By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, April 21: Borneo Cultures Museum (BCM) has reached one million visitors today since opening its doors to the public on March 9, 2022.
Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the museum has received over 152 different nationalities from around the globe.
“The top country that has visited BCM so far is Indonesia, with 8,055 visitors, followed by Singapore (5,999 visitors), the United Kingdom (3,239 visitors), and Australia (2,766 visitors).
“Many have texted and informed me that they were very impressed with the museum – it’s interactive and comparable to other museums that they have seen all over the world,” he told the media at the BCM here today.
Meanwhile, BCM’s total gate collection, including visitor tickets and facilities rental from 2022 until now, is RM5,861,369.
Asked whether there are plans to reduce the BCM’s admission fee to attract more visitors, Abdul Karim replied in the negative, pointing out that the current rate is considered to be cheaper than that of other museums outside the country and even in Peninsula Malaysia.
He also said he has instructed the Sarawak Museum Department to work together with the Sarawak Education Department to encourage various schools to organise a study trip or other activities for the students at the museum.
The one-millionth visitor to BCM was a 9-year-old girl, Noor Shaziatul Amani, who came to the museum with her family this morning.
According to her father, Mohd Shahril Muhirin, 36, he brought his wife, Noor Azirah Mohamad Alikenapiah, 34, and their two children, Amani and Noor Dalisha Afia, 6, to visit the museum following their children’s wish.
“We rode a motorcycle from our residence at Mile 13, Kuching. We did not know about the visitor counting, and it was actually our children’s request to visit the museum because all of us had never visited it before.
“When we arrived, the museum’s staff clapped their hands which made us all surprised,” he said.
After touring the museum, the family was presented with gifts: a coffee table book, a Samsung handphone and tablet from BCM, a T-shirt and mug from BCM Gift Shop, a Tumblr and a tote bag from BCM Restaurant.
Abdul Karim, accompanied by the latter’s wife, Datin Sri Zuraini Abdul Jabbar, presented them with the gifts.
They also had the opportunity to dine with the minister and other notable guests at BCM Restaurant after the gifts were handed over. — DayakDaily
