S’wak to work with London’s Natural History Museum on Kedayan artefacts

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Abang Johari (sixth right) together with Rosey (third left), Abdul Karim (fourth left), Ripin (fifth right) together with Lee cutting the yellow glutinous rice while look on by (from right) Dennis, Ting, Lukanisman and Mohd Abdullah (left) and his wife.

 

MIRI: State government will build a collaborative network with Natural History Museum in London to exchange the artefacts related to the history of Kedayan community in Sarawak.

Speaking at Kedayan Association of Miri’s Charity Dinner at Mega Hotel on Friday, the chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the preservation works on culture heritage is significantly important in documenting the history of Kedayan community in all aspects of development in Sarawak.

Abang Johari said this in reply to the request made by Kedayan Association of Miri for the state government to bring back the artefacts on Kedayan community, which are now being kept in Natural History Museum.

“The cultural heritage or the original items belonging to the Kedayan people actually have been placed at Natural History Museum in London.

“I’ve been to the said museum and saw the Kedayan community’s artefacts when conducted a visit to study the involvement of Wallace in biodiversity development of natural selection together with Charles Darwin in Sarawak.”

He will ask the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah to discuss with Sarawak Museum Department’s director Ipoi Datan and look at ways on  how to work with Natural History Museum in London on the Kedayan cultural heritage matter.

In the aspect of history, Abang Johari highlighted on the importance to conduct a comprehensive academic research work on the Kedayan community.

Thus, he offered sponsorship from Yayasan Sarawak to those who pursuing master’s and doctorate (PhD) degrees in the field of sociology.

The sponsorship, he added, would enable the sociologists to collect accurate information and thus document the information on the origins of the Kedayan community from the perspective of language, culture, history and arts.

He said the education sponsorship is similar to what he had been offered to the Jatti Meirek Association of Miri early this year.

“Such academic research work is very important for future generation reference. Who know that there might be a possible that the Kedayan community can be also found in Kalimantan, besides Sabah and Brunei Darussalam.”

Also present were Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus who is also advisor to Kedayan Association of Miri, Lambir Assemblyman Ripin Lamat who is also president of Sarawak Kedayan Association, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts Datuk Lee Kim Shin, the MP for Sibuti Lukanisman Awang Sauni, Telang Usan Assemblyman Dennis Ngau, Piasau Assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting and Kedayan Association of Miri chairman Mohamad Abdullah Jamin.