New access road to Niah Caves Unesco heritage site will be built, says deputy minister

MIRI (Aug 6): A new access road to the Niah Caves National Park will be built to improve connectivity to this newly-minted Unesco heritage site.

In disclosing this, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Aidel Lariwoo said this means easier accessibility to the world-famous caves and will result in an uptick in tourist arrivals.

“This new road will consist of a bridge across Sungai Bulau, and tender for this project is expected to be called in the fourth quarter of this year,” he said.

Currently, access to the Niah Caves is through an oil palm plantation road ending at Rumah Libau near the cave, or from Niah town to Tanjung Belipat before crossing the Niah River to Pangkalan Lobang and walking to the site through a walkway.

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture announced on July 27 that the Unesco recognition was granted during the 46th World Heritage Committee Session held from July 21 to 31 in New Delhi, India.

Niah is one of the five Unesco heritage sites in Malaysia, and the second in Sarawak after Mulu Caves.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Rosey Yunus said the new road to Niah Caves must meet the standards befitting the Unesco heritage status.

Stating that the Public Works Department (JKR) will undertake the study and source for the funds to get this project off the ground as soon as possible, the Bekenu assemblyman said the current access road from Niah through Tanjung Belipat is narrow, while the plantation road has its limitations.