Deputy minister assures devt in Sibu will preserve Malay, Melanau heritage villages

SIBU (Oct 27): The redevelopment in Kampung Datu Lama, Kampung Hilir and Kampung Datu won’t wipe out Malay or Melanau heritage villages here, said Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development gave his assurance that what had happened to Kampung Nyabor in the past would not happen to these three villages.

“The people must understand that Kampung Datu, Kampung Datu Lama, Kampung Hilir and all subsequent villages will not be changed or wiped out like what happened to Kampung Nyabor.

“Kampung Nyabor is gone — only the name remains. There is no more village, no cultural characteristics; even the housing structures in Kampung Nyabor do not have a traditional village shape,” he said when officiating the closing ceremony of the ‘Archiving Today’s Knowledge and Records for Tomorrow’s Accessibility and Browsing’ (Akrab) programme at the Sibu Malay Melanau Association hall here today.

He said that the people have to understand the difference between what is going to be done in the three villages would not be the same as what had happened to Kampung Nyabor.

Meanwhile, Akrab is an initiative by the Sarawak State Library (Pustaka) to preserve the history of the existence of a settlement that will undergo development changes in Sarawak.

The programme involved the residents of Kampung Datu, Kampung Hilir, Kampung Bandung, Kampung Nangka and Kampung Baharu.

Dr Annuar, who is also Nangka assemblyman, urged villages who have antiques or family heirlooms to contribute to the Akrab programme, saying these items could be displayed in a gallery for future generations to look at.

Also present was Pustaka chief executive officer Japri Bujang Masli.