SANDAKAN: The Museum authority is urged to investigate whether the topside rotting timber of the Agnes Keith timber House audio visual room’s projection screen backdrop cabinet is due to termite infestation.
It is also the room where a photograph of Daily Express Chief Editor is displayed about his involvement in the restoration of the historic wooden house back in 2000.
Daily Express was instrumental in locating Jusit bin Rantai, an orphan who was raised by the Keiths before the war and which Agnes Keith wrote about in one of her chapters in her world classic “Land Below The Wind”. Another view from under the rolled up projector screen.
On Sept 16, 1963, it was Jusit who by now had joined the police, who was entrusted with raising the Malaysian flag at Padang Merdeka to mark Sabah’s independence through the formation of Malaysia.
Jusit in an interview told James that was published in Daily Express that he was initially afraid to carry out the task in the padang as there were rumours that a group would sabotage the event using poisoned darts. A front view of the ‘rotten’ timber panel.
Meanwhile, as assessment on the structure of the house is necessary.
The timber used to make the wood panel seems hollowed out, but only a professional pest control expert could assess the matter professionally as it could be also due to timber defects with woodworm infestation.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
