SIBU: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has suggested that the Niah Cave in Miri be furthered explored, focusing on uncovering more about the area’s human settlement history.
He said that initial discoveries had dated human settlement in Niah Cave to around 40,000 years ago; however, University of New South Wales uncovered artefacts suggesting that human settlement in the cave began as early as 60,000 years ago.
“Niah Cave has just been listed by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a new World Heritage Site.
“In other words, there is historical background that can be explored and for us to explore how people lived at that time and how we inherited the way of life of people in Niah Cave.
“I think it is very important because in Kalimantan, there isn’t any UNESCO’s historical site that reflects the human settlement in Borneo,” he said.
He said this during the 18th Biennial International Participatory Design Conference (PDC 2024) held at University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) here, last night (Aug 12).
Abang Johari, also invited the conference delegates to visit and witness the beauty of Niah Cave.
The conference also saw the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between UTS and academic institutions from four continents, namely Australia (Oceania), Africa, Europe, and North America.
The conference, themed ‘Reaching Out: Connecting Beyond Participation’ aims to grow new alliances with research communities, stakeholders, and practitioners, enabling structured exchanges that transform design initiatives both locally and globally.
More than 200 participants, of which 150 are international participants representing 24 nationalities, are attending.
Among those present were Education, Innovation and Talent Development Deputy Minister and UTS Boards of Directors chairman Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, UTS vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Khairuddin Ab Hamid and Namibia University of Science and Technology Prof Dr Heike Winchiers-Theophilus.
