Many of Malaysia’s famous landmarks and even its local dishes have been recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites or listed under UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. These prestigious accolades are not easily earned; each must meet strict criteria to receive such recognition.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) announced over the weekend that the FRIM Selangor Forest Park has now been added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here’s the story:
In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, a UNESCO World Heritage Site refers to any landmark or area inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) World Heritage List.
In short, these are places of cultural, historical or scientific significance. FRIM Selangor Forest Park is one such site, a unique example of large-scale tropical forest restoration, achieved through the replanting of trees in a former tin mining area. It’s little surprise, then, that it has now been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The inscription was revealed in a statement by Motac during the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held from 6th to 16th July at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris. According to The Star, the listing was approved by the 21 member states of the World Heritage Committee, following a nomination process that began in 2013.
With this latest achievement, Malaysia now has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Sarawak’s Gua Niah and Sabah’s Kinabalu National Geopark. “The ministry is confident that this recognition will add significant value to FRIM Selangor Forest Park as a key tourism product in Selangor. This achievement is expected to boost international tourist arrivals and contribute to Malaysia’s economy, particularly benefiting local communities,” Motac added.
This is truly an incredible milestone for Malaysia. We look forward to seeing which other landmarks in our homeland will be recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the future.
