Published on: Friday, March 03, 2006 |
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah should be proud to have a state-of-the-art National Archives building worth over RM24 million, which also boasts of an auditorium, a conservation room and computer-equipped research room.
National Archives Director-General, Dato' Hajah Rahani Jamil, said Sabah should also be proud to be the only State after Kedah (Alor Setar) to have such a building.
"First of all, I would like to congratulate Sabah as the second State to have own branch (of the National Archives) and building here at Km 4, Jalan Penampang (near to the State Archives)," she said after a handing-over ceremony by the Public Works Department (PWD), Thursday.
"All of the records from the Kuala Lumpur headquarters will be made available here which researchers can access at any time," she said.
She was speaking to reporters after PWD Director Anjin Ajik handed over the building to the National Archives.
Hajah Rahani said the building's research room, which has three online computers presently, would be installed with 10 more computers in future.
"Actually we developed our own online in-house system named Compass (Computerised Archiving System and Services) where we enter our data for those who come here and access," she pointed out.
She said people could also access some of the information from the comfort of their living room through the Internet without having to register.
"Researchers can come to the building and access information through our computers or also apply for permission to view an original document or item free of charge. But of course they will have to pay if they need to make copies of a document," she said.
Hajah Rahani pointed out the archives also has an impressive repository containing thousands of documents, microfilms, pictures and annual reports, among others.
"The room also has humidity and temperature control while the items inside are properly recorded and catalogued," she pointed out.
She said there was also a conservation and preservation team working at the building, restoring and repairing damaged paperwork or documents using archival and scientific methods.
"The public may also acquire the services but of course for a fee," she added.
Other than that, the building also has a strong room where confidential documents are kept which only certain people can access, Hajah Rahani said.
