Sarawak studies proposal to use Mandarin in Borneo Cultures Museum

KUCHING, June 28 (Bernama) -- Sarawak will study the proposal to use the storytelling approach in Mandarin in addition to the Bahasa Malaysia and English used at the Borneo Cultures Museum here which opened on March 9.

Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the study would take into account the number of foreign tourists who use Mandarin when visiting the museum as well as additional costs if the proposal is implemented.

"If the number (Mandarin-speaking tourists) is high and it is felt there is a need, (the proposal) will be implemented but for now we are conducting a study first," he said in a press conference here today.

He said the proposal had been submitted by the Federation of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division Chinese Associations following the museum's popularity since it opened.

"In just three months (of its opening) we were able to attract more than 250,000 (visitors). I think maybe over 300,000 people have visited it to date," he said.

He said the use of Mandarin for narrating the history of a Chinese gold miner, Liu Shan Bang, in the Bau district near here during Brooke's rule in Sarawak was also being studied.

In the meantime, he said a concert tribute to Queen titled 'I Want To Break Free!' will be held at the Borneo Kuching Convention Centre (BCCK) on July 30 involving artists such as Alfred Ayal, Alif Putra, X Killer Queen, Dewi Seriestha and Mathew Ngau. More information can be found at www.frontrow.asia.

-- BERNAMA