13m whale skeleton set to be S'wak museum attraction
KUCHING: A 13m-long whale skeleton is set to go on display following its acquisition by the Sarawak Museum Department.
State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) was initially found dead and drifting near Pulau Seduku in the Sri Aman division in November.
He said it was the third whale specimen in the department's collection and the largest to date.
"We will find a place for it, either in the Borneo Cultures Museum or the Natural History Museum.
"It will be an interesting exhibit," he told reporters after chairing a Sarawak Heritage Council meeting here on Wednesday (June 18).
The whale carcass was first reported by area residents on social media on Nov 19.
ALSO READ: Dead whale found in Sarawak is Sei whale, says Sarawak Forestry
Four days later, a team from Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) discovered the heavily decomposed carcass trapped around the construction site of a bridge near the Triso Ferry.
The Museum Department subsequently obtained the skeleton through collaboration with the Sri Aman Resident Office, Lingga and Sebuyau district offices, SFC, Fire and Rescue Department, police and the local community.
Now part of the museum's zoology collection, the specimen holds significant value for research and exhibition.
Karim also said a set of traditional goldsmithing tools nearly a century old was recently donated to the department by Teo Keng Boon, the grandson of well-known goldsmith Teo Chai Seng.
He said the set comprised machinery, hand tools, a work station, gas canister, vault and the original shop signboard.
The equipment was used to shape gold bars into plates and wires to be fashioned into jewellery.
"Entirely operated by hand, the tools are estimated to be over 90 years old.
"The goldsmith's shop was located at China Street here and ceased operations in 2005," Karim said.
In addition, he said two copper pots estimated to be over 70 years old were donated to the department by Surau Darul Falah at Kampung Tupong here.
He said the pots were used by the villagers to cook rice, porridge and other dishes during communal events.
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Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Borneo Post
Sarawak Museum receives new artefacts from public donors
Abdul Karim (second left) inspects the antique goldsmithing tool set and machinery with (from left) Ting, Snowdan and Nancy. – Photo by Roystein Emmor KUCHING (June 18): The Sarawak Museum Department has acquired several significant artefacts from public donors, enhancing its collection of historical and cultural items. State Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah revealed that among the recent contributions is a set of antique goldsmithing tools and machinery. This set was donated by Teo Keng Boon, the grandson of the late master goldsmith Teo Chai Seng, he told a press conference after chairing a Sarawak Heritage Council meeting here today. The set, used to process and shape gold bars into plates and wires for jewellery-making, includes hand-operated machinery, a workstation, various hand tools, a gas canister, a vault, and the original shop signboard. 'Entirely operated by hand, the tools are estimated to be approximately 93 years old. The goldsmithing establishment, Chop Swee Hin, initially operated at No. 11, Jalan Rock until 1950, before relocating to No. 8, China Street, Kuching on Oct 18 1988. 'The business ceased operations permanently on Nov 29, 2005,' he said. Another notable acquisition is the tail bone of the Triso whale, part of a 13-metre sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) skeleton recovered in November 2024. The whale carcass was found drifting in Pulau Seduku waters before becoming trapped at a bridge construction site near the Triso Ferry. 'Now part of the Museum's zoology collection, it is the largest whale specimen ever obtained and holds significant value for research and exhibition,' said Abdul Karim. The successful recovery effort was a collaborative operation involving the Sri Aman Resident Office, Lingga and Sebuyau District Offices, Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and the local community, he noted. The artefacts put on display during the press conference. – Photo by Roystein Emmor Also donated were two antique copper pots from Surau Darul Falah, Kampung Tupong, which were handed over by the surau's chairman, Sakeran Bujang, on June 12. 'According to Sakeran, the copper pots were used by the villagers to cook rice, porridge, and dishes during communal events, and were kept at the Surau. 'The pots are estimated to be over 70 years old, as they have been in use since the first surau was built,' Abdul Karim said. 'The current Surau, where the pots were stored, is the third to be constructed and was completed on June 10 2001,' he added. There were several other artefacts which were revealed last month, and were also put on display during the press conference. Among them were two traditional and antique Sarawak sunhats donated by John Lavery, originally belonging to his parents, Bill and Pam Lavery. 'The donor claimed that the authentic sunhats were obtained during the formation of Malaysia in 1963 in Kuching. 'Bill Lavery was posted to Limbang that same year as a teacher and later served as headmaster under the Colombo Plan of External Aid of the Canadian government to Sarawak. 'The Lavery family left Sarawak in 1965. The hats were later passed on to their son, John Lavery, who entrusted it to the Sarawak Museum for safekeeping,' Abdul Karim said. Another valuable item is an old parang (machete) from Tebakang, Serian, donated by Lewis Mengu. 'The donor claimed that this parang has been with his family for almost 100 years. 'He claimed that the parang originally belonged to a group of headhunters who confronted Bueng and his wife in the early 1900s. 'Bueng was Lewis' forefather. In the ensuing fight, Bueng fought bravely and took one of their parangs. 'He brought it back to Kampung Tebakang Bidayuh, where it became a treasured family heirloom. The parang remained with the Bueng's family, passed down through generations,' said Abdul Karim. Additionally, two unglazed ceramic vases from Santubong were donated by Mohd Rizal Bujang. His father, Bujang Abdullah, discovered them in the 1970s while fishing off the coast of Santubong with the late Ibni Zen and Othman Zen, said Abdul Karim. In another development, Abdul Karim said Sarawak is preparing to welcome an evaluation team from Unesco for the field assessment of the Sarawak Delta Geopark, scheduled for June 23 to 26. 'I am also pleased to share that the Sarawak Museum Department is actively collaborating with the Sarawak Forestry Department on the Sarawak Delta Geopark project,' he said. The Unesco assessors are expected to visit several key sites, including the Borneo Cultures Museum (BCM), the Bukit Maras and Sungai Jaong archeological sites, and the Semeba Schist Tuang. 'This field evaluation mission represents a crucial step in the Sarawak Delta Geopark's journey toward being recognised as a Unesco Global Geopark,' said Abdul Karim. Also present at the press conference were State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts deputy ministers Datuk Sebastian Ting and Datuk Snowdan Lawan, as well as State Museum Director Nancy Jolhi.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- New Straits Times
Century-old goldsmithing tools, Sei whale skeleton to go on display in city museums
KUCHING: A set of century-old traditional equipment once used by one of the city's most prominent goldsmiths could soon be added to the list of new exhibits in one of the museums in the state capital here. Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Hamzah said they could go on display as new exhibits at the Borneo Cultures Museum or the Natural History Museum after the documentation process had been completed. The equipment, which comprised a work station, hand tools and a blowtorch with a mini gas cylinder, were donated to the Sarawak Museum Department by Teo Keng Boon, the grandson of the esteemed goldsmith Teo Chai Seng. The equipment and tools were those normally used to convert gold bars into plates and wires, which were subsequently fashioned into jewellery. Teo even donated the signboard of his grandfather's shop, Chop Swee Hin. The shop was originally located at No. 11, Jalan Rock, until 1950, before it shifted to No. 8, China Street in the city centre on Oct 18, 1988. The business closed down permanently on Nov 29, 2005. Another item that will be exhibited is the skeleton of a 13-metre Sei whale that the Museum Department managed to obtain in November last year. The skeleton is from the remains of a whale found floating off the waters of Pulau Seduku near Batang Luparin in Sri Aman Division in Nov 19 last year. The remains subsequently got trapped in the structure of a bridge under construction near the Triso ferry terminal. The carcass was retrieved by a team from the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) on Nov 22 last year for study. DNA testing confirmed that it was a Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis), marking the first time the species was found in Sarawak waters. Now part of the museum's zoology collection, it is the largest whale specimen ever obtained and holds significant value for research and exhibition, Karim said. He added that the skeleton would be exhibited at the Natural History Museum, or generally known to locals as "the old museum". At a press conference after the post Sarawak Heritage Council meeting today, Karim said the Borneo Cultures Museum, built at the cost of RM323 million, remained a prominent state attraction. The "new museum", he said, had drawn more than 1.35 million visitors since its opening in March 2022. He said up to June 16, there were a total of 117,095 visitors recorded in the museum. Among the notable visitors were Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who visited the museum twice in November last year and in February this year; Ugandan Energy and Minerals Minister Ruth Nankabirwa and her delegation; the Ambassador of Norway to Malaysia Morten Paulsen, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Malaysia Chantal Moser, and a delegation from the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Karim said the Cultures Museum had generated more than RM9.42 million in ticket sales since its opening in 2022. "Beyond ticketing, the rental of facilities such as the auditorium, function room, temporary exhibition room and arts & crafts gallery has also drawn strong interest, contributing an additional RM 334,000.00 in revenue," he added. "This strong response highlights the Cultures Museum's growing reputation as a premier venue for events, exhibitions and public engagement. "This year, the museum has generated RM 9,763,801.00 in revenue up to May 31."
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
13m whale skeleton set to be S'wak museum attraction
KUCHING: A 13m-long whale skeleton is set to go on display following its acquisition by the Sarawak Museum Department. State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) was initially found dead and drifting near Pulau Seduku in the Sri Aman division in November. He said it was the third whale specimen in the department's collection and the largest to date. "We will find a place for it, either in the Borneo Cultures Museum or the Natural History Museum. "It will be an interesting exhibit," he told reporters after chairing a Sarawak Heritage Council meeting here on Wednesday (June 18). The whale carcass was first reported by area residents on social media on Nov 19. ALSO READ: Dead whale found in Sarawak is Sei whale, says Sarawak Forestry Four days later, a team from Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) discovered the heavily decomposed carcass trapped around the construction site of a bridge near the Triso Ferry. The Museum Department subsequently obtained the skeleton through collaboration with the Sri Aman Resident Office, Lingga and Sebuyau district offices, SFC, Fire and Rescue Department, police and the local community. Now part of the museum's zoology collection, the specimen holds significant value for research and exhibition. Karim also said a set of traditional goldsmithing tools nearly a century old was recently donated to the department by Teo Keng Boon, the grandson of well-known goldsmith Teo Chai Seng. He said the set comprised machinery, hand tools, a work station, gas canister, vault and the original shop signboard. The equipment was used to shape gold bars into plates and wires to be fashioned into jewellery. "Entirely operated by hand, the tools are estimated to be over 90 years old. "The goldsmith's shop was located at China Street here and ceased operations in 2005," Karim said. In addition, he said two copper pots estimated to be over 70 years old were donated to the department by Surau Darul Falah at Kampung Tupong here. He said the pots were used by the villagers to cook rice, porridge and other dishes during communal events.
