SIBU: The issue of renaming the road to Lau King Howe Hospital Road needs to be solved amicably through consensus.
Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee said calling for a signature campaign would not resolve the matter as such a move was somewhat provocative.
“Problems or issues cannot or should not be solved by putting pressure. They can only be solved by consensus, cooperation, and wisdom in line with the BN spirit,” Dr Annuar told The Borneo Post yesterday.
On Thursday, a signature campaign was coordinated by SUPP Bawang Assan, Nangka, Bukit Assek, Dudong, and Pelawan branches.
The organisers hoped to garner 10,000 signatures for the road to be renamed after Lau King Howe.
Dr Annuar said while he was all for the road to be renamed Lau King Howe Hospital Road, the historical significance of the Malay-Melanau community needed to be taken into account, too.
He said the whole issue came about when Dudong assemblyman Yap Hoi Liong raised the matter in the last State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
He recalled his reply in DUN was that the particular area between Sibu Town Square Phase II and Lau King Howe Hospital Museum was actually the site of the first Malay-Melanau settlement in Sibu, dating back to 1770.
He noted in the Sarawak Gazette that settlement was there even before the arrival of James Brooke in 1838.
“So, that place is also of very historical significance to the Malay-Melanau Bumiputera community in Sibu. That was the place where the second British governor Sir Duncan Stewart was killed by local hero Rosli Dhobi.
“This was my response in DUN,” he said.
Dr Annuar acknowledged the vast contributions and significance of Lau King Howe Hospital to folks here, including contributions by the late Lau King Howe himself.
He mentioned the building of the hospital was by Lau, but part of the land was actually the Malay resettlement area, called ‘Kampung Pulau Berendam’.
A Muslim cemetery there was evidence of the existence of the settlement, he added.
Dr Annuar stressed that the Malay-Melanau community also had some historical significance there as well as the hospital.
“The best way to solve the issue is to sit down and have a consensus. We are working on it.
“I am all for the road to be renamed Lau King Howe Hospital Road but there must also be some areas be named after the Malay leaders.
“In that way, both the historical importance to the Chinese and the Malay-Melanau communities will be remembered by future generations,” he added.