BAU: The Bung Bratak Heritage Association (BBHA) has called on the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to help it get allocations to connect electricity from the primary grid to the heritage centre.
Its deputy president Rayan Narong said the centre is supplied with two generator sets at the moment, which is insufficient to meet the requirements of all the existing facilities there.
“The association has raised the electrical issue with the government on several occasions, and we have met with Sarawak Energy Berhad. We were informed that the cost of connecting electricity from the main grid to the heritage centre is estimated at RM 1.16 million.
“Bung Bratak Heritage Centre is not able to finance this amount. Therefore, we hereby request and kindly ask Datuk Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman (ministry secretary general) to assist in obtaining the allocation from the relevant ministry,” he said at the Bung Bratak Festival, Sunday (Sept 3).
Earlier, during Bung Bratak Day on May 1, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the Sarawak government will look into connecting the heritage centre to the electrical grid.
Abdul Karim had expressed disappointment that the heritage centre is still sourcing electricity from generators and said he will work with his colleagues in the state Cabinet to address the issue.
Meanwhile, on the festival, Rayan expressed his appreciation to the ministry and the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) for choosing BBHA as the partner and the heritage centre as the venue to host the ‘Program Merakyatkan Seni dan Budaya Festival Bung Bratak 2023’ on Sept 2-3.
“Such collaborations should continue because it can bring many benefits to the local communities as well as providing free publicity for the Bung Bratak Heritage Centre,” he added.
Also present were Roslan, Opar assemblyman Billy Sujang, permanent secretary Datuk Sherrina Hussain and Bau District officer Constantine Gerald David Jonas.
