Tun Abdul Rahman honoured with name change
BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA
KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Centre for Academic Services (CAIS) at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has been renamed Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub (PeTARY) in recognition of the contributions by the late Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub in the field of education.
“This is very significant because the late Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub is a person who loves to read and collect books during his lifetime,” said his wife Toh Puan Hayati Ahmat at the renaming ceremony on Friday.
The late Rahman Yakub was Sarawak’s third chief minister from 1970 to 1981 after which he served as the fourth Governor from 1981 to 1985.
Hayati said her late husband has a large collection of books and he was always generous in sharing his books with others.
“My husband liked to go shopping for books when he went travelling. We have a home library and he always welcomed people to borrow books from his collection.”
According to Hayati, the late Rahman Yakub discovered his fondness of books and the library in Kuching when he came to further his study.
“He was offered a scholarship by the colonial government to study in Kuching. It was then that he began spending time in the library which sparked his passion for books.
“With his passion for books and determination to succeed, Abdul Rahman managed to further his studies in England and became the first Sarawakian who graduated as a lawyer from Lincoln’s Inn, London,”
Based on his personal experience and the circumstances then, the late Abdul Rahman was motivated to fight for education in the state.
“He was concerned and cared about students in Sarawak, especially those in the rural areas. He always tried to help those who are in need and this was one of the things that prompted him to establish Yayasan Sarawak,” she explained.
Hayati hoped that PeTARY would be more than just a home to books but a place that generates wisdom and contemporary ideas.
“My family and I hope that this library will be a source of knowledge and a centre for scientific writings through the wise and contemporary ideas that will be generated,” she said.
She also expressed her gratitude to Unimas for renaming the library after her late husband.
The Gallery Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub located at the ground floor of PeTARY has a special exhibition entitled ‘Permata Hati Sarawak’ portraying a collection of photos, personal items, books and other related materials which showcased the late Rahman Yakub’s journey and achievements.
