KUCHING: The Melanau Welfare Trust Board received a grant amounting to RM193,006 from Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg in a brief ceremony held at Wisma Bapa Malaysia, here on Friday.

The handover ceremony was also witnessed by Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian.

Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the grant is intended to support the development and operation of the Melanau Heritage Gallery located in Oya, Mukah.

According to her, it is one of the Sarawak Government's initiatives in its ongoing efforts to preserve, conserve, and promote the cultural heritage of the Melanau community.

"The Melanau Heritage Gallery is a Projek Rakyat that has been completed through allocations from the Sarawak Premier and is now open to the public.

Apart from serving as an exhibition space for Melanau history and culture, the gallery also functions as an educational and tourism platform that benefits both the local community and visitors,” she told reporters after the ceremony.

The Dalat Assemblywoman added that two phases of the gallery’s construction have been successfully completed, with plans underway for the third phase.

"This phase will feature ten main components related to customs and traditions of the Melanau community and local figures.

"We will also introduce interactive elements including dance as well as traditional food and medicine workshops to provide a more in-depth experience for visitors," she said.

Earlier in the same ceremony, several other recipients also received grants from the Premier of Sarawak, including the Consultative Committee for Chinese School Sarawak represented by Chairman of the Association of the Boards of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools in Kuching, Samarahan and Serian, Dato Jonathan Chai Voon Tok.

Other recipients were the Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Management Board represented by Chairman of the Sibu Private Chinese Secondary School Management Board, Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau Lee Ming, and Tabung Jasamu Kebajikan Veteran Tentera Anak Sarawak represented by Advisor to the Sarawak Veterans Association, Lt-General (R), Datuk Stephen Mundaw. -UKASnews