KUCHING: The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts has agreed to extend the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB) until 2027 for research purposes.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Karim Rahman Hamzah said it comes with an injection of RM3 million in funds for the Pehin Seri Adenan Satem Research Chair (Tok Nan Chair) at the UPMKB to purchase equipment necessary for research into medicinal plants and herbs.
“I am very proud and pleased with the efforts made by UPM and the Tok Nan Chair to elevate the status of UPMKB as a hub for the study of ethnic herbs in the state.
“Indeed, Sarawak has many unexplored natural resources. The collaboration between the local community and researchers would, therefore, enable the latter to gain greater knowledge of the resources the former has been utilising to treat diseases.
“This is a well-deserved recognition, and I fully agree that the UPMKB, via the Tok Nan Chair, should establish a research hub to study local herbs used by different ethnic groups in Sarawak,” he said.
He said this during the third International Conference on Science, Social Sciences and Humanities (ICOSSH) 2023 at Parkcity Everly Hotel, Bintulu on Tuesday (Sept 26).
Abdul Karim added since the establishment of the Tok Nan Chair, significant achievements have been realised in efforts to protect and advance the rights of different ethnic groups in Sarawak while promoting ethnic diversity.
“The primary aim of the scholarships and funds used to establish the Tok Nan Gallery is to collect data on the different ethnic groups in Sarawak.
“The Sarawak state government is, therefore, serious in its effort to gather data on different ethnic minority groups in Sarawak.
“One of its proud achievements is the increase in the number of ethnic groups in Sarawak from 27 to 31, and it is very likely that the number will increase, especially considering that there are ethnic groups who do not have their own identity,” he said.
Earlier, UPM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) Prof Dr Ismi Arif Ismail said the Tok Nan Chair was founded to commemorate Tok Nan for his sacrifice and dedication in the fight for ethnic equality and the recognition of ethnic minority rights in Sarawak which was formalised through the signing of a MOA between UPMKB and the ministry, for a duration of three years – 2021 to 2024.
“In efforts to promote Sarawak as an important tourist destination, the Tok Nan Chair has made serious efforts to collate information on the rich diversity of life, culture, arts, and heritage of the state.
“The aim of the Chair is to collect and document the various treasure troves and legacy of the state, publishing them in the form of journals, videos, and websites, and sharing them via the Tok Nan Chair portal.
“This information is then channelled to the ministry, which serves as a basis for its policymaking,” he said.
Among the other achievements, he said, is the gathering of data on the total ethnic breakdown in Sarawak as Article 161A of the Federal Constitution on the indigenous races of Sarawak, which was amended on Feb 15 2022, officially recognised only 27 ethnic groups.
“However, the researchers at the Chair were able to prove that there are indeed 34 ethnic groups in the state. This is a proud achievement for the Chair and was made possible through a joint effort between its researchers, the ministry, and the local community who participated in the research,” he said.
“Research findings have identified Sarawak as a bountiful reservoir of medicinal herbs historically utilised by the indigenous community for disease treatment,” he said.
Given UPM’s expertise in biotechnology, he said, the additional funding initiative can establish UPMKB as a significant research hub dedicated to the study of Sarawak’s native herbs.
