CONTRACTORS of Sarawak Museum Complex (SMC) project will hand over the building to Sarawak government this month.
Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said upon completion, SMC would become the second largest museum building in Southeast Asia, and would serve as a new landmark for Sarawak.
“It will play an important role in Sarawak’s tourism, history, culture and heritage when it is open to the public at the end of 2020,” he said in winding up his ministerial speech at the DUN sitting yesterday.
In addition to exhibiting unique collections related to Sarawak, SMC is expected to also be the centre of collections, references as well as education in the future.
On another matter, Abdul Karim said Sarawak’s national parks would continue to be the most preferred destinations for eco-tourists, both domestic and foreign.
“As at March 2019, national parks recorded 98,833 visitor arrivals, of which 22,960 were foreigners and 75,873 domestic visitors,” he said, adding that for last year, Sarawak recorded a total of 398,665 visitors to national parks.
He listed the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, Bako National Park, Matang Wildlife Centre, Niah National Park and Santubong National Park as national parks that recorded the highest number of visitors due to their diverse biodiversity, beautiful and unique landscapes, as well as favourable facilities and accessibility. He also noted that nine national parks – Bako National Park, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, Gunung Gading National Park, Kubah National Park, Matang Wildlife Centre, Tanjung Datu National Park, Similajau National Park, Lambir Hills National Park and Niah National Park – had been upgraded with WiFi connection.
“The upgrading works will be carried out in collaboration with Sarawak Multimedia Authority, with the expected completion and commissioning of the WIFI upgrading is within this year.”
Meanwhile, Abdul Karim said his ministry together with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) were in the process of listing Niah National Park as a ‘United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage Site’.
“God-willing, Niah National Park will be another new Unesco World Heritage Site, in addition to Mulu National Park, very soon.”