By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 17: Sarawak is keeping its fingers crossed for the Niah National Park to be inscribed as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Site next year.
Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah noted that the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to the UNESCO, had conducted an evaluation mission on Niah National Park, from Sept 29 to Oct 4 and nominated it for a World Heritage Site designation.
“They did not have direct engagement with me but those that met them (State government officials) briefed me that the evaluation report will go through two more stages.
“The first stage would take place in November and the other one is probably early next year before they make the decision on the status of the site,” he said during a press conference held at Baitul Makmur II, Petra Jaya here today.
For the record, the Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves Complex, Sarawak, Malaysia has been nominated for UNESCO’s 2024 World Heritage Site under the mixed category for natural and cultural heritage.
Abdul Karim further believed that the ICOMOS evaluation team on Niah National Park were satisfied with what they had seen and assessed on the site, stating that the State government was very passionate about conservation and preservation rather than opening up heritage places for the sake of tourism.
“We have to balance it up. Whatever things that we want to do in terms of tourism promotion and infrastructure on our heritage sites, we would conform to certain requirements as set by UNESCO and World Heritage Committee as much as possible,” he added.
He also said Sarawak is home to many more heritage sites, with the State known to have the most national parks and the largest marine park in Malaysia.
Additionally, he stressed that the State government is committed in its efforts to advocate responsible tourism, citing an example of banning plastic bottles, tree-planting initiative, food waste collection and shuttle bus service during the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF). — DayakDaily
