MATU: A total of RM10 million will be allocated for restoring and turning Rumah Panjang Melanau Kampung Sok here into a tourist attraction.
Jemoreng assemblyman Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya hoped that the project would be a success as the structure is the only surviving Melanau longhouse in Sarawak.
He told reporters after officiating at Matu District mosque last Sunday that it is a state government initiative to preserve artefacts that have historical significance.
“I am thankful that the state government has decided to put the last Melanau longhouse on its restoration list,” he said.
For that he thanked Sarawak Museum director Suria Bujang and his delegation for having checked the condition of the house last Ramadan.
Juanda said that a public dialogue session would be held to ensure that the local people fully understand the long-term benefit of the project.
Besides getting restored, the old building will be included in a list of world heritage sites under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
Under Unesco, it is expected to attract visitors from outside the country, which Juanda thinks will benefit the residents.
He, therefore, wants the project to be given the fullest support so that the restoration work can be performed smoothly.
He pointed out that the roof of the longhouse will be restored using the Rural Transformation Project (RTP) fund based on advice from the Public Works Department (PWD). The roof is crucial to the restoration as it protects the whole building.
“The team from the museum also agreed that the roof has to be repaired first followed by the interior of the building whose restoration is going to be a delicate process,” he said.
