Malaysia’s First Natural History Museum in Sabah on the Cards

Liew (2nd left) being welcomed on arrival by Kamarul (on her left), Arif (behind), Director of the Penang State Museum Board, Haryani Mohamad (left), Sabah Museum Deputy Director, Su Chin Sidih (2nd right) and others.

KOTA KINABALU: Building the country’s first Natural History Museum of Malaysia in Sabah is on the cards.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew called on the Sabah State Museum Department to take up the challenge  by working on the proposal vis-a-vis the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment in pushing for its realisation.

The proposal to build the Natural History Museum in Sabah was made by the Director-General of the Department of Museums Malaysia, Datuk Kamarul Bahrin A. Kasim during a courtesy call on the Minister earlier.

Speaking at the closing of the 23rd National-level International Museum Day celebration, Saturday night, she said to applause :

“We (Sabah) have the land, we can give you the land and you (Department of Museums Malaysia under the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture) build the museum here for the country.”

At this juncture, Liew, who is also Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, emphasised the need for tour operators to include the Sabah Museum Complex as a “must see” destination as one of the attractions in their tour packages.

“I will get the 1,000-odd members of Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) to ensure that their tourists visit the Sabah Museum,” she said.

She reiterated that the museum is an important institution as it plays the role of an educator and a custodian of the country’s history and preserver of antiques and artifacts.

“I, therefore, urge the Sabah Museum authorities to create more ‘edutainment, infotainment’ progammes that are interactive and using the latest technology, to draw the attention of today’s young generation,” she said.

The Minister, meanwhile, congratulated Penang on being chosen as the host for the 24th National-level International Museum Day celebration next year.

“The Sabah Government supports the event wherever it is being held (in rotation). I am giving the mandate to the Director of Sabah Museum (Encik Arif Abdul Hamid) to lead a 50-member delegation to Penang to participate in the next celebration,” she said.