KUCHING: A selection of four villages in Seberang Hilir in the Old Kuching Smart Heritage (OKSHe) strategic plan will make the Malay villages a must-visit destination for tourists.
The four villages located at the northern part of Sarawak River are Kampung Boyan, Kampung Gersik, Kampung Sourabaya Ulu and Kampung Sourabaya Hilir or popularly known nowadays as BGS.
Utilities (Water Supply) Assistant Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said locals should be hands-on in the
OKSHe-BGS programmes.
“We cannot be too dependent on tourist departments or agencies but we need to be actively involved in these income-generating activities,” he said at when launching OKSHe-BGS at Pentas Kesenian Kampung Sourabaya Ulu, last
Saturday night.
Dr Abdul Rahman who is also Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs and DBKU), explained that through OKSHe, the traditional culture and heritage in the village would be preserved.
“In addition to preserving the cultural heritage, our villages will be introduced to visitors and foreign tourists,” he said.
He said silat would be one of the components of the heritage that will continue to be maintained in BGS.
He noted that silat was very popular among the villagers, especially the younger generation, in the early 60s and 70s.
Dr Abdul Rahman commended the current group of silat enthusiasts in continuing to train the younger generation to instil discipline and strengthen their identity.
