No city library for time being
Published on: Wednesday, January 23, 2019
KOTA KINABALU: First the bad news – people working, residing or shopping in the city centre will have no public library to go to as the branch at Suria Shopping Mall will cease operations at the end of the month due to contract expiry.
Efforts are underway to scout for an alternative “city centre” library although this may take time.
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However, the good news is that the public would finally be able to make use of the RM40 million State Library building in Tanjung Aru that was “completed” almost two years ago with the soft launch due this April 1.
The new library would be the next Kota Kinabalu Library, said State Library Director Wong Vui Yin, adding that although the building was completed on March 14, 2017, only the bare structure was ready.
The practical completion certificate was obtained shortly after while waiting for the occupational certificate.
“Even though the State Library received the occupational certificate on April 9, 2018, we were forced to step in to complete the interior works and infrastructure (road and carpark).
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“Works on the interior began on May 1, 2018 and expected to be completed next month while the infrastructure started this month and should be ready by March 31,” he told Daily Express.
Wong said once both these works are completed there would be a soft opening to be officiated by State Education and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob while the official opening would be graced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal later.
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Initially, he said, the building was part of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme that was donated by two companies. However, this did not include the interior works as well as the infrastructure such as road or car park.
He also said this meant that the building structure or the “shell” was under the CSR programme and were carried out under different funding while the works (interior and infrastructure) under the State Library funded by the State Government.
“Two companies responded towards this CSR programme few years back. Each of the company contributed RM20 million in terms of work done.
“This means the Government did not provide any funding for the construction of this building. It was solely based on CSR from the companies, believed as part of the arrangement for making the adjoining Perdana Park a reality.
“The funding that was provided by the State Government were RM8 million for the interior and RM1.6 million for the infrastructure,” he added.
“Once this (new Tg Aru library and its concept) proves to be popular with government support, we are planning to change our existing libraries in Sandakan, Tawau and Keningau. These are our next three targets,” he added.
With some 735,000 square feet of public library spaces in Sabah, Wong said State Library will be carrying out two more projects in the East Coast with Kunak and Kinabatangan also having their own libraries.
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