Tourism Minister hopes old Sarawak Museum will reopen this year after extensive restoration, delays

The old Sarawak Museum building with the new Borneo Cultures Museum partly seen at far right. (file photo)

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Sept 25: Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Art Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed hope that the old Sarawak Museum building, which has been closed for renovation and restoration works since October 2017, will reopen later this year.

While renovation has been completed, he noted that the technical processes involved in creating and installing the exhibitions and galleries are still ongoing.

“The content setup takes a little more time, as it’s not just like decorating a house. These detailed processes are part of what has caused the delay. But it’s coming together.

“I hope it can reopen this year because the museum is a source of pride for Sarawak,” he told reporters after officiating at the International Conference of Applied and Creative Arts (ICACA) 2024 organised by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) in collaboration with Universitas Brawijaya Indonesia at Borneo Cultures Museum here today.

Abdul Karim placing his palm on a tablet to activate a video presentation to mark the opening of ICACA 2024 at Borneo Cultures Museum on Sept 25, 2024.

The Old Sarawak Museum, which houses the Ethnology Museum, was originally closed on Oct 23, 2017, for a two-and-a-half-year restoration project, with plans to reopen in June 2020.

However, the timeline was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the longer-than-expected process of developing, arranging, and mounting conserved artifacts.

Abdul Karim highlighted the time-consuming work involved in bringing out the artifacts that were placed in storage during the renovations.

The revamped museum will feature advanced storage systems, similar to those in Borneo Cultures Museum, designed to control humidity and temperature to prevent damage and deterioration of artifacts.

The Sarawak government has invested millions in giving the museum a facelift.

Abdul Karim emphasised that its reopening will showcase an impressive collection of artifacts, including relics from Niah Cave and skulls with historic value, among others.

The iconic museum building was declared open by Charles Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak, in 1891.

On ICACA, Abdul Karim emphasised that with its 34 recognised ethnic groups, Sarawak is the ideal place for cultural exploration, showcasing the region’s distinctiveness and rich cultural tapestry.

“This edition of ICACA stands as a vital platform for cross disciplinary collaboration where scholars, creatives, policymakers and community leaders come together to exchange ideas and explore the transformative power of arts and cultures,” he said when addressing the conference.

The presentations at the event delved into the evolution and preservation of cultural practices in Malaysia, focusing on ancient rituals, traditional music, longhouse legacy motifs, and deep-rooted folklore.

Abdul Karim believes the insights and experiences shared will offer valuable perspectives on fostering sustainable tourism and community development.

“We always believe that arts and creative industries are an integral part of Sarawak’s identity. Therefore, by recognising the power of creativity and innovation it will not only preserve our heritage but also contributed to the economic and social growth of the region through local tourism,” he added.

Unimas chairman Tan Sri Panglima Sulong Matjeraie, Unimas deputy vice chancellor (Research and Innovation) Prof Ir Dr Siti Noor Linda Taib, Sarawak Museum Department director Nancy Jolhi, and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) Sarawak senior manager Nor Azam Abg Zawawie were also present. — DayakDaily