The front view of Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum.
SIBU (Nov 1): Conservation works have been proposed to restore the historical Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum which is the pride of Sibu folk, said Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee.
He revealed that the proposed conservation works and the initial budget of RM1.5 million for the project was presented in the presence of Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum Association Sibu chairman Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau Lee Ming, during a briefing here yesterday.
“Today’s briefing was by our consultant UCTS, which is helping with the restoration works of this historical building besides coming up with the proposal budget.
“The briefing was entirely on the restoration of this building and not about extension works to accommodate part of the exhibition area. They (UCTS) will come back to us on the proposal for the exhibition including the proposed budget as well later.
“However, we prefer the exhibition part to be fully digitalised so that it is easier for visitors to the museum to understand what the equipment exhibited were used in the past – this is the historical part of it,” Dr Annuar, who is Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing, told reporters after the briefing by University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS).
On the proposed building extension, he said the public toilet beside the museum might make way for such purpose.
“We want to also extend the building as agreed by Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau just now during the briefing.
“It has been proposed for the public toilet beside the building to make way for the proposed extension as part of the exhibition area.”
Dr Annuar, who is Nangka assemblyman, pointed out there is another public toilet at Skate Plaza housed in the multi-use park Sibu Active Youth Space (SAYS), which is under construction at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang Phase Two.
He also spoke on the proposal to convert the open space beside the museum for landscape and housing of a miniature Lau King Howe Hospital.
“This is a miniature of the entire Lau King Howe Hospital – the original hospital setting. People might not be able recall how the hospital was like previously,” he said.
Among other matters discussed during the briefing was the setting up of a committee to look into the ‘Babies of Lau King Howe’.
Elaborating, Dr Annuar estimated some 200,000 people were born at the hospital, which served Sibu folk from 1936 until 1994.
“So, the idea is to get those born in this hospital to register as ‘Babies of Lau King Howe’, and contribute some token – RM1 or RM10 – to this hospital where their names will be put up on display.
“But we have yet to decide which place in the museum will be allotted for such purpose,” he said before informing that he too was born in Lau King Howe Hospital.
He stressed what was more important was for the people of Sibu to take ownership of the museum and appreciate the contribution of Lau King Howe.
Political secretary to the chief minister Michael Tiang, Sibu Divisional Health Officer Dr Teh Jo Hun, UCTS School of Built Environment dean Assoc Prof Haris Fadzilah Abdul Rahman, Sarawak Chinese Cultural Association president Lau Pek Kii, paediatrician Dr Toh Teck Hock, and museum manager John Ting were among those present.