SIMANGGANG: The Sri Aman House Gallery, officially opened on Oct 2, has begun welcoming visitors, both locally and from abroad.
Its uniqueness and historical significance make it one of the tourism products in the area.
The gallery commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Sri Aman Declaration between the Sarawak government and the communist party, signed on Oct 21, 1973.
The gallery is open to the public for free, except on certain public holidays.
From Mondays to Fridays, it operates from 9am to 4.45pm, while on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, it opens from 10am to 4pm.
On Oct 1, the gallery was inaugurated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He mentioned that the Sri Aman House Gallery serves as a symbol of unity among people of different races, religions, and political beliefs, working together to develop Sarawak.
“This building will be a symbol for us to preserve peace. The younger generation should learn from history – emulate the good and avoid repeating the mistakes. We should not repeat this (political upheaval) again,” said Abang Johari.
In Sri Aman, especially in Simanggang, there are many rest houses, with one of the most popular being the Simanggang House.
To commemorate the historical event, the Simanggang House was renamed the Sri Aman House, a change that was enforced through the Sarawak Government Gazette under the title of Simanggang Change of Name Order on March 19, 1974.
Due to its unique architecture and historical value, it was declared a historic building under the Sarawak Heritage Ordinance 2019 on March 21, 2021. This means it cannot be altered or demolished, as it is intended to be a historic building passed down to future generations.
Consequently, it has become a tourism product, and in line with this, the government has adapted the house by establishing the Aman Park, which serves as a green area for the enjoyment of the local community and visitors.
It is also known as the Octagon House during the rule of Sir Charles Brooke.
This house served as the Residence of the Sri Aman Division Resident before being transformed into a government rest house after the formation of Malaysia.
On Oct 21, 1973, the Sri Aman Declaration was signed in the Simanggang House between the Sarawak government represented by Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Yaakub and the People’s Party of Northern Kalimantan (PARAKU). This agreement marked the end of the communist threat in Sarawak.
In 1974, to commemorate this event, the Simanggang House was renamed the Sri Aman House on March 19, 1974.
For visitors interested in Simanggang, the Sri Aman House exhibition space is divided into four themes: “House on the Hill,” followed by “Era of the White Rajah,” “War and Peace,” and “High Water.”
