KUCHING - The Bidayuh Longhouse at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV), which was destroyed in a fire last night, will be rebuilt as soon as possible ahead of the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year.
SCV Sales, Marketing and Events director Zaini Zainuddin said the longhouse, built in 2007 and later expanded to cater to more visitors, has been one of the village’s main attractions since its opening in 1990.
"The house was unoccupied during the incident and served as storage for valuable Bidayuh artefacts,” he said.
Zaini said the reconstruction will be carried out with support from the state museum and the Bidayuh community to restore artefacts and preserve cultural heritage.
Meanwhile, SCV said that the village will remain open to visitors, but access will be temporarily restricted around the affected area to ensure safety and facilitate the investigation and recovery efforts.
"All other cultural houses and facilities within the Sarawak Cultural Village remain intact and unaffected,” it said in a statement.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department said the blaze, which started about 7.30 pm, destroyed the 1,130-square-metre structure. The cause is under investigation. - BERNAMA