KUCHING: The construction of the Orang Ulu Cultural Centre (OUCC) in Miri will further enhance the community’s culture and heritage in Sarawak.
Marudi District Council member councillor Margaret Uding Nawan said about 20 years ago, there was a plan to build an Orang Ulu House in Kuching and a piece of land was successfully acquired.
However, she said, the Orang Ulu community “lost” the land when the president of the association at the time turned the land into a row of shop houses.
“When we are given a shop house, many were not happy with the changes because it does not represent the Orang Ulu community.
“Shop houses, we can get it anywhere but to own an Orang Ulu House representing this minority community is not the way,” said Margaret when met during Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s Hari Raya open house at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on Wednesday.
According to Margaret, since then many efforts have been made by the community to retrieve the Orang Ulu House.
The latest effort, she said was through the Orang Ulu union forum last year, where the Orang Ulu community representing several associations requested the Sarawak government to give a piece of land to the Orang Ulu community.
“We applied for a piece of land and suggested for it to be in Miri, and the application was approved by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“The selection to build an Orang Ulu House or known as the Orang Ulu Cultural Center (OUCC) in Miri is quite coherent because the majority of the Orang Ulu community lives there,” she pointed out.
Margaret, who is also the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Telang Usan women chief, added the OUCC could be said to replace what the Orang Ulu had “lost” before.
“The construction of OUCC in Miri is very strategic because the Orang Ulu community from Belaga and Baram can gather there.
“We are very grateful to the chief minister for being aware of the welfare of minority groups like us,” she said, adding that OUCC would be a new landmark for the Orang Ulu in Sarawak as it would incorporate traditional elements from the community with modern design.
