Newly-crowned Unesco heritage site to be developed further

A coordinating committee will be set up to develop the tourism potential of Lenggong Valley in Hulu Perak, the newly-crowned World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

State Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Hamidah Osman said the committee will involve various government agencies at state and federal level, including the state Economic Planning Unit (Upen), Tourism Perak and National Heritage Department.

The committee will spearhead the development of tourism infrastructure such as information centre, observation towers, public transportation, restaurants and lodging facilities, she told reporters during a working visit to the Lenggong Archaeological Museum recently. Hamidah, who also mooted the idea of setting aside a date for the annual celebration of Lenggong Valley’s success, would bring up the matter during the state executive council meeting.

Historical relic: Hamidah inspecting ancient volcanic dust, believed to be from Indonesia’s Mount Toba, at Bukit Sapi in Lenggong.

The National Heritage Department, she added, had also been told to propose a budget to the federal government and make the development a reality. During the visit, Hamidah inspected archaeological sites in Bukit Jawa and Bukit Sapi.

Lenggong Valley, where the Perak Man was discovered in 1991, was recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site for Archaeology on June 30. The declaration was made following the discovery of artifacts, which were over 1.8 million years old, through excavation works by the country’s archaeologists.

Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim is expected be in Lenggong on Oct 13 to join a celebration to mark Lenggong Valley’s arrival on the world tourism map.

-thestar online.