TENOM: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the old railway station building in Melalap here would be preserved as a National Heritage.
He said this was to preserve the historical building for future generations.
“We agree with the museum to preserve and ensure the old building will become an attraction,” he told reporters after visiting the site of the Melalap railway station here on Monday.
He said the station was closed in 1971. The railway in Melalap was a major communication system for people who wanted to go Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) via the Tanjung Aru station.
Pairin said the effort would also attract more local and foreign tourists to Tenom and would bring an impact on socio-economic development of the local communities in this area in the future.
Prior to that, Pairin, who is also Infrastructure Development Minister, had officiated at Diesel Multiple Unit at the railway station here.
Also present were Assistant Ministers of Infrastructure Development Datuk Bobbey Ahfang Suan and Datuk Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar, Senator Datuk Dr Lucas Umbul.