LENGGONG: Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah yesterday proclaimed Lenggong as a geopark and opened the Lenggong Geopark Gallery here.
In attendance were Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim, Raja Muda of Perak Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa, Raja Puan Besar of Perak Raja Nazhatul Shima Idris Shah and Raja DiHilir of Perak Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Idris Shah.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad were also present.
Nik Nazmi, in his speech, said the proclamation of Lenggong as a geopark was an effort to preserve nature and sustainably manage areas of national interest with extraordinary geosite value.
He said NRES supported conservation efforts and in the last seven years, through the Minerals and Geosciences Department, the National Geopark Committee and the Geopark Implementation Committee, recognised 11 sites as national geoparks.
These are Jerai in Kedah and Lembah Kinta in Perak in 2017; Labuan and Lenggong in Perak in 2021; Gombak-Hulu Langat in Selangor, Stong in Kelantan and Sarawak Delta in Sarawak in 2022; and Kenyir in Terengganu, Perlis and Lipis in Pahang in 2023, he said.
Nik Nazmi said the country was also proud to have two United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Global Geoparks: Langkawi in Kedah (2007) and Kinabalu in Sabah (2023).
He said NRES had also approved RM4 million to carry out geological studies and research in Lenggong.
Nik Nazmi since the Lenggong Geopark Gallery was opened on Dec 16 last year, 2,500 people have visited. — BERNAMA
