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.”

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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