Premier: Sarawak first in M’sia to achieve two UNESCO World Heritage Site recognitions

Abang Johari speaks during the press conference at English Tea House, Kuching on July 28, 2024. Photo credit: Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS)

By Shikin Louis & Chris Bishop

KUCHING, July 28: Sarawak is the first in Malaysia to achieve two UNESCO World Heritage Site recognitions for the Niah National Park and Gunung Mulu National Park.

In stating this, the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg expressed his gratitude and congratulatory remark to the Sarawak team for completing the dossier in nominating Niah as the second World Heritage Site.

“We have successfully gotten Niah to be recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

“This means Sarawak now has two UNESCO sites—Mulu and Niah; not one Malaysian state has ever done this,” he told a press conference at the English Tea House here today after officiating the Ibu Pertiwi Flag Waving Ceremony at Ibu Pertiwi Square earlier.

Abang Johari further said the UNESCO recognitions reflect a real achievement on the part of Sarawak in terms of culture (Niah) as well as in nature (Mulu) with a historical value in terms of human settlement dating back to 60,000 years ago.

“If you go to Niah, there is a discovery of turtle fossil deposit in Niah Cave. This means that the area used to exist at the time the sea level was lower than today.

“This is our pride,” he stated, adding that the Sarawak Delta Geopark in Kuching has also been recognised as the sixth national geopark

Niah National Park was officially announced as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO during the 46th UNESCO World Heritage Committee Meeting 2024, held from July 21 to 31, at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Appu Ghar, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India.

This is the second UNESCO recognition after Gunung Mulu National Park in 2000. — DayakDaily