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Press News: Ipoh City Day Celebrations Part 1 (NST & Star 27, 29, 30, 31 May 1988)
From newspaper clippings:
a.New Straits Times, Friday 27-05-1988:
The Ipoh City Council logo is basically still the same as the old municipal council logo. A logo symbolize many things. The new logo depict:
(1) The four parapets(a low wall along the edge of a roof, bridge) on the fort, represents the new status of Ipoh
(2) The two Malaysian tigers supporting the two Ipoh trees are the guardians. The trees on green pastures represent Ipoh as a green lung. Green is also symbolic of peace and tranquility.
(3) Black, white and gold are colours significant to Perak. Blue above the colours represent the two main rivers passing through Ipoh – Sungai Kinta and Sungai Pari.
(4) The star and crescent form the traditional symbols of Islam, Malaysia’s official religion.
(5) The star retained from the Malaysian Armorial Ensign, represents equal status of the 13 states and the unity of the Federal Government.
(6) The yellow colour of the scroll with the motto “Berkhidmat dan Maju”(Service and Progress) is the royal colour of the rulers.
In the City Day logo, the designer has incorporated most of the prominent landmarks in Ipoh.
Amongst them are the municipal council building, the state secretariat, the Islamic complex, Tun Razak library, the state mosque and the memorial at the Taj Mahal garden in front of the railway station.
The landmarks are to depict Ipoh’s development from a small village to a bustling city.
The logo also has the bougainvillea plant and the national flower to emphasize efforts to make Ipoh a garden city.
b.New Straits Times, 29-05-1988: Ipoh City dances to beat of parade - Marching school bands and blaring trumpets with 3300 school children took to the streets in a mammoth parade to celebrate the town’s elevation to a city. The King and Queen witness the function and were seated with other dignitaries on a dais in front of the Bangunan Seri Kinta.
c. The Star, Monday 30-05-1988: About 4,000 participants went all out to beat the clock in the Ipoh Half Marathon – one of the biggest mass participation sporting events in the Perak State, organized by the Rotary Club in conjunction with the Sultan’s 60th birthday celebration and City Day.
The run began at 6.50am from Stadium Perak when the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, fired a starter’s pistol to send participants of the 21km run on their way.
The route took the runners through several scenic spots in the Kinta valley. They ran along Jalan Kampong Simee, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, Jalan Tambun, Jalan Gopeng, Lorong Harimau, Jalan Canning Estate, and Jalan Datuk Lau Pak Khuan.
While the run was on, spectators at the stadium were entertained by the brass bands of St. Michael’s Institution and the Sam Tet Secondary School. There were lucky draws, prizes include a $27,000 Nissan C20 van, hampers, cash vouchers and complimentary stay at Pan Pacific Resort and Royal Casuarina Hotel. The first 2,000 runners in the seven individual events to complete the race, will receive City Day medallions and key-chains.
Co-sponsors of this run were Yayasan Perak, Fraser & Neave Sdn Bhd, Nutritional Products Sdn Bhd, Sports Toto Bhd, Amalgamated Properties & Industries Bhd, United Asbestos Cement Bhd, Royal Casuarina Hotel, New Balance and The Star.
National long-distance runners K. Jayakumar , 26, and M. Menachy, 23, broke the records in their respective events in the Ipoh-Half Marathon today.
d.The Star, Monday 30-05-1988: Grandpa makes it in time - Grandpa K. Kanagaratnam, 81, for his first long-distance race yesterday managed to complete the run within the qualifying time of 2 hrs 30min. In the Women’s Veterans Event of the half-marathon, New Zealander Thodey Elizabeth, comes for holiday – she came in first.
e.New Straits Times, Friday 31-05-1988: Ceremonial parade highlights City Day joy - Ipoh City Day celebration, for the first time in history of Ipoh, began with the trooping of colours by the 6th Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment at the Perak Stadium, officiated by the Perak Sultan Azlan Shah. At the Taman Abdul Aziz (Polo ground), there was a BMX bicycle race organized by the City Council – 131 participants between the ages of 7 to 19, pitting their skills in their respective age groups.
There was a cultural stage show at Stadium Perak at night.
On June 5, in conjunction with City Day celebration and the Sultan of Perak’s birthday, there is a Royal Highway Run too at the Changkat Jering Highway, between Ipoh and Kuala Kangsar. The grand prize in a lucky draw at the finishing point is a $25,000 Proton Saga car. The organisers being the State Government and Perak AAA, co-sponsored by New Strait Times, EON, Fraser & Neave, Guiness Malta, Sports Toto, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Federal Auto Holdings and MILO.
f. New Strait Times, undated: The many bulbs that light up Ipoh -29,954 bulbs light up Ipoh, costing the Municipal council $200,000 to string them up for the City Day status celebration. The centre piece of the illumination is the tall Telecoms transmission tower right in the heart of the commercial area. It may be expensive, but this 120 years old mining town, Ipoh, the illumination is a fitting tribute to its entering into a brilliant new era.
For more information, Ipoh City twin Fukuoka, Japan
Ipoh City – First Mayor(wef 27-05-1988)
Press news-Ipoh City Day Celebrations (Part 2) [NST & Star 27,29, 30, 31 May 1988]