logo
From crown to culture: Atitih's new role at Sabah museum

From crown to culture: Atitih's new role at Sabah museum

KOTA KINABALU: When Atitih Yati Robert first visited the Sabah Museum in 2017, she was a teenage finalist in the Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan (UNK) pageant.
The visit was brief — wedged between rehearsals and ceremonial duties — but it sparked a curiosity that would shape her future.
Eight years on, the now 26-year-old returns to the institution not as a visitor or contestant, but as a cultural figure in her own right.
Atitih, the reigning Unduk Ngadau 2025, was officially appointed as the Sabah Museum Ambassador during its Diamond Jubilee celebration on Saturday.
Unduk Ngadau is a cultural pageant held during Sabah's Harvest Festival to celebrate indigenous beauty and heritage.
The appointment is part of a broader initiative by the Sabah Museum Department to engage youth, cultural icons, artists and influencers in efforts to safeguard and promote Sabah's heritage through fresh, inclusive, and modern approaches.
"I barely knew anything about the museum back then — just the name," Atitih told the New Straits Times.
"I was so excited to visit that I didn't even finish my meal. I didn't want to miss the chance to walk around and see what was inside."
Despite the short duration of that first visit, the experience stayed with her. Today, she sees the museum not merely as a storehouse of artefacts but as a living space where past and present intersect.
"Each time I visit the Sabah Museum, I feel like I'm having a conversation with our heritage," she said.
"It's not just something you read about. It's something you see, touch and experience. I've discovered things there I never heard from my family, my community, or in school. That's what makes museums matter — they help us understand before we can appreciate."
She said that not everyone sees museums as exciting spaces, especially younger people. But she hopes to change that.
"Perception reflects experience. If someone finds a museum uninteresting, perhaps they haven't yet had a visit that moved them," she said. "As Ambassador, I want to help spark that curiosity, even in small ways."
For Atitih, being both an Unduk Ngadau and Museum Ambassador comes with weight — but also opportunity.
"As someone in this unique position, I want to help bridge tradition and the younger generation. The responsibility is big, but I see it as a chance to raise awareness, inspire pride and connect our identity to the world in a meaningful way."
She also believes listening is just as important as promoting.
"I want to hear what people think—their ideas, feedback, even criticism. It's not about promoting for the sake of it, but about making the museum a space that people can connect with, and leave feeling proud and inspired."
The Sabah Museum itself is undergoing a digital transformation. During the jubilee celebration, Sabah's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment announced the adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to make exhibitions more accessible and immersive.
Visitors can now experience traditional ethnic houses at Heritage Village Phases 1 and 2 via an interactive digital platform, accessible anytime and anywhere.
"This proves that heritage is not frozen in the past—it lives in the future," said the minister, Datuk Christina Liew, in a speech delivered by assistant minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
Atitih welcomes the move and hopes to collaborate with content creators, schools, and cultural institutions to bring Sabah's heritage into the digital space.
"Our heritage deserves a presence in the digital world. From short videos to virtual tours, there's so much potential to connect with people where they are."
Since its founding in 1965, the Sabah Museum has expanded from a single building on Gaya Street to managing 23 museums and in-situ heritage sites statewide—including the Tun Mustapha Museum in Kudat, the Agnes Keith House in Sandakan, and Bukit Tengkorak in Semporna.
A new site, the Muzium Tamadun dan Etnik Dusun Ranau, is also in development.
Atitih believes heritage must be seen as a shared responsibility.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

From crown to culture: Atitih's new role at Sabah museum
From crown to culture: Atitih's new role at Sabah museum

New Straits Times

time6 days ago

  • New Straits Times

From crown to culture: Atitih's new role at Sabah museum

KOTA KINABALU: When Atitih Yati Robert first visited the Sabah Museum in 2017, she was a teenage finalist in the Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan (UNK) pageant. The visit was brief — wedged between rehearsals and ceremonial duties — but it sparked a curiosity that would shape her future. Eight years on, the now 26-year-old returns to the institution not as a visitor or contestant, but as a cultural figure in her own right. Atitih, the reigning Unduk Ngadau 2025, was officially appointed as the Sabah Museum Ambassador during its Diamond Jubilee celebration on Saturday. Unduk Ngadau is a cultural pageant held during Sabah's Harvest Festival to celebrate indigenous beauty and heritage. The appointment is part of a broader initiative by the Sabah Museum Department to engage youth, cultural icons, artists and influencers in efforts to safeguard and promote Sabah's heritage through fresh, inclusive, and modern approaches. "I barely knew anything about the museum back then — just the name," Atitih told the New Straits Times. "I was so excited to visit that I didn't even finish my meal. I didn't want to miss the chance to walk around and see what was inside." Despite the short duration of that first visit, the experience stayed with her. Today, she sees the museum not merely as a storehouse of artefacts but as a living space where past and present intersect. "Each time I visit the Sabah Museum, I feel like I'm having a conversation with our heritage," she said. "It's not just something you read about. It's something you see, touch and experience. I've discovered things there I never heard from my family, my community, or in school. That's what makes museums matter — they help us understand before we can appreciate." She said that not everyone sees museums as exciting spaces, especially younger people. But she hopes to change that. "Perception reflects experience. If someone finds a museum uninteresting, perhaps they haven't yet had a visit that moved them," she said. "As Ambassador, I want to help spark that curiosity, even in small ways." For Atitih, being both an Unduk Ngadau and Museum Ambassador comes with weight — but also opportunity. "As someone in this unique position, I want to help bridge tradition and the younger generation. The responsibility is big, but I see it as a chance to raise awareness, inspire pride and connect our identity to the world in a meaningful way." She also believes listening is just as important as promoting. "I want to hear what people think—their ideas, feedback, even criticism. It's not about promoting for the sake of it, but about making the museum a space that people can connect with, and leave feeling proud and inspired." The Sabah Museum itself is undergoing a digital transformation. During the jubilee celebration, Sabah's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment announced the adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to make exhibitions more accessible and immersive. Visitors can now experience traditional ethnic houses at Heritage Village Phases 1 and 2 via an interactive digital platform, accessible anytime and anywhere. "This proves that heritage is not frozen in the past—it lives in the future," said the minister, Datuk Christina Liew, in a speech delivered by assistant minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. Atitih welcomes the move and hopes to collaborate with content creators, schools, and cultural institutions to bring Sabah's heritage into the digital space. "Our heritage deserves a presence in the digital world. From short videos to virtual tours, there's so much potential to connect with people where they are." Since its founding in 1965, the Sabah Museum has expanded from a single building on Gaya Street to managing 23 museums and in-situ heritage sites statewide—including the Tun Mustapha Museum in Kudat, the Agnes Keith House in Sandakan, and Bukit Tengkorak in Semporna. A new site, the Muzium Tamadun dan Etnik Dusun Ranau, is also in development. Atitih believes heritage must be seen as a shared responsibility.

Sabah Museum embraces AR/VR tech, cultural ambassadors
Sabah Museum embraces AR/VR tech, cultural ambassadors

Borneo Post

time7 days ago

  • Borneo Post

Sabah Museum embraces AR/VR tech, cultural ambassadors

Joniston (third from right) and Atitih (third from left) taking a group selfie with visitors at Sabah Museum.-Information Department photo KOTA KINABALU (July 19): Sabah Museum has introduced Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology, aligning with the government's aspiration to digitize services. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew stated that through this immersive technology, visitors can not only view but also experience the atmosphere of traditional houses from various Sabah ethnic groups in an interactive three-dimensional format. 'Through this technology, traditional houses are not merely displayed but revived. Visitors can 'enter' these houses anytime, anywhere. This digital transformation conveys the message that heritage is not just to be remembered but also to be experienced in a modern way by today's generation,' she said in a speech text read by Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai during the Sabah Museum Diamond Jubilee Launch on Saturday. The event was held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Sabah Museum's establishment as an institution preserving the state's history and cultural heritage. According to Liew, the appointment of Unduk Ngadau (Beauty Queen) 2025 Atitih Yati Robert as Sabah Museum Ambassador aims to extend the reach of heritage messaging to youth, artists, cultural figures and social media influencers. 'This ambassador will serve as a cultural spokesperson, conducting awareness programs and promoting historical values to the community through physical and digital channels,' she explained. The introduction of AR/VR technology and the involvement of a young ambassador is seen as a dual-pronged approach to bridge the gap between traditional heritage and modern reality. This transforms the museum beyond an exhibition venue into an interactive center for learning, recreation, and cultural connection. She added that the Sabah Museum Diamond Jubilee exhibition features visual documentation, archival materials, and a chronological display of the department's development since 1965, honoring Sabah's longstanding custodians of collective memory. 'I extend my highest appreciation to the entire Sabah Museum Department staff who, for six decades, have strived to document, preserve, and build the identity of this state. As long as this spirit continues, Sabah Museum will remain a beacon of knowledge, heritage and identity for the people, not only at the state level but also nationally and internationally,' she said. Sabah Museum now has 23 branches and in-situ sites across the state, including the Tun Mustapha Museum Kudat, Agnes Keith House Sandakan, Keningau Heritage Museum, and the Bukit Tengkorak Archaeological Site in Semporna. Plans are also underway to open another new museum in Ranau. Traditional houses showcased at Sabah Museum include those from the Bongi, Rungus, Murut, Bisaya, Lotud, Brunei Malay, Hakka Chinese planter, Suluk, Iranun, Makiang, Kalabuan, Gana, Lundayeh, Tombonuo, Begahak, Tatana, Sonsogon, and Kedayan ethnic groups. The 60th-anniversary celebration was also enlivened by a People's Sports Carnival featuring traditional games like congkak, tug-of-war and blowpipe, proving that heritage can continue to be presented and experienced in diverse forms.

Ink in my veins: Growing up with the NST
Ink in my veins: Growing up with the NST

New Straits Times

time15-07-2025

  • New Straits Times

Ink in my veins: Growing up with the NST

"WHO wants to be a journalist?" I was 11 — and the only one who raised a hand. We were on a school trip to the New Straits Times building in Jalan Riong, Bangsar. For most, it was just a break from class. But for me, it felt like a pilgrimage. I still remember the guide's question that day — casual, perhaps rhetorical. My hand shot up anyway. What stayed with me wasn't the bus ride from Methodist Girls' School in Klang — it was the roar of the printing press, the clanging metal, the rhythmic hum of stories being born. I remember the warm sheets of newsprint and the sharp, inky scent in the air. That was the day I realised: stories weren't just told — they were made. The NST broadsheet had long been a fixture in our home. Delivered faithfully each morning by Uncle Mano — who, remarkably, still delivers the paper to our doorstep to this day — it would sit folded neatly on the dining table, often before any of us were awake. My late father would read the paper from cover to cover with his kopi O in hand, chuckling or snorting whenever something struck him as amusing, outrageous or wise. I'd sit beside him, tracing the headlines with my fingers, pretending to understand the grown-up words. In time, I did — and once I started, I never stopped reading. THE GOLDEN PENS In those formative years, the writers I admired were bylines I followed faithfully. Chief among them was Adibah Amin, whose Sri Delima column felt like a conversation with a witty, wise aunt. In one piece, she wrote: "We (Malaysians) have become hypersensitive... losing the ability to laugh at ourselves." It was a gentle reminder to develop thicker skins and softer hearts. If Adibah was the quiet voice of reason, Rehman Rashid was the thunderclap — brilliant, biting and unflinchingly honest. His Scorpion Tales were packed with sharp insight and rhetorical force. When I got to know him later, his encouragement to write gave my childhood dream renewed purpose. He was as formidable in person as on the page — but always generous with his words. These writers didn't just fill space in a newspaper. They filled a void in me — one that yearned for eloquence, for stories that mattered, for words that cut through the fog. NST AS CLASSROOM Beyond columnists, the NST had a stable of journalists who seemed to me like literary gladiators. I remember reading about the Jean Sinappa murder trial in the 1980s — how the paper's coverage was breathless and gripping, detailing courtroom drama and public opinion in equal measure. I didn't know it then, but I was getting my first taste of investigative reporting. In the NST's long and storied newsroom, there were figures whose leadership and voices shaped not just the paper, but the journalistic ideals we aspired to. K.P. Waran, who rose from war reporting to executive editor, embodied calm authority and generosity. Kadir Jasin led the paper through a politically charged era with sharp editorial judgment. Johan Jaaffar brought a literary depth to journalism, while Farrah Naz Karim, bold and fearless, champions accountability through her reporting and leadership. I didn't know most of them personally, but I studied them like teachers. Their writing taught me precision, integrity and the value of asking the questions others wouldn't. The NST was once more than a newspaper — it was an educational tool. Through School Times, NiE pullouts and youth features, it shaped classroom discussions and helped students, myself included, to sharpen our English and connect with the world. Today, the NST has embraced the digital age — delivering news via mobile alerts, long-form digital features and podcasts like Beyond the Headlines and Sunday Vibes@NST. These new platforms continue its legacy of storytelling in ways that are accessible, immediate and engaging — proof that tradition can evolve without losing its voice. Now, the NST is entering a new era — one where print and digital blend more seamlessly than ever. With QR codes embedded into its pages and stories now read aloud through smart devices, the paper is not just being read — it's being heard. This shift honours the spirit of storytelling while embracing how people consume news today. Students can now listen to articles, learn correct pronunciation, and engage with the language in ways that go beyond the printed word. For a publication steeped in tradition, it's a bold step into the future — one that ensures the NST remains accessible, relevant and resonant with new generations of readers. And for those of us who grew up clutching the broadsheet at the breakfast table, it's a thrill to see the same paper we loved reimagining itself — once again, telling stories that matter in ways that speak to the times. THE PAPER TRAIL OF DREAMS When I eventually became a journalist, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. I didn't "decide" to be one — I had become one over time, like a pot left to simmer slowly until the flavours seeped into every fibre. It was a calling planted in me that day at Jalan Riong when I stood before the printing press in my school pinafore. To say the New Straits Times was my gateway to journalism is only part of the story. It was also a chronicle of Malaysia's growing pains — recording Merdeka, May 13, reformasi, royal weddings, floods, elections, scandals and the haze. It documented the ache of farewells, the pulse of everyday life and the rare euphoria of sporting triumphs. Even as formats evolved — from broadsheet to compact, from print to digital — the NST remained a thread linking my personal history to the nation's. It taught me to love language, to cherish nuance and to value truth — even when truth was uncomfortable. Years later, I'd step into the hallowed halls of Balai Berita as a journalist — starting out on the very same second floor where the printing press once roared and where, all those years ago, my dream of becoming a writer had quietly taken root. Thank you for the years — all 180 of them. Ink may fade, paper may yellow — but the stories endure. And so does the dream.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store