BY NURA V LORNA & JAMES WONG
KUCHING: The Sarawak government has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the iconic Niah Caves National Park while enhancing infrastructure in the surrounding area.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg stressed the importance of balancing conservation efforts with development to attract more tourists to the site.
He congratulated the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) for its effort in the preservation effort, achieving the achievement for Niah to be recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
“Datuk Len Talif Salleh played a pivotal role in leading a delegation to Paris, which ultimately resulted in the recognition of Niah Caves as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“The recognition of Niah Caves signifies that civilization in this part of the world has established the background for human settlement.
“Although Tom Harrisson conducted initial studies, this research has been continued by academics, making Sarawak one of the world’s key sites for studying human civilization,” he said.
He said this when attending the Sarawak Forestry Corporation’s (SFC) Outstanding Service Award ceremony last night (Nov 15).
During the event, the Certificate of Inscription for the Archaeological Heritage of Niah Caves Complex, which recognises the famed archaeological complex as a Unesco World Heritage Site, was officially handed over to Abang Johari.
Presented by Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration, and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh, the occasion marked a source of pride for Sarawak and Malaysia, emphasising the global importance of preserving the shared cultural heritage.
For record, the Archaeological Heritage of Niah Caves Complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 27, 2024, during the 46th World Heritage Committee session in New Delhi, India.
It is Sarawak’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site, after Gunung Mulu National Park.
This esteemed recognition under the cultural category positions Niah among 26 newly inscribed sites worldwide.
It highlights the extraordinary archaeological importance of the Niah Caves, which hold evidence of human habitation spanning more than 50,000 years.
