Fort Emma to be turned into heritage museum
The museum will be one of the most important tourist attractions in the district and it is hoped it will help to double the number of visitors to Kanowit.
KANOWIT: This town’s historical landmark, Fort Emma, will be turned into Kanowit Heritage Museum when conservation and upgrading works currently ongoing at the fort are completed in Feb 2020.
Machan assemblyman Allan Siden Gramong said this certainly will open up a new chapter for Kanowit.
“The museum will have a positive impact on the socioeconomic development of the locals.
“The museum will be one of the most important tourist attractions in the district and it is hoped it will help to double the number of visitors to Kanowit,” he said.
He made these remarks when speaking at the handing- over of Fort Emma’s conservation and upgrading works project site from Public Works Department (PWD) to the contractor Crest Realty Sdn Bhd at Fort Emma Square here.
On another note, he called on the local people to prepare themselves
Allan Siden Gramong, Machan assemblyman
for economic opportunities that will come with the presence of more visitors to Kanowit.
He said: “Tourism- based businesses such as making and selling of handicraft products, home- stay and eateries can be developed but they must meet the standards set by the local authority and related ministries.
“Compliance with the established standards is very important to enable all tourism products, particularly homestay, get recognition from the government.”
According to Allan, the allocation of RM5 million from the state government to repair and upgrade the historical building showed it was very serious in maintaining the heritage in Kanowit in particular and Sarawak in general.
He hoped the locals and the surrounding communities will appreciate local heritage and history with the setting up of the new museum.
“School students and students of higher learning institutions will also be able to learn about our history and our heritage,” he added.
Earlier, Sarawak Museum Department senior curator Dayang Morzanah Awang Haddy said the department was working together with PWD on the project.
The new museum will display history, culture, traditions and stories of ethnic groups in Kanowit, she said.
Project manager Adefairuz Marzuki from PWD Central Region Office said the scope of works of the project included refurbishment and conservation of the fort’s building and building retaining wall at the back of the fort’s compound.
A special ‘ miring’ ceremony led by Pingat Gagah Berani ( PGB) recipient Lance Corporal (Retired) Sigai Endawan was also held yesterday to relocate nine human skulls previously placed inside Fort Emma to a temporary hut built within the compound of the fort to allow upgrading works.
Awang Mohamad Zulhusni from Crest Realty, Kanowit police chief DSP Daniel Benjamin, Kanowit district officer Kathreen Eddie Saga, Sarawak Museum Department Historical Buildings curator Professor Dr A Ghafar Ahmad, Penghulu Ugap Seribu, Penghulu Barnabas Angkis and Penghulu Ugak Sigai were among those present.