MIRI (April 19): The effort by Sarawak Chinese Association (SCA) through its ‘Discovering Sarawak Ethnic Crafts’ book collection has been lauded for creating a lasting legacy that could be passed down through generations.

Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah hails the collection as more than just a publication.

“It is a powerful act of preservation that shines a light on the remarkable creativity and unwavering resilience of local indigenous artisans.

“The pre-launch of ‘Discovering Sarawak Ethnic Crafts’ book collection marks a significant milestone in our efforts to document and preserve the intricate crafts of our indigenous communities.

“The compilations serve as a testament to the creativity and resilience of our artisans, whose works are integral to Sarawak’s cultural identity,” said Abdul Karim in his remarks for the pre-launch held at a hotel here on Friday.

The minister’s speech was delivered by Deputy Minister in Sarawak Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala.

Abdul Karim also emphasised that by chronicling these traditional crafts, it would ensure that future generations could appreciate and continue these time-honoured practices.

According to SCA president Harry Lee, the book is a compilation of the handicrafts exhibited at the Cultural Village during last year’s ‘Taste of Borneo Cultural Carnival’.

“The 504 exhibited ethnic handicraft pieces had earned us a place in the Malaysia Book of Records (Mybor) for the ‘Most Ethnic Handicrafts Exhibited’.

“Now, we have compiled this record-setting achievement into a book to showcase Sarawak’s rich cultural heritage to the world,” said Lee, adding that the book would soon be widely available at airports, the offices of Malaysian embassies abroad, tourism centres, museums, schools and libraries.

“The publication aims to draw the attention of both the international community and Malaysian public, to strengthen cultural identity in Sarawak and promote tourism that focuses on cultural heritage.”

In his speech, Abdul Karim said with SCA spearheading the initiative with its ‘Taste of Borneo Cultural Carnival’, he would be looking forward to seeing more of such events in Miri, and also expressed his wish for the annual ‘Sarawak Unity Festival’ to become a reality.

“I have no doubt that with the energy and dedication we’ve seen from the Sa Hwa (SCA) under the leadership of event ambassador Dato Hii King Chiong and president Harry Lee, as well as the other 19 ethnic associations, the festival can become a cornerstone of Sarawak’s cultural calendar, further amplifying the message of unity that Sarawak government so effectively champion.”

Apart from the pre-launch, the Friday night event also held the installation and swearing-in ceremony of SCA’s main committee, youth wing and women section for the 2025-2027 term.