Muhammad Abdullah (fifth right)flanked by Rosemarie (left) and Law (second left) during the site visit.

KUCHING (March 20): The Sarawak government has allocated RM2 million to restore the former nurses’ quarters near the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) on Jalan Crookshank, to preserve it as a historical heritage site.

State Deputy Secretary (Economic Planning and Development) Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel said the decision was made following discussions and an agreement to resolve issues surrounding the site last year.

“For the restoration and upgrading works on the building, we will inject an initial fund of approximately RM2 million. This amount may increase, but we will review it further,” he said at a press conference after a site visit today.

He also expressed hope that the Sarawak Heritage Society (SHS) would assist in maintaining the building’s condition.

The initiative follows a stop-work order issued by the Sarawak Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) in August 2024, halting clearing works to the area after SHS appealed for the site’s preservation.

Muhammad Abdullah emphasised that the restoration aims to create a win-win situation for both SHS, which advocates for heritage conservation, and the appointed agencies responsible for site cleaning and the construction of the Sarawak Urban Stormwater Management (SUSToM) Pond.

Beyond its role as a heritage site, the quarters will also be repurposed as a transit centre under the Anjung Kasih initiative, providing accommodation for family members of patients receiving treatment at SGH, he added.

Accompanying Muhammad Abdullah during the site visit were Sarawak DID Deputy Director Law Wee and SHS President Datin Rosemarie Wong-Jabu.