By P. Chandra Sagaran
The Ipoh City Council won several awards and honours at the Merdeka march past again, this time bagging two awards at the 67th state level National Day celebrations held yesterday.
They emerged winners in the Best Dressed category and also received RM5,000 and certificate while the council took second spot in the March Past for Local Authorities/Statutory Bodies/NGOs and private sector section with a RM3,000 prize money.
They were among 108 contingents involving 6,000 participants, government departments, agencies, uniformed bodies, vehicles, school bands, associations and NGOs which participated in the parade.
Some 50,000 people lined up along the streets to catch a glimpse of the passing contingents.
Several other competitions were also held including Best March Past among Government Departments which was won by Perak Islamic Religious Department, Kinta Land Office took the top spot in the District and Land Office Category while State Agriculture Development Corporation was the winner in the Local Authorities/Statutory Bodies/NGOs and private sector section.
Sekolah Raja Perempuan Bainun Taayah was adjudged the best in the Public Institutes of Higher Learning, private institutes and schools category.
SMJK Sam Tet was picked as the Best Band category.
The prizes were presented by Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
Earlier he inspected a guard of honour mounted by three officers and 103 personnel from the Royal Engineers Regiment Second Division Sangro Camp, Taiping before witnessing the parade and received the salute from the contingents in front of Dewan Bandaran Ipoh at Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab.
Also in attendance were Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and other state dignitaries.
Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah also presented financial aid to 10 security veteran personnel who had retired and were injured in the course of duty.
