KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Museum will have its new building but this is subject to fund availability in the State budget, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman yesterday.
Musa said the State Government would not hesitate to build the new museum as it viewed it as an investment.
“The new building will be able to house more exhibits and this will help increase its attraction to visitors from both locally and abroad,” he said at the Sabah Museum Golden Jubilee celebration.
Musa went on to describe that the Sabah Museum is still young compared to others in the world today.
“We have just acquired our independence for 52 years and this museum was constructed after that,” he said.
Among the attractions at the museum is the collection by G.C. Wolley as well as the discovery of various historical sites throughout the State, he said.
“I believe there is still many to be discovered. The discovery of the Song Yang dynasty shipwreck located near the Tip of Borneo in Kudat will be able to attract more tourists to the State if this exhibit is promoted well,” he said.
The Chief Minister also urged the State Museum to forge stronger ties with the private sector in the provision of various amenities that would be attractive to visitors at the museum.
Meanwhile, Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said that only 10 percent of the State Museum collection had been displayed due to shortage of space.
He said that in the beginning, the State Museum only had 14,500 items. However, it now has more than 1,000,000 items.
“Most were acquired through purchase made from the local community, but there were also many which were donated.
To be able to showcase more exhibits, the State Museum needs a new building, he said.
He added that the museum received 40,000 visitors per month, a third of which were foreigners.
Masidi described the number of foreigners visiting the facility as still very low in comparison with the number of tourists arriving to Sabah.
“Efforts must be increased to promote the museum to visitors,” he said.
State Museum director Joanna Kitingan when interviewed, expressed her delight on Musa’s announcement for the department to have its new building.
She said that the present building was over 30 years old and was facing perennial problems that needed constant fixing.
She said that they have identified the site for the new building and it would be within the same area since they have 46.3 acres of land.
Also present at the event were Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Special Tasks Minister Datuk Teo Chee Kang and Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Kamarlin Ombi.