A general view of the Borneo Cultures Museum in Kuching. Photo: Borneo Cultures Museum
The Borneo Cultures Museum in Kuching received 41 historical artefacts - originating from Borneo - from hand overs and donations from individuals (worldwide) who came to own the collection of antiquities.
Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, said among the historical relics are two Orang Ulu machetes acquired from Duncan Shimwell McDougal, a (James) Brooke-era officer in the 1920s.
McDougal brought the two machetes to England and remained there until they surfaced at the Christie's auction house in London in 1994, before being bought by Lim Jit Boo, a Malaysian living in Penang.
Abdul Karim said the museum also received a piece of pua kumbu, the traditional patterned cloth of the Iban community, from an Australian citizen who kept the cloth for his personal collection.
"The rest are various collections of Bidayuh items used in rituals, in total 19 pieces, an old photograph of people from Sarawak and three old ethnic beads from Borneo,” he said.
In move to skip the queues at the Borneo Cultures Museum, Abdul Karim said that entry tickets can now be purchased online at museum.sarawak.gov.my or sarawak.gov.my.
"Visitors will receive their QR code ticket instantly via email and through the Sarawak Gov Mobile App and they can scan it for entry," he said.
Abdul Karim explained that the aim is to improve the existing payment system to make it easier and more efficient for visitors. - Bernama
