KUCHING: The International Museum Day (HMA) in July this year will see contingents throughout Malaysia converging on Sarawak.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Museums, Sustainability and Wellbeing’.
He said Sarawak takes pride in hosting this year’s celebration, given that the state is rich in unique and diverse heritage as well as culture.
“I would like to thank the Department of Museums Malaysia for selecting Sarawak as the host. We are very honoured and welcome the arrival of contingents from Malaysia to the Land of Hornbills,” he said during the Sarawak Museum Department’s ‘Malam Apresiasi dan Jalinan Kasih’ yesterday (Feb 14) at Pullman Hotel here.
Abdul Karim said various activities are being planned by the department for HMA to ensure a memorable experience for the participants.
During the event, Abdul Karim witnessed the launch of the eight-book series resulting from the department curators’ research in collaboration with external researchers.
He said the Sarawak Museum Journal has been published since 1911 until present day and it is the oldest journal in Southeast Asia.
“In line with modernisation of technology, the journal is also moving towards becoming an e-journal to keep up with the publication of other international journals.
“Moreover, various initiatives are being carried out such as obtaining a journal management system in collaboration with the Sarawak Service Modernisation Unit and Sarawak Information System Sdn Bhd (SAINS).
“This is one of the criteria for obtaining international indexed journals such as SCOPUS and Web of Science (WOS),” he added.
Also present were Deputy Minister of Tourism Datuk Sebastian Ting, Deputy Minister of Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan, the ministry’s permanent secretary Datuk Sherrina Hussaini, Deputy State Secretary (Operations) Datuk Hii Chang Kee, Department of Museums director-general Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim and Sarawak Museum Department director Nancy Jolhi.
