KUCHING — Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg received a courtesy visit from the Pahang State Museum delegation at Wisma Bapa Malaysia on Thursday, laying the groundwork for cross-state collaboration on heritage and cultural preservation.
The Pahang delegation was led by Dato Ahmad Farid Abdul Jalal, accompanied by Museum Curator Hayati Adnan and Consultant Norzaireen Shamsul Kamar. Also in attendance were Datu Sherrini Hussaini, Permanent Secretary of the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts, and Suriya Charles Buas, CEO of the Sarawak Craft Council.
Dato Ahmad Farid said the courtesy visit aimed to build cooperation with Sarawak for the upcoming Pahang Heritage Festival, scheduled to take place in Pekan, Pahang from August 31 to September 7.
“In principle, the Sarawak Premier welcomed the invitation. God willing, we will hold further discussions with relevant Sarawak agencies tomorrow,” he told reporters after the meeting.
In a wider context, the Pahang Museum is also seeking deeper, long-term collaboration with the Sarawak Museum, including exhibition exchanges, expertise sharing, and heritage conservation efforts.
The Sarawak Museum has already proposed hosting a conservation workshop during the festival, which would include participation from other state museums, reinforcing national museum cooperation.
Dato Ahmad also praised Sarawak’s support and promotion of handicrafts, calling it a strong model for cultural identity and economic development.
“The government support for crafts in Sarawak is exceptional. It has become a strong identity of the state,” he said. “Other states in the Peninsula should follow suit, prioritising crafts as a symbol of their identity.”
This interstate partnership highlights the role of museums not just in preserving history, but also in fostering cultural pride, economic development, and cross-regional unity.
