BORNEO POST
Tuesday, 13th August 2002

Bid to bring Borneo’s information to the world


KUCHING: The State has embarked a collaborative regional project called k@Borneo (Knowledge@Borneo) to identify, acquire, maintain and make accessible all types of information resources, particularly about Borneo to the world.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with its partners yesterday from relevant organisations in Kalimantan (Indonesia), Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak.

These organisations were Universitas Tanjungputra Pontianak, Kalimantan (UNTAN), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Sabah Foundation, Sabah State Library, Sarawak Museum Department and Sarawak State Libray (PUSTAKA).

Meanwhile, approval was still pending for University Brunei Darussalam and Brunei Museums Department to take part in the joint venture.

Assistant Minister in the Chief minister’s Office Bolhassan Di represented the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to witness the signing ceremony.

k@Borneo chairperson Rashidah Bolhassan in a briefing to participating organisations said the concerted effort was needed to increase greater accessibility and ensure intellectual continuity and support research on Borneo to the world.

Moreover, as Borneo studies were gaining popularity and significance among researchers around the world it was right and timely for the region to be a contributor as information provider in Borneo to the world, she said.

The k@Borneo covers the identification of materials on Borneo (including Labuan), compilation of Borneo bibliography and digitisation of selected Borneo materials.

It is expected to be completed by end of 2004 in three main phases.

The first phase of the project is the compilation of Borneo bibliography covering printed materials on Borneo which currently is underway and expected to be completed by end of September.

The publication of the first Borneo bibliography falls in the second phase and it will cover printed materials on Borneo.

The third phase is to digitise materials and resources on local heritage that are unique or dying tradition and custom which are of interest to the local community and beyond.
Current and retrospective materials of research or administrative values rare publications and deteriorating materials which contain invaluable information on Borneo will also be digitised.






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