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By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, July 29: The RM2.2 million new Pertubuhan Anak Seni Bandarsah Kuching’s (PASBK) Community Hall which is the brainchild of Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and the former Chief Minister of Sarawak, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem (Tok Nan), has finally reached completion.
Both Abang Jo and Tok Nan came from the village in Satok – Kampung Bandarsah.
Abang Jo recalled that the village used to have a group named ‘Bahai’ in the past and they usually hung out at a certain area with a bench in the village.
Some of the members, he said, happened to play musical instruments such as drums, saxophone and piano, which led to the group to establish a music band that used to play for entertainment performances and Chinese funerals.
“This interaction between both races was equivalent to ‘cubit paha kanan, paha kiri terasa sakit’ (pinch right thigh, left thigh feels pain).
“After Bahai was gone, we have PASBK. After the bench is gone, now we have the hall.
“Back then they only have the bench and no air-conditioner, unlike the present. And this facility can be used for our youths and the locals to organise activities and so on,” he said during the launching of PASBK Community Hall in Satok broadcast live by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) on Facebook last night (July 28).
For the record, Abang Jo and Tok Nan had given the initial fund amounting to RM300,000 for the procurement of a piece of land at Lot 98, Kampung Bandarsah in 2015.
From then onwards, PASBK has been raising funds since 2018 from various government and corporate bodies, individuals and locals to meet the required amount for the construction of the community hall on the land.
The project was tendered in September 2020 and the contractor was appointed on Oct 10 of the same year, at a cost of RM2.2 million.
The community hall reached full completion on Aug 31, 2022 and has received occupation permit (OP) issued by Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) on March 1, 2023.
The hall which could accommodate about 500 people at any one time, is expected to benefit the villagers even from outside the village, in organising activities as well as to be utilised for music classes and training centre.
Among those present were Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Economic and Development Planning) Datu Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, Satok assemblyman Datuk Ibrahim Baki, Tanjung Datu assemblyman Azizul Annuar Adenan, PASBK chairman Abdul Rahman Zainuddin and PASBK advisor Datuk Abdul Karim Tun Abang Openg. — DayakDaily
