SYLVIA LOOI New Straits Times 30 Jul 14;
IPOH: WORK is under way to get the 130 million-year-old Belum-Temengor rainforest to be recognised as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco) World Heritage Site.
The National Heritage Department has been tasked to prepare the dossier for the listing, said state Tourism, Arts and Cultural Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi.
“The department has been given between three and four months to come up with the dossier.
“Although it is a long process, where all the criteria have to be assessed, we are aiming to obtain the recognition in three years.”
Nolee said Lenggong Valley which was declared a World Heritage Site on June 30, 2012, managed to obtain the listing in three years.
Five sites in Malaysia have made it into the listing. Besides Lenggong Valley, Unesco had recognised Penang, Malacca, Mount Kinabalu and Mount Niah as World Heritage sites.
The Belum-Temenggor rainforest, Nolee said, fulfilled
all the criteria of a World Heritage Site.
The Royal Belum State Park which was gazetted on May 3, 2007 encompasses 117,500 hectares of rainforest.
It is believed to be older than the Amazon rainforest in South America and Congo rainforest in Central Africa.
It is the habitat of 14 endangered wildlife species, including the Malayan tiger, Sun bear, Sumatran rhinoceros, elephants and the herbivorous tapir.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had, during his visit to the rainforest in May, said it had all the uniqueness and potential to be recognised as a World Heritage Site.
Nolee said: “It will not be a problem for us to achieve the status. Now, we just need to put in place the best practices.
He said the state was promoting the rainforest with
programmes being lined up.
