Sibu "Lau King Howe Hospital"
It was completed in 1936 and started to provide the most important medical services to the people of the Rajang River. The Lau King Howe Hospital basically did not provide hospitalization, but only provided some outpatient medical services. Until June 2005, the Lau King Howe Hospital was completely closed to give a way for Development project of Sibu Town Square Phas
e Two. This hospital was built at the confluence of the Rajang and Igan rivers, on the bank of the river. Since Sibu is a swamp area, it will be invaded by tides over the years. Therefore, the hospital complex is often faced with tides. A pond was created under the museum structure to recall the scenary and memory of those year which Hospital invaded by tides over the years. One side of "Lau King Howe Hospital" is the river, and the other is the famous small river ditch in Sibu-the Sungai Limbangan. On the river bank, there are still some dilapidated graveyards under the ancient old tree with a kiosk build to remember those who buried nearby. The Lau King Howe hospital building leading to the riverside, vaguely remembered, included the mental illness rehabilitation center and some staff dormitories that went further. Behind the staff dormitory is the low-lying land on the riverside and the graveyard. The most unique place of "Lau King Howe Hospital" is the ancient entrance, which remained unchanged until it was demolished. The narrow entrance is the main channel leading to the inner ward and operating room. In the past, it might only be provided for people to walk. It was later rebuilt to allow cars and ambulances to enter, and there are some parking spaces. This gate entrance was originally narrow and small, but was later built just enough to allow two cars to enter and exit side by side. On both sides of the gate are the equipment of the hospital, and the entrance on the left is the outpatient department, where people go to see a doctor. On the right are some offices and X-ray rooms, as well as other equipment. Here on the right, there is a long corridor leading to various wards. After the relocation of the hospital, some of the remaining medical services are also carried out here. The dental department is in front of the entrance of the hospital, in another building. Behind this hospital building, there are also medicine storage warehouses and so on. Since it is a well-equipped hospital, the "The Lau King Howe Hospital " has reached the level of a comprehensive hospital from the beginning of its construction to its later development, with a large scale. The buildings of this hospital are all four-foot-tall single-story buildings. Only the dental clinics and staff dormitories built in later stages appeared in multi-storey buildings. Therefore, it can be said to be a very traditional hospital structure. Although this hospital was not very advanced in the 1980s and 1990s, however basic medical services were available and up to standard. Since the Lau King Howe Hospital converted to the Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum on 3rd August 1996, The Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum is not only a museum of medical equipment, but also a historical record. It allows us to understand how the past generation paid and made efforts in medical services. The Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum had been declared by the SARAWAK STATE GOVERNMENT as Gazetted Heritage Building under The Sarawak Culture Heritage Ordinance 1993, on 23rd September 2019
WELCOME TO LAU KING HOWE HOSPITAL MEMORIAL MUSEUM !
刘钦侯医院纪念馆是一座记念砂拉越中区医疗发展历史及医院捐建人刘钦侯的纪念馆. 坐落于砂拉越诗巫拉让江畔的纪念馆占地虽不算大, 却承载了诗巫人一段重要的共同记忆。
1930年, 诗巫福州籍华商刘钦侯, 因有感于当地医疗设施之不足, 因而便与卫理公会的富雅各传教士及林开臻牧师商议, 决定将个人的产业捐出, 以充作兴建一所新医院之用费.经当时第三省省长亚当将此项献议报知砂拉越政府后,白人拉者维纳‧布律克欣然接纳, 并同意新医院会以刘钦侯的姓名命名。刘钦侯医院随后于1936年正式落成, 并成为当时砂拉越设备最好的其中一所医院.
1994年, 诗巫新中央医院建竣启用, 刘钦侯医院为拉让江流域人民提供医疗服务经一甲子之后,终于完成其历史使命而宣告关闭。由于担忧新医院使用后, 刘钦侯医院最终将被拆除, 以致刘钦侯捐建医院, 造福人群的史实会从此湮灭; 1994年杪, 诗巫5个组织, 即:诗巫省华人社团联合会、砂拉越华族文化协会、诗巫中华工商总会、马来西亚医药协会诗巫分会、诗巫酒店与旅游协会遂发起成立“刘钦侯医院纪念馆”筹建委员会; 并向当局争取将旧医院其中一栋历史较早的医疗间拨用以修建纪念馆。
1996年,“刘钦侯医院纪念馆”在本曼查拿督刘贤英带领的筹建会努力争取, 以及诗巫社会的大力响应之下,正式在医院原址地段设立,并于同年8月, 由当时砂拉越州第一副首长拿督巴丁宜丹斯里黄顺开医生主持开幕。
2005年, 刘钦侯医院被拆除, 仅留下纪念馆一栋建筑物。由于医院旧址大部份被征用以扩建诗巫城市广场,因此有数年的时间, 纪念馆处于半闗闭状态。为因应周围的发展, 管委会对纪念馆进行提升工作, 全面改进馆内设施。纪念馆遂以全新面貌于2008年12月重新开放。管委会下一项工作,即积极向州政府争取将纪念馆地段公告为州文化遗产。纪念馆共分刘钦侯生平及捐建医院史料、医院发展历史及医疗器材两个展区, 免费开放予公众参观。作为一座纪念馆, 它不仅仅保存了诗巫过去半个世纪来医疗发展的历史;也是一个教育场所, 向后人昭示了以刘钦侯作为代表的华人先贤, 对砂拉越社会建设所作出的重大贡献。
自创设至今,这座纪念馆每年都吸引了接近万人的参观.其统计数字如下:
2008年12月4日起:120人.
2009年:8,602人.
2010年:7,790人.
2011年:9,838人.
2012年:9,257人.
2013年:9,325人.
2014年:7,649人.
2015年:6,610人.
2016年:13,420人.
2017年:8,659人.
2018年:7,632人.
2019年:7,643人.
2020年:1,777人.
2021年: 797人.
2022年:4,400人
2023年:5,569人
开放时间: 刘钦侯医院纪念馆开放时间为周二至周日,上午09:00至下午05:00。周一及政府公告的公共假期闭馆。
联络电话/传真方式:+6084-338070
电邮方式:[email protected]
公众同时可以透过浏览纪念馆的网站(www.lkhhmm.org),以了解纪念馆历史、活动及展览内容。网站也附上银行户头号码,方便公众捐献支持。
外地游人来到诗巫,由砂拉越最高建筑--三洋大厦(Wisma Sanyan)前方,向河边方向望去,即可看到这座纪念馆.它也是在诗巫城市广场的旁边,邻近还有一座古回教坟场,以及伊干江河滨走廊.
Credit: Steve 林礼长