Sarawak Heritage Society urges govt to save historic nurses’ quarters in Kuching

KUCHING (Aug 4): The Sarawak Heritage Society (SHS) has called for the Sarawak government to intervene in ceasing the plan to demolish the historical nurses’ quarters at the junction of Jalan Crookshank and Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg here.

Its president Datin Rosemarie Wong-Jabu said SHS is aware of the intention to repurpose the nurses’ quarters as a water retention pond to aid in flood mitigation for the area and its vicinity, particularly the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) which is located just opposite the site.

“We are aware that the nurses’ quarters building on that site will be fully demolished to meet this objective.

“However, SHS is of the opinion that the nurses’ quarters are an integral element of Sarawak’s heritage and have written to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg seeking his urgent intervention to halt the complete destruction of Kuching’s beloved nurses’ quarters,” she said in her address at SHS Annual General Meeting (AGM) here yesterday.

She said there is no need to demolish the nurses’ quarters as the front element of the building “can well be preserved as it is still structurally sound and stands elegantly along a main road junction of Kuching.”

“Despite the lack of ground maintenance, the building upholds her beauty with rich historical values in her own special way as demonstrated in the paper shared with the Premier as well as Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah,” she said.

Wong-Jabu said while SHS firmly supports the need to address flood mitigation, it also believes that the key heritage elements of the nurses’ quarters near the junction of Jalan Crookshank and Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg should and can be well retained for heritage purposes.

“It can also be upgraded for elegance and possible commercial use such as accommodation for visiting tennis competitors as the site is within walking distance to the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association tennis courts, hospital patient visitors, and/or a small museum to recognise. the contribution to Sarawak’s society by its nursing community.

“As it related to the flood mitigation project, the retained nurses’ quarters can very easily be protected from flooding, as portrayed in the core recommendations shared with the Premier,” she said.

She said SHS and Kuching citizens have been lobbying for protection of the nurses’ quarters since 2019 and urged the community to continue supporting their plea.