4-day camp brings the best in varsity students

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Bouala Phomphone (third left) with her uni-mates from Laos.

By NUR ASHIKIN LOUIS

KUCHING: Eighty university students from Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Laos, Yemen, Pakistan and host, Malaysia took part in International Intercultural Treasure Hunt (ITH) today.

The participants are from Thaksin University in Thailand, Soutsaka College in Laos, South East Bangkok College, Sinka Education Centre of Sinkawang in Indonesia, Segi College, Swinburne University of Sarawak and Unimas.

Group photo of participants the annual Treasure Hunt Nite before flag off by Sarawak Muzium director Suria Bujang at the Arts Muzium, Kuching today. – Photos by Ghazali Bujang

ITH is one of the activities for the ‘Night at the Museum’ programme from Feb8-9 organised by Sarawak Museum Department and the Faculty of Language and Communication of Unimas.

The programme is a part of the four-day International Intercultural Expedition Camp (IIEC) 2019 from Feb 8.

The hunt was flagged off by Sarawak Museum Department acting director Suria Bujang at 9am today.

Sarawak Muzium Director Suria Bujang together with Unimas Dean, Faculty of Language and Communication, Professor Dr Ambigapathy Pandian (right) flag off the annual Treasure Hunt Nite at the Arts Muzium, Kuching today.

According to Sarawak Museum Department project leader Mohamad Noor Omar, the students were divided into five groups of 16 to a group.

“The students are required to explore by foot five checkpoints, namely Textile Museum Sarawak, Chinese History Museum, Natural History Museum, Sarawak Art Museum, and Islamic Arts Museum. Every group will have different checkpoints to start from,” he said.

The hunt required the students to spend a night at the museum the day before.

Speaking of her experience, Soutsaka College student Bouala Phomphone, 27 said: “It’s my first time staying overnight in a museum. I am overwhelmed.”

Bouala said it was surely unlike what a hotel could offer.

“There were many of us, but I could still cope with the situation. I was comfortable with whatever amenities provided.

“Naturally, I found some historical artifacts of Sarawak very similar of those from my country.

“On the whole, it is still a very wonderful journey as we students learn more about Sarawak culture.

“We had local food like mee mamak and nasi lemak with chicken. I enjoyed eating them. We don’t have them in my country.”

Thaksin University student Naruebet Thongkam, 20, said he enjoyed his time in Malaysia.

“We learned about Sarawak history and heritage and it is interesting. There are some similarities with our country but I think that’s to be expected because we are within the same region – Southeast Asia.

“There are only two toilets in the museum for 80 of us. That was quite tough.”