KUCHING, May 16: The Beting Maro Battle Site has been proposed to be gazetted as a historical heritage site, and efforts underway to find a suitable location for the ‘Battles of Beting Maro’ monument, which collapsed in recent years after being damaged by large waves.
Sarawak Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (Creative Industry and Performing Arts) Datuk Snowdan Lawan stated this when responding to Beting Maro assemblyman Razaili Gapor’s questions in today’s question-and-answer session in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here.
“The Beting Maro Battle Site, a historical site for the Skrang and Saribas aiban communities, has been proposed to be gazetted as a historical heritage site.
“The Battles of Beting Maro monument, on the other hand, has collapsed due to the impact of large waves in recent years.
“In this regard, the monument should be rebuilt because the site has a rich historical heritage,” he said.
Snowdan said that because the site has not yet been gazetted under the Sarawak Heritage Ordinance 2019, more research should be done soon.
“It is necessary to conduct additional research to ensure that a proposed building, monument, or the site’s value and significance to the people of Sarawak will be remembered, cherished, preserved, and restored.
“In addition, efforts are being made to designate a safe and suitable location so that the monument does not collapse due to the impact of waves,” he added.
In response to Razaili’s question about the upgrading of ‘Makam Temenggong Kadir’, ‘Makam Dato Godam’, and ‘Makam Dang Isah Tandang Sari’, Snowdan stated that the tourism ministry has no plans to upgrade the mausoleums because they are in good condition due to regular maintenance by the Sarawak Museum Department and can be heritage tourism attractions in the Beting Maro constituency. — DayakDaily
