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Michael Leigh’s collection to be handed to State Library

Posted on 26 October 2015

KUCHING: A symbolic handing over ceremony of Professor Michael
Leigh’s collection to Sarawak State Library (Pustaka) will be held
tomorrow at the Special Collection Room, Level 1 at 2.30pm.

It is a
Bequeath Programme of a collaboration between Pustaka Negeri Sarawak
(Pustaka) and individuals in Sarawak or elsewhere in the world and is
aimed at building a collection to preserve Sarawak’s culture,
governance, history, art, and heritage which would be accessible for
researchers, the general public, or future generations.

Professor
Michael Leigh has spoken of his intention to bequeath to Pustaka his
vast collections of research works amongst other collections.

Pustaka
Negeri and Sarawak are indebted by such noble act from someone who is
not residing in Sarawak but has such great interest in Sarawak.

Professor Leigh has published numerous
publications on Sarawak since 1963. His research interests are quite
varied, but they are mainly on politics across the Southeast Asian
boundaries.

Pustaka now has more than 75,000 items donated by
individuals in Sarawak or by the ex British officers who had served in
Sarawak, their families in the United Kingdom, and volunteers who had
served in Sarawak.

The largest collection was from the late Ho Ah
Chon’s family who had bequeathed 73,376 of his collection of negatives,
photographs, files and slides.

Pustaka would like to see more
individuals come forward and contribute towards the preservation of
Sarawak’s culture, governance, history, arts and heritage.

Pustaka board of management chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Hamid Bugo will also be present at the ceremony.

For
more information on this programme, contact Hayati Sabil at 082-440488
ext 36 (State Records Repository) or email hayatis2@sarawak.gov.my.