Niah Cave deserving of Unesco recognition: SUPP

BY JACQUELINE DAVID

KUCHING: The Niah Cave in Miri deserves its long-awaited recognition as a Unesco heritage site, in the footsteps of the Mulu Caves.

In stating this Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Stakan branch chairman Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok said efforts to nominate the Niah Cave archaeological complex for Unesco status began in 2019.

Formal submissions were made in January 2021 and by January 2023, the nomination documents were sent to the Unesco Secretariat in Paris.

“We are very happy that we managed to get Niah Cave recognised as a Unesco World Heritage.

“It shows our government is responsible for getting Unesco qualifications, where part of the efforts are to upkeep the standard in preservation, making sure the cave is safe for everybody, preserved for future generations, and is also to preserve the record of significant human artefacts, adding to its historical value,” said Sim at the opening of the Teochew Sim Clan Sarawak 40th anniversary celebration here, Sunday (July 28).

On concurrent festivals in Kuching this month, Sim said for the tourism industry, these festivals or happenings never fail to attract tourists and locals.

“It is fantastic and the response has always been very good. You get to see people coming from all over the world including those from West Malaysia and Sabah to be part of the event,” he said.

In the Sarawak Tourism Calendar, among festivals this month include the Kuching Festival 2024 where people will be able to participate in the Kuching Zumba Fiesta, Mayor’s Walk, Garden show, Kuching Half Marathon Heritage Run, International Friendship Cities Night, Fishing competition, Kuching’s Got Talent, Charity Night, Martial Arts display and even the Borneo SongWak Water Music Festival.