KUCHING: The Darul Kurnia building, also known as Bangunan Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah, located within the grounds of Chung Hua Middle School No 4, is set to be preserved as a heritage site and transformed into a museum following its return to the Sarawak government.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg recognised the building’s significant historical value, particularly its role during the anti-cession movement.
As such, he expressed his gratitude for the building’s return to the state government.
“Alhamdulillah, the Darul Kurnia building has been handed back to the Sarawak government.
“Once the construction of the new Chung Hua Middle School No 4 in Stutong is completed, the historical building will be returned to the Malay community. It will not affect the relationship between the Malay and non-Malay communities,” he said during the launch of ‘Book on Customs of the Sarawak Malay Community Based on Islamic Shariah’ at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre today (Jan 20).
Abang Johari added that the new school, currently being built in Stutong, is intended to address space limitations at the current site, which hinder further development and extracurricular activities.
“This is why I proposed the exchange. We provide land for the new school, and once the school is relocated, the government will take over the existing site,” he said.
Abang Johari confirmed that the Darul Kurnia building, which has already been gazetted as a heritage site, will be preserved and repurposed into a museum to highlight its historical and cultural importance.
For the record, on February 25, 2024, the Sarawak government allocated eight acres of land and RM20 million to support the relocation of the Chung Hua Middle School No 4 in Stutong.
Built in the 1930s by Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah who was a key figure in the Anti-Cession Movement against British colonialism, the Darul Kurnia building is situated on Jalan Haji Taha.
Following his death in 1946, the building was sold to a Chinese businessman, Ong Kwan Hin.
In 1972, the building was transferred to the Sarawak Chinese Community Trust Board.
