By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Dec 3: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has lauded University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) for applying science and technology to their conservation efforts.
“This is very much aligned to our Sarawak Digital Economy framework. It is also an ideal way to preserve Sarawak’s unique cultures,” he said at the launching of the three-day International Heritage And Cultural Conservation Conference (InHERIT 2018) at The Waterfront Hotel here today.
His text-of-speech was read out by Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman.
Abang Johari said digitisation was a good way to preserve, showcase and promote heritage sites to tourists.
With technology, it is now possible to highlight the lives of the local communities and strategic areas of interests for tourists to see. It could also be used to promote products such as the traditional handicraft of the Malays, like ‘keringkam’ (traditional embroidery work) and the Iban’s ‘pua kumbu’ (woven fabric).
The inaugural conference is organised by UCTS and is themed ‘Sharing the benefit of our inheritance towards sustainability’.
Abang Johari said recommendations from the conference would serve as vital input for the future of the state.
“It is our responsibility to carry these recommendations forward to ensure that they are placed high up in the state constitution of Sarawak as an agenda for the benefit of the country and its people,” he said.
A highlight of the launching ceremony was the launching of a coffee table book on Masjid Al Qadim — a 157-year-old mosque in Sibu. There was also a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing between UCTS’ vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Khairuddin Abdul Hamid and Maek Consulting Pte Ltd director Wong Chung Wan on ‘Borneo Regionalism, Building Conservation and Forensic’.
Also present were Deputy State Secretary Datu Dr Sabariah Putit and InHERIT 2018 organising chairman Associate Professor Haris Fadillah Abdul Rahman. — DayakDaily
