Mount Kinabalu reaches for Unesco Global Geopark status by 2020

KOTA KINABALU (October 5): Sabah has begun efforts to obtain Unesco Global Geopark status for Mount Kinabalu and its surrounding districts by 2020.

The Star reports that State Deputy Chief Minister Christina Liew said Sabah Parks is in the midst of efforts to get the area recognised as a national geopark site, a step towards attaining the Unesco Global Geopark Site status.

The proposed area has been dubbed "Aspiring Kinabalu Geopark," and covers the entire Kinabalu Park as well as the whole or parts of the Ranau, Kota Belud and Kota Marudu districts.

Kinabalu Park is currently already recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site and covers an area of 75,370ha.

"I am happy this is becoming a phenomenon for Sabah. Let's go for it – a declaration for Kinabalu Geopark to be a Unesco Global Geopark.

"After all, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) is encouraging nations to protect and preserve their cultural and natural heritage which have outstanding universal value of biodiversity," Liew, also State Tourism, Culture and Tourism Minister, was quoted as saying by the daily.

The proposed Kinabalu Unesco Global Geopark was a new concept that would boost tourism to Sabah, and bring socio-economic benefits to local communities involved in the Kinabalu Geopark Initiative.

"This can be achieved through creating jobs and participating in tourism-related entrepreneurial activities," she said, as quoted by the daily.

Her ministry is to prepare a cabinet paper for consideration. 

Langkawi was the first to be accorded Unesco Global Geopark status in Malaysia in 2007.