City status for Kota Samarahan, perhaps within 10 years: Abdul Karim

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Kota Samarahan could attain city status within the next five to 10 years, driven by its rapid population growth and expanding urban development.

Caretaker Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the township had undergone remarkable transformation over the past decade, with its population growing from approximately 70,000 to around 200,000.

He is confident that continued growth could eventually require Kota Samarahan to move beyond its current municipal council administration.

“Give it another five or 10 years, I believe the population in Samarahan will increase even further.

“It may reach a stage where it can no longer be administered as a municipal council, but would require a bigger entity such as Dewan Bandaraya Kota Samarahan,” he said.

Karim, who is also the Asajaya incumbent, was speaking at the 10th anniversary dinner of Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) at a hotel here last night, where he represented Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said Kota Samarahan’s growth had been driven partly by the increasing number of people from Kuching choosing to settle in the area, particularly those looking to purchase homes and establish their families.

“Previously, people from Samarahan would go to Kuching to work and live in the city. Today, the situation has reversed, with people from Kuching moving out to Samarahan, especially those looking to get married, start families and buy houses,” he said.

He said the growing number of residential developments had contributed significantly to the township’s expanding population, reflecting its emergence as an increasingly attractive place to live.

Karim also highlighted the proposed Samarahan Park, which is expected to cover approximately 1,000 acres or more than 400 hectares, making it the largest park in Sarawak.

He said the park would be about twice the size of Hyde Park in London, with the land already gazetted for the development.

“Another major development for Samarahan is our own Samarahan Park, covering 1,000 acres. It will be the largest park in Sarawak and about twice the size of Hyde Park in London,” he said.

Beyond its physical development, Karim said Kota Samarahan remained Sarawak’s first education hub and continued to play an important role in the state’s higher education landscape.

He highlighted the presence of two public universities, describing the area as a centre of knowledge and academic development.

“We are very proud of Samarahan as the first education hub in Sarawak, and it remains the education hub today. This is where institutions of knowledge and academic development continue to grow,” he said.

Reflecting on the township’s journey, Karim said he had witnessed its transformation from its earlier administrative arrangements under the Kuching Rural District Council to the establishment of the Samarahan District Council and subsequently MPKS.

He said the progress achieved over the past decade was something that would have been difficult to imagine in earlier years.

“Twenty or 30 years ago, nobody could have imagined that Samarahan would develop to what we are seeing today, with multi-storey buildings and major institutions becoming part of its landscape,” he said.

Karim is confident that Kota Samarahan would continue to grow in the coming years, potentially reaching a stage where its development and population would require a higher level of municipal administration.