REDEVELOPMENT OF TRADITIONAL MALAY VILLAGES IN SIBU TO REMAIN AT ORIGINAL SITES

SIBU, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- The redevelopment of traditional Malay villages in Sibu by the Sarawak state government will remain at their original sites, state Deputy Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said.

The redevelopment of the villages of Kampung Datuk Lama, Kampung Baharu and Kampung Hilir will not remove them from existence, as was in the case of Kampung Nyabor, which now exists in name only, he said.

“We have to understand the concept of redeveloping Kampung Datuk Lama, Kampung Baharu and Kampung Hilir is different from Kampung Nyabor, which had lost its identity, Malay village elements and ownership. These villages will remain on their original sites and the houses built will have Malay village elements and structures.

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“So far, I’ve received four proposed house designs and I want the rebuilt houses in Kampung Datuk Lama, Kampung Baharu and Kampung Hilir to have Malay cultural elements,” he said during the close of Archiving Today’s Knowledge And Records For Tommorow’s Accessibility and Browsing (AKRAB) Series 2 programme at Dewan Melayu Melanau Bersatu (MMB) here today.

The two-day programme is a Pustaka Negeri Sarawak programme aimed at conserving the history of the villages that were moved to new settlements in Sarawak for the purpose of development and to preserve the heritage and historical information linked to the villages involved in the resettlement projects.

Dr Annuar said that as soon as the redevelopment work is completed he would submit a proposal to gazette the villages as heritage villages to ensure that they continue to exist.

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-- BERNAMA