MAKE OLD TRADITIONAL LONGHOUSES NATIONAL HERITAGE BUILDINGS - MINISTER

BETONG (Sarawak, Malaysia), July 11 (Bernama) -- Information, Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim Monday proposed that all traditional longhouses more than 50 years old be declared national heritage buildings.

This was one way of preserving them, he said when speaking at this year's "Gawai Dayak" (Harvest Festival) national level "open house" at the Rh Wilson Begat anak Bakir longhouse in Penom, Ulu Paku, near here.

"The society is fast moving towards modernisation and relevant efforts must be made to ensure that we still keep our very old and traditional longhouses for posterity's sake," he said.

He said it was very fortunate that this year's Gawai Dayak open house could be held in Rh Wilson Begat, an 85-year-old authentic Iban longhouse.

On another matter, Dr Rais said his ministry had made vast contributions to Sarawak's communications facilities.

He said that three years ago, the state's household broadband penetration rate was only 11 per cent.

"Now more than 70 per cent of the state's 2.5 million population is enjoying a penetration rate of 45 per cent through the efforts of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission," he said.
-- BERNAMA