KUCHING: The old nurses' quarters at Jalan Crookshank should be preserved if possible rather than demolished for a flood mitigation project, says Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The state Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister said the quarters is a historical building with sentimental value to those who lived or worked there.
The building is slated to be replaced by a water retention pond to aid flood mitigation in the area, particularly for the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) located opposite it.
"It's quite unfortunate as I understand the building is going to be demolished. If the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) proposed a mitigation pond to solve the flooding problem, why was that site chosen?" Abdul Karim told reporters on Tuesday (Aug 6).
He urged DID to pause the demolition and seek an alternative solution.
"If it is possible to save the building, we should do so. If demolishing it is the only way to resolve flooding at SGH, then go ahead with it and I will back it. But if there are options to resolve this problem, go for the alternative because we want to preserve old buildings," he said.
Abdul Karim also noted that DID did not consult his ministry about the building's potential heritage value but instead contacted the Museum Department.
"I understand that the previous museum director said the building does not have heritage value. I was shocked when I saw the memo," he added.
Last Saturday (Aug 3), the Sarawak Heritage Society (SHS) called for the state government's intervention to save the nurses' quarters as a heritage building.
SHS stated that the building is an integral part of Sarawak's heritage, and its front section could be preserved without affecting the proposed pond.
The society also launched a public petition to save the quarters from demolition, which has received nearly 1,000 signatures as of Tuesday.
On Sunday (Aug 4), Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said the state government would consider SHS' request to preserve the building.
"We will look into this matter because I do not know the heritage value of the nurses' quarters, whether it is like the General Post Office or Central Police Station which have been declared as heritage sites," he said, noting that he had received a letter from SHS seeking his assistance to halt the demolition.
