KUALA LUMPUR: The National Heritage Department is in the process of lobbying the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to recognise Bujang Valley in Kedah as a world heritage site.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi said the government had allocated RM10 million to the department to develop infrastructure at the archaeological site in Sungai Batu as one of the country’s main tourism spots.
He said the initial allocation was given under the 4th Rolling Plan of the 11th Malaysia Plan to develop whatever infrastructure needed in efforts to make Bujang Valley a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“Among the infrastructure to be built are the archaeological research centre, security posts, garbage disposal facility, open and covered parking lots, and lodgings for tourists visiting the site,” he said at the Dewan Negara sitting today.
Senator Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah had wanted to know the latest action taken by the ministry to turn the Bujang Valley archaeological site into a major tourism attraction in the near future. -- Bernama