KUCHING: The Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor (FRIM FPS) has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it Malaysia’s sixth site to receive the recognition.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) said the recognition was announced during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, currently taking place from July 6 to 16 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
“Chaired by Professor Nikolay Nenov of Bulgaria, the committee, comprising 21 member states, endorsed the listing after more than a decade of preparations that began in 2013,” it said in a press release today (July 12).
FRIM FPS is among the earliest large-scale tropical forest restoration efforts, transforming former tin mining land into a thriving, biodiversity-rich ecosystem that closely resembles Malaysia’s natural rainforests.
With this addition, Malaysia now has six World Heritage Sites. The others are Kinabalu Park and Gunung Mulu National Park (inscribed in 2000), the Historic Cities of Melaka and George Town (2008), the Lenggong Valley (2012), and the Niah National Park Cave Complex (2024).
MOTAC also expressed appreciation to all parties involved in the nomination process, particularly the Selangor State Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO (SKUM), and the Permanent Delegation of Malaysia to UNESCO in Paris.
“This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to preserving sites of outstanding universal value and further raises Malaysia’s profile on the global stage,” it added.
The ministry expressed optimism that the recognition will enhance FRIM FPS’s appeal as a key ecotourism destination in Selangor, aligning with Visit Selangor Year 2025 and Visit Malaysia Year 2026, while boosting international tourist arrivals and benefiting local communities economically.
As of now, 1,223 sites worldwide have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List under the 1972 Convention.
