KUCHING: Several places will be gazetted as heritage sites and promoted as the Borneo War Memorial Trail.
Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this was being done under a Joint Tourism Cooperation and Collaboration between Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
Winding up for his Ministry at the State Legislative Assembly here Wednesday, he said for the conservation of Second World War memorial sites, several buildings and monuments have been identified and proposed to be gazetted as heritage sites.
“The war memorial sites in Kuching are the Punjabi barrack, the ammunition bunker and the bomb bunker located in Batu Lintang Teacher’s Training College.
“In Miri, the remnants of the first Japanese landing craft, the grave of the lighthouse keeper Awang Metali and the old lighthouse at Brighton Beach are in the process of being recognised and gazetted as heritage sites in Sarawak.
“These sites will be promoted together with the Air Raid Shelter in Kuching and Miri as the Borneo War Memorial Trail,” he said.
Karim added that the identification and documentation of important tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Sarawak is ongoing.
“For example, in Miri, the Air Raid Shelter of Canada Hill, Old Waterfall Dam, the Old Well at Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple and Makam Datuk Permaisuri in Miri; Fort Ranee in Saratok; Fort Tebakang in Serian; St Paul’s Church in Lingga; Pulau Dato Kong in Sebauh; Sacred Heart Church of Sungai Bawan in Kanowit; Batu Narit in Pa Bengar; Long Banga, Pa Lungan of Bario; Batu Narit in Long Semadoh; Batu Angan in Ba’ Kelalan and the Beting Maru battlefield in Saribas,” he said.
In this context he said awareness programmes on the importance of heritage protection have been held among the local communities and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Miri and Bintulu.
Like in Tatau, for the safeguarding of tangible heritage such as the klirieng (burial pole) and the documentation of oral history, the Ministry works closely with Sarawak Museum Department, Council for Native Customs and Traditions, Sarawak Forestry Department, Tatau District Office, Bintulu Development Authority, Land and Survey Department community leaders and members, he explained.
On the Heritage, Arts and Culture Facilitation Fund which was launched this year, he said it has supported 81 activities and events amounting to RM4.76 million.
“The activities and events organised by artists and associations help to promote awareness on the importance of Sarawak’s heritage, arts and culture.
“Besides stimulating the recovery of the heritage, arts and culture sector in Sarawak from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the fund also helped to enhanced the capacity building in programmes related to Sarawak’s unique heritage, arts and culture,” he added.
