IPOH – Lenggong has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the only site in Peninsular Malaysia to receive dual recognition from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) with its designation as a Unesco Global Geopark.
Lenggong MP Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the latest accolade builds on its 2012 inscription as a World Heritage Site, enhancing its appeal and placing both Malaysia and Perak more prominently on the global tourism map, Bernama reported.
“With the 2026 recognition of Lenggong as a Unesco Global Geopark, alongside its 2012 World Heritage Site inscription, it now stands as one of the areas with dual international status. In Peninsular Malaysia, Lenggong stands as the only area to have secured dual international status,” he stated on his Facebook page today.
Shamsul Anuar, who is also Deputy Home Minister, said the Unesco Global Geopark status was conferred during a ceremony at Unesco Headquarters in Paris, France, yesterday at 3.20 pm local time (9.20 pm Malaysian time).
He and the Lenggong Geopark Management Body were part of the delegation accompanying Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad to receive the recognition. Lenggong had earlier been gazetted as a National Geopark on December 16, 2021.
“Lenggong was recognised as a Unesco Global Geopark for its outstanding geological significance, rich biodiversity, and unique cultural heritage. It symbolises a unique and significant landscape that blends breathtaking natural beauty with historical heritage,” he said.
The site features a diverse terrain of lakes, rivers, and mountains, alongside archaeological sites tied closely to early human civilisation. “These elements make Lenggong an important location not only for tourism, but also for international-level scientific research of global significance,” Shamsul Anuar added.
As Chairman of the Lenggong Geopark Geocommunity, he said the recognition would have a wide-ranging impact on Perak and Malaysia, particularly in boosting tourism. Promotion efforts will be coordinated through the Lenggong Tourism Council, with an emphasis on community involvement in tourism entrepreneurship via the Geocommunity Committee.
“We have carried out and will continue to implement various programmes, including Geoschool Lenggong Geopark, Geoentrepreneur, Bangsawan Lembah Lenggong and Lenggong Dialogue 2026. My main focus will be on making Lenggong an open education centre, and we have already taken the first steps through an academy visit last March organised by the Lenggong Tourism Council together with the Lenggong Geopark Management Board,” he said.
On April 2, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the Lenggong Geopark Management Board to establish the UTM Geopark Geotechnology Centre in Lenggong, marking an initial step to strengthen the area as a knowledge and research hub.
Shamsul Anuar also expressed hope that the government, particularly the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, would support the development of tourism infrastructure in Lenggong. – April 28, 2026