PIX: Mohd Adam Arinin
KOTA KINABALU: Gaya Street came alive last night as city folks and tourists gathered outside the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) building to participate in celebrations marking its 100th anniversary.
The stretch of road where the Sunday market is usually held was filled with stalls and food trucks, which added to the festive atmosphere.
People from all walks of life began thronging the area as early as 3pm to witness the historic occasion.
Speaking at the event, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said Kota Kinabalu is becoming a progressive city and attracting visitors from all over the world.
"As we celebrate the building's 100th anniversary, we also celebrate (our) diversity. It is the reason why people come to visit Sabah.
"That is the beauty of Sabah. We don't see people in terms of race and religion, and that's why the people live in harmony, as they continue to understand and respect one another," he said.
Also present at the event were state Tourism, Culture and Environment assistant minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming, STB chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai.
Masidi said he hopes Sabah will continue to excel in tourism and pointed out that the long-standing building signifies how Kota Kinabalu and the state have transformed over the years.
"The tourism industry must continue thinking of creative ways to present itself to stand out from among the rest.
"If we continue with this momentum, our (tourism) industry will remain resilient, just like the (STB) building, so our future generations are able to celebrate its 200th year," he added.
As part of the celebrations, Masidi deposited a personal postcard into a mailbox time capsule, which will be opened 100 years from now.
Construction of the colonial building which houses the STB office began in 1916. It was built specifically to house the Printing Office, which was moved to Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) from Sandakan.
The building was declared open by the British North Borneo Chartered Company on March 16, 1918. It was renovated 18 years later to accommodate offices of the Treasury, Audit Department, Bank Agency and Post Office.
In 1945, the building suffered damage during World War II allied bombing raids – but it was one of only three buildings to survive the war. The structure was repaired and renovated over the years.
In 1987, the Sabah Tourism and Environmental Ministry took over the building, which was gazetted as a historic structure, and placed under the care of the Sabah Museum and State Archives Department the following year.
Restoration of the building began in 1989 and two years later, it was reopened to house the STB.