Editing Kuching (section)

===Local authority and city definition===
Kuching is the only city in Malaysia to be administered by two mayors;<ref name="Chang1999"/> the city is divided into Kuching North and Kuching South.<ref name="Thiessen2012">{{cite book |author=Tamara Thiessen |title=Borneo: Sabah - Brunei - Sarawak |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DCDkRTYwN5AC&pg=PA244 |access-date=20 July 2013 |year=2012 |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |isbn=978-1-84162-390-0 |pages=244–246–266}}</ref> Each of these is administered by a mayor for Kuching South and a [[commissioner]] for Kuching North.<ref name="Group2008"/> The current commissioner for Kuching North is Datu Junaidi Reduan, who took over from Datuk Haji Abang Abdul Wahab Abang Julai on 31 August 2019 while Datuk Wee Hong Seng became the new [[mayor]] for the Kuching South in 2019, succeeding Dato' [[James Chan Khay Syn]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=CM: Wee Hong Seng appointed MBKS mayor, Junaidi Reduan new DBKU Datuk Bandar |url=https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/08/22/cm-wee-hong-seng-appointed-mbks-mayor-junaidi-reduan-new-dbku-datuk-bandar/ |access-date=24 October 2020 |website=The Borneo Post Online|date=22 August 2019 }}</ref> The city obtained a [[Cities of Malaysia|city status]] on 1 August 1988,<ref name="mbks"/> and since that it was administered by [[Kuching North City Hall]] (DBKU) and [[Kuching South City Council]] (MBKS).

The city is defined within the borders of what is the [[Kuching District]]. With an area of {{cvt|1868.83|km2|mi2}}, it is the most populous district in Sarawak.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sarawak.gov.my/uploads/assets/files/ePub/Fact_and_Figures_2012.pdf |title=Sarawak : Population By Administrative District 2000 & 2010 |publisher=Sarawak State Government |work=Sarawak Fact and Figures by State Planning Unit, Chief Minister's Department |date=2012 |access-date=6 June 2014 |pages=11/16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016133801/http://www.sarawak.gov.my/uploads/assets/files/ePub/Fact_and_Figures_2012.pdf |archive-date=16 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The area then subdivided into two sub-districts, namely Kuching Proper and Padawan. Kuching Proper included the city area and northern part of [[Padawan municipality]] (e.g. [[Batu Kawah]], [[Matang Jaya]]), while Padawan<ref name="sub-district" group="note">Not to be confused with [[Padawan municipality]].</ref> sub-district (southern part of Padawan municipality) included Kota Padawan, Teng Bukap and Borneo Highlands (Mambong). The combined area of Kuching North City Hall, Kuching South City Council, Padawan Municipal Council, and the Kota Samarahan Municipal Council is known as Greater Kuching.<ref name=DBKUmayor/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.healthycity.sarawak.gov.my/project6.html |title=Various Studies Aiming To Develop A Better Kuching (Greater Kuching Urban and Regional Study) |publisher=Sarawak State Government |work=Shankland Cox Ltd |access-date=6 June 2014 |volume=1}}</ref>