KUANTAN: This Sunday (Feb 21) will be a special day for the people in the state capital.
Kuantan will be officially declared a city while Menara Kuantan 188, the country's second tallest tower, and Jambatan Putra - linking Bandar Putra in Tanjung Lumpur and Kuantan city centre - will also be opened.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah is scheduled to make the proclamation at an event here on Sunday when he will open the Kuantan City Council Complex at Tanah Putih and appoint the first mayor of Kuantan.
Meanwhile, Menara Kuantan 188 and the 451m Jambatan Putra will be opened at night at an event at the tower which will be followed by a parade of beautifully decorated and lighted boats along Sungai Kuantan.
It was previously reported that the Cabinet had approved the city status for Kuantan in June 2019 but there were several requirements involving the Kuantan Municipal Council(MPK) that had to be fine-tuned to be accorded city status.
Kuantan which has a population of more than 590,000 officially took over as the administrative centre from Kuala Lipis in 1955.
When contacted, a senior MPK staff said the council will issue an official statement on the programmes.
Meanwhile, Menara Kuantan 188, a project of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), is the newest and tallest landmark in town. The tower will be ranked second after Kuala Lumpur Tower (421m).
Standing at 180m, visitors to the tower would be able to enjoy a ride up using two glass elevators to the 104m observation deck for a 360 degree bird's eye view of the town and dine at a restaurant located 98m above ground level which offers a fantastic view of Kuantan and Sungai Kuantan.
The dual carriageway - Jambatan Putra - will ensure smoother traffic flow for motorists heading to Kuantan and Indera Mahkota from Tanjung Lumpur.
The bridge which will start at the intersection of Jalan Pintas Bukit Setongkol and Jalan Tanah Putih, is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion at the existing old bridge.