujan), Esther Thian (Astro Star Quest 2013), and Ricky Andrewson, at Dataran Sibu.