By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, June 25: The artifacts found in the compound of the Central Police Station yesterday will be examined by the Sarawak Museum Department to see whether they are indeed authentic or otherwise.
State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah noted that similar artifacts were also found near the same location in December last year and the research by the State Museum Department is still ongoing.
“I have not gotten the details on this (new artifacts) but on any findings of artifacts that are related to our heritage, we will leave it to the State Museum Department to do the research first to actually see whether these (items) are really artifacts or not.
“They will give us the report on the findings and only then will we reveal (the report) to the press,” he said at a press conference at the first Tourism Sector Industrial Covid-19 Vaccination Centre (PPVI) at the Association of Churches Sarawak, Jalan Stampin here today.
He was accompanying Federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri during her visit to the PPVI. Also in attendance were Ministry of Tourism Sarawak director Suria Charles Buas, the ministry’s permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee and Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) president Audry Wan Ullok.
Elaborating further on the artifacts, he said: “The ones (artifacts) from last year, some of them seen to be genuine old items. But I believe the things that they find, they are not in one piece. A lot of them are in fragments.
“These things have been found near the Central Police Station, while some others were found in Santubong. When they were conducting excavation works, quite a number of artifacts have been found in Santubong but then, the report will only come in once we have gotten all (the details).”
While such a discovery may or may not bring a change to the State’s historical landscape, Abdul Karim said the research could not be concluded in a short period of time especially when it is currently facing delays and restrictions due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
“We hope before we declare open our new Sarawak Museum Complex, all the new artifacts we have found can become a boost to build up our heritage value in our museum,” he added.
Yesterday, more artifacts were unearthed during excavation works for a sewerage project near the compound of the Central Police Station. — DayakDaily
