MIRI: A five-day assessment has been conducted to determine the eligibility of the Niah National Park to be a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The evaluation was carried out by Dr Rima Hooja, an expert from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment, Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the assessment highlighted the importance and value of Niah National Park as a unique and outstanding site that contains remarkable evidence of human history, culture and civilisation.
” The caves at the park are home to the oldest human remains in Southeast Asia, dating back to 60,000 years ago. The caves also feature stunning rock paintings, burial sites, and traces of ancient trade and industry,” he told local media after attending an assessment meeting on Niah National Park here on Wednesday.
“The park also protects a pristine rainforest ecosystem that hosts many rare and endemic species of plants and animals.”
Len said the assessment also identified the challenges and opportunities for the site, such as tourism development and community involvement.
“The assessor provided recommendations and suggestions for improving the conservation, management and protection of the site, as well as enhancing its interpretation, presentation, and education,” he said.
According to him Dr Rima’s assessment report will be submitted to the World Heritage Committee for its review and decision on the status of the site.
“Following this assessment, the next step will involve presenting the assessment in Paris in November … hopefully by July 2024, our mission to make Niah National Park as a Unesco World Heritage site becomes a reality,” he said.
Presently, Malaysia has four World Heritage Sites, and if Niah National Park is included, it will the fifth in the country and Sarawak’s second World Heritage Site, after the Gunung Mulu National Park which attained the status in 2000.
