KUCHING: The State Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) is going to develop a comprehensive network of heritage trails to provide a linked experience for tourists.
Its Creative Industry and Heritage Division Head, Dr Elena Gregoria Chai, said there are about 80 gazetted historical monument sites in Sarawak, which has great potential to become popular tourism packages.
“We are planning to create a link for all the heritage trails. We want to do this with the hope that these trails do not remain only as a place of memorials.
“We want people to be able to go and see and understand the history behind them. At the same time, we also want the community themselves to be the guardian and to curate the things they want to say,” she said after launching the Rajah Charles Brooke Memorial (RCBM) Leprosarium Park here on Saturday.
Elena noted that in Padawan for example, the ministry would want to connect Annah Rais with Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), the RCBM Leprosarium Park, and any other heritage sites or trails within the area.
She said once it is done, tourists can stop by at the RCBM Leprosarium Park and SBC before going to Annah Rais.
“At Annah Rais, tourists can enjoy and experience the local cooking and dances and everything, while at the SBC, they can know about all the traditional knowledge, which is an intangible heritage.
“As far as our ministry is concerned, we not only want to target for tourists to come for events only. We want them to stay longer and explore the beauty of Sarawak.
“Sarawak has 34 ethnic groups, 31 indigenous. All these ethnic groups, they have their own culture, and so it is beautiful to see that everybody sits together and try to understand each other,” she added.
Elena said the traditional knowledge at SBC is something that belongs to the local community itself; related to the cultural landscape around the place and the knowledge that they have inherited.
She cautioned that if the traditional knowledge is not promoted, sooner or later it will just be in books.
She said similarly, those who have stayed at RCBM before, who had experienced or stay nearby, should be involved in the activities held there, to tell their stories of the place.
“While we still have the place and the people who have stayed and remain there, we must try to promote and create awareness through their personal narratives and stories.
“Aside from museum and all that, the RCBM Leprosarium Park and other heritage trails are places that are equally interesting.
“Look at the houses; there are many of them at RCBM Leprosarium Park. Visitors can ask about them, what they are for, so they can know more about the place and appreciate the hardship before, and how the patients under the care of the nurses and doctors survive,” she said.
Elena reiterated that MTCP, under her jurisdiction, actually wants to safeguard the heritage buildings and sites.
However, she said, to safeguard the state’s heritage, they need people to know and have awareness, while all the institutions, agencies and non-government organisations should help to promote them.
Elena pointed out that Padawan needs something and hope the MTCP can come up with what the Sarawak Heritage Society RCBM Hospital’s Chairman, Angie Jong, said.
Jong said they have already come up with the Padawan heritage trail network, adding that all these trails will be joined.
Elena said the Padawan trails would be very important because the ministry wanted visitors to Sarawak to go explore them, especially during weekends, Friday to Sunday.
“We want our tourists, both locals and foreigners, to go out, not just to Damai or somewhere, but also to the heritage trails in Padawan,” she said.
