By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, Jan 28: Old Kuching Smart Heritage (OKSHe) will continue to focus on improving the local socioeconomic, creating employment opportunities as well as preserving heritage products.
OKSHe chairwoman Datu Sabariah Putit said generally, OKSHe’s role is also to build an integrated, sustainable and holistic ecosystem while at the same time maintaining and conserving the heritage of the local community.
“The ecosystem is based on five cores namely; Smart Heritage Infrastructure, Smart Communities and Innovation, Soci-Economic and Financial Sustainability, Branding and Strengthening and Strategic Management and Good Governance.
“Under these five cores, we have implemented 79 initiatives spearheaded together with over 16 synergy partners aimed at building the capacity of these components,” said Sabariah during the OKSHe Appreciation ceremony held at Borneo Convention Center Kuching (BCCK) here today.
Sabariah, who is also Deputy State Secretary (Performance and Service Delivery Transformation), noted that as the result of the initiatives implemented, three heritage products namely Heritage Food Products, Handicraft Products and Heritage Trail Products have brought great impacts to the OKSHe community.
She said OKSHe is working together with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Centre of Technical Excellence (Centexs), Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and many other training agencies to help identify local products, develop as well as nurture the local talent.
“For Heritage Food Products, a total of 172 products have been developed together with 74 food and handicraft entrepreneurs, while under the Handicraft Products, about RM500,000 has been recorded with the sales of ‘Songket’ last year, which increased the income of local entrepreneurs as well as adding employment opportunities.
“For the Heritage Trails, it brings tourist along the historical routes or interesting activities in the city to experience the real heritage and cultural values, local performance, and arts, as well as to taste the delicious heritage foods,” she added. — DayakDaily
