By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, June 11: The Sarawak Museum Department (JMS) continues to strengthen the State’s heritage preservation efforts, having successfully accessioned 88 donated objects in 2025 and received another 39 donations so far this year, while six historical sites and structures have been recommended for gazettement as protected heritage.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the achievements reflect growing public support for preserving Sarawak’s cultural and historical legacy.
“The council has recommended these sites for gazettement today, and there will be many more gazettements in future meetings,” he said at the press conference of the Sarawak Heritage Council Meeting No.1/2026 held at Hilton Hotel today. An audio recording of his remarks was later shared with DayakDaily.
The six sites are the Old Nurses Quarters at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), the Japanese Building located between the two wings of the old Courthouse in Kuching, Tanjung Lobang Lighthouse in Miri, Salome Dam in Miri, Ranee Fort in Saratok, and the old Sarawak railway track site and maintenance depot in Kuching.
Abdul Karim also highlighted several notable donations received by JMS in 2025 and 2026, including six heritage ceramic jars donated by Maney Nyiggang, which have been preserved across six generations of a family since their migration from Kalimantan to Lubok Antu.
The department also received a sawfish rostrum estimated to be around 50 years old, donated by Chai Yee Hong, and a handwritten Quran manuscript known as Mushaf Al-Maliki, donated by Abang Abdul Karim Abang Yak.
Other significant donations include old passports and birth certificates dating back to 1937 and the pre-independence era, donated by Koh Tee Hock @ Joseph Koh. The documents belonged to a master carpenter who built the iconic wooden staircase at the Sarawak Museum.
JMS also received seven sets of firefighters’ uniforms donated by former Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Hairuddin Rahman, as well as three hornbill heads contributed by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) for research, exhibition and educational purposes.
Meanwhile, Abdul Karim said JMS has expanded Sarawak’s museum landscape with the opening of two new museums.
The Brooke Dockyard Industrial Museum, which was officially opened on April 20 this year, recorded 37,126 visitors from its opening until May 31.
At the same time, the Santubong Archaeological Park and Wildlife Centre, opened on Oct 4, 2025, attracted 16,758 visitors as of May 31, 2026.
According to Abdul Karim, JMS is planning a special exhibition in 2027 to showcase selected donated artefacts after undergoing research, documentation and conservation efforts, with details and dates to be announced once preparations are finalised. — DayakDaily
