Abang Johari Tun Openg (third right) officiating the 2nd International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities 2021, in Kuching today.

KUCHING: The Sarawak State Government will not ignore but continue to preserve and promote the culture of the local people despite working to develop the state's digital economy. Thus, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg urged scholars, especially those dealing with ethnicities in Sarawak and Borneo to work towards the preservation of the indigenous culture of the people of Sarawak.

"Research will help highlight the richness of Sarawak's cultural diversity and strengthen our cultural identity," he said when officiating the 2nd International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities 2021 here today. He said the Sarawak State Government hoped that the establishment of the Pehin Sri Adenan Satem Chair at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu would highlight the university as a research centre focused on the Borneo ethnic in Sarawak, focusing on cultural, linguistic and socio-economic elements.

He said UPM's efforts at the Bintulu Campus to focus on the study of Sarawak's ethnicity as a specific area should be well appreciated while Sarawak should work towards greater economic development. “To support this noble effort, the Sarawak State Government has agreed to the establishment of the Pehin Sri Adenan Satem Chair, who during his life was a leader and supporter of great artistic and cultural elements.

"I believe this research chair will serve as a hub to collect data on cultural heritage and treasures from various ethnic groups in Sarawak and Borneo so that it is not abandoned or forgotten," he said. He said UPM Bintulu Campus will also lead ethnic research in Sarawak, especially on culture, language, human thought, customs, arts, and traditional heritage.

He further hoped that UPM Kampung Bintulu and the Sarawak government could continue the same program to create opportunities and enhanced efforts in establishing academic and research cooperation between universities on the island of Borneo and throughout the archipelago and enhance Borneo's reputation as a commercial eco-tourism destination by promoting heritage. Borneo culture internationally.

In this regard, he hoped that the Sri Adenan Satem Pehin Chair would drive research efforts and defend the unique identity and richness of Borneo's indigenous cultural heritage at the international level. Abang Johari also said the organization of ICOSSH 2021 would support the state government's efforts to empower communities and ethnicities.

Meanwhile, Abang Johari said the state government had allocated RM10 million under the Sarawak Budget 2022 to set up a Heritage, Arts and Culture Facilitation Fund next year to boost tourism and promotion programs in Sarawak, a land rich in culture and ethnicity, and diversity in art expression. Sarawak has 27 ethnic groups and 45 dialects spoken by the people of Sarawak.

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Date of Input: 28/10/2021 | Updated: 27/04/2022 | lanz