By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: The Miss World Organisation and Kota Kinabalu City Hall share a common belief that heritage and nature must be cared for, protected and passed on responsibly.
Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah said this was reflected in the gathering at the Atkinson Clock Tower, one of the oldest surviving landmarks in Kota Kinabalu.
Built in 1905, the tower has stood through generations, quietly keeping time as the city grew and changed around it, he said during the “Atkinson Clock Tower: A Timeless Commitment” programme themed Heritage and Environment Preservation with Miss World 2025 in the city.
The programme was part of a weeklong visit to Kota Kinabalu by Miss World 2025 Suchata Chuangsri and Miss World Malaysia 2025 Taanusitya Chetty, together with Miss World Malaysia and Singapore licence holder Sean Wong and Miss World Organisation chairman and chief executive officer Julia Morley, for the Beauty with a Purpose Tour.
He said the visit marked the third time Morley had come to Kota Kinabalu.
“We are truly grateful for this continued relationship. Through your global platform, the story of Kota Kinabalu and Sabah is shared with the world not only as a place of beauty, but as a city that values history, sustainability and thoughtful progress,” he said.
Sabin said the Miss World family planted trees last year as a symbol of hope and renewal.
“Today, we continue that commitment by nurturing what was planted. The trees will later grow at Tun Fuad Stephens Botanical Park, reminding us that environmental care is not a single act but a promise made over time,” he said.
He said the Atkinson Clock Tower teaches an important lesson — time moves forward, but roots must remain strong. Preserving such places, he added, safeguard identity for future generations.
At the same time, environmental preservation gives a city life. When heritage and the environment are protected together, they create harmony between the past and the future, and between people and place, he said.
Suchata, Taanusitya, and Sabin also took part in a tree-planting activity at the Atkinson Clock Tower.
Suchata (left), Taanusitya (second from right), Sabin and Sean (second and third from left), carrying out the tree planting activity.
