KUCHING, July 20 — The Sarawak government is presently in talks with the federal government on the return of the General Post Office building here under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) negotiations, said Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister said this is one of the 50 or so demands from the Sarawak government under the MA63’s land rights category.

“There has been no development for this heritage building for some 20 years, so we asked for it to be given back to us and hope that the negotiation would go well.

“This negotiation comes under the land rights of the MA63. I don’t have the specifics on the list of our demands but one of them is the Post Office building,” he told a press conference after witnessing the full-dress rehearsal of the Sarawak Day 2023 parade at Padang Merdeka here today.

The Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister, said the post office building is currently under Pos Malaysia, which was a federal government agency before being privatised.

He said after Pos Malaysia was privatised, the corporate body no longer used the building, which is why the state government had asked for the heritage building to be returned to Sarawak.

“Whether it is to be rehabilitated or turned into a cultural gallery, a restaurant, or a museum, we will decide in due time, after we get it back physically.

“As it is now, we are very, very happy that it may come back to us,” he said.

He pointed out there are many heritage buildings across Sarawak with some under local councils while others are under various government departments.

“For as long as they have heritage value, we will gazette as heritage buildings and develop one by one. Like the Rest House in Sri Aman, after rehabilitation, will be launched in October.

“It has its own history. The Sri Aman Declaration was signed there. Not many countries can have peace with the communists but Sarawak managed to do it,” he said.

He explained the Rest House in Sri Aman will display history on the communist era in Sarawak as well as Sri Aman’s history.

He added that Sarawakians, particularly those born after 1963, will be enlightened on the division’s history — how it was renamed from Simanggang — once the Rest House reopens to the public. — Borneo Post