SHAH ALAM, March 19 — The state government requires two years for preliminary preparations before submitting Permatang Kuarza Gombak, Selangor (PKGS) for certification as a Unesco heritage site, said a state exco.
Culture and Tourism, Malay Civilisation and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari told the state assembly today that the site has potential to be a national geopark even before it is recognised by Unesco.
“During the last meeting regarding PKGS it has been decided that it is not ready for Unesco but experts say that it has the potential to be a geopark. We will focus on developing it as a geopark before elevating it to Unesco status.
“The Selangor Economic Action Council has agreed with the proposal to turn it into a geopark,” said Abdul Rashid who was replying to a question by Hulu Kelang (Amanah) assemblyman Saari Sungib.
Saari expressed concern and asked whether the park would get “second class” status because the government is not developing it into a Unesco world heritage site.
Abdul Rashid said the certification was not easily obtained so the government needs more time before it can submit the application to the world organisation.
The government has contracted three experts, two in biodiversity and one in archaeology, to conduct the study on site.
“We need at least two years to conduct our study, prepare the documentation and plans before the site is qualified to be a Unesco heritage site,” said Abdul Rashid.
PKGS is among four sites in Malaysia identified as potential Unesco Heritage Sites in September last year together with Taman Negara, Royal Belum in Gerik, Perak and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia.
In its website, Unesco described PKGS as a “truly unique natural treasure” because of its size and the fact that it is fully exposed and because of its pseudo-karst morphology.
“It is a gigantic vertical rock slab built entirely of quartz mineral in various forms, extended for up to 14 km long and 200 metres wide and it is believed to be the longest pure quartz dyke in the world,” the Unesco write-up said.
