FOSM, Unimas to host talk on M’sian myths, legends next week

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KUCHING: Friends of Sarawak Museum (FOSM) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)’s Faculty of Social Sciences will host a talk on Malaysian myths and legends this Oct 28, from 2pm to 4pm at the Multimedia Room 2 on the lower ground at the faculty’s building.

The presentation of ‘Myths and Legends: The Making of Malaysia’ will be delivered by Prof Michael Leigh. Admission is free and no registration is required.

“The talk will explore the myths, legends and realities of Malaysia’s birth, drawing upon newly released archival materials,” a statement from FOSM said yesterday.

Prof Leigh has been linked to Sarawak Museum, via his BA and PhD research works from 1962 to 1968. He later became the inaugural director of Institute of Asian Studies at Unimas (1997-2003), before being appointed professor of Contemporary Asia and director of Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

His previous tenures also include professorship at University of Sydney, academic director of International College Penang, as well as director ship at Aceh Research Training Institute and Development of Social Sciences throughout Indonesian Universities Program.

In 2007, he was elected president of Asian Studies Association of Australia.

His published books include ‘Mapping the People of Sarawak’; ‘Transformations in Eastern Malaysia’; ‘Council Negri Sarawak’, ‘Malaysia’s Oldest Legislature’; ‘The Rising Moon: Political Change in Sarawak’; and four edited volumes of ‘Borneo 2000’.

He has more than 60 published articles, chapters and monographs on political and economic changes in Southeast Asia.

The FOSM was registered in September 2012 with a mission to promote the appreciation of Sarawak’s heritage through its museums.

The movement’s activities are divided into three main areas – promoting the role of museums in Sarawak, providing a way for interested people to get involved in heritage, and providing quality interpretation of museums.