SARAWAK is making a fresh attempt to get world renowned archaeological site, Niah Cave listed as a Unesco world heritage site.

The cave where archeologists Tom and Barbara Harrisson in 1958 discovered the “deep skull” of the anatomically modern homo sapien, is about 73km from the northern town of Miri.

An Australian researcher has stated that the cave was home to anatomically modern humans 65,000 years ago.

The state made its first attempt in 2010.

Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture and Youth Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who said efforts were under way to meet the conditions for listing, said the cave in the Niah national park could be a Unesco site in five years.

One of the conditions, Karim said, is to upgrade the access to the cave. Another is to close down a stone quarry nearby.

“Quarrying within the vicinity of the cave would jeopardise recognition,” he said at the launch of the “Night at the Museum” programme in Kuching.

Karim said Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg has ordered him to prepare a cabinet paper on the Niah project.

That, Karim said, shows the Sarawak government is committed to building up Niah as a world heritage site and a major tourism draw.

He said the state has asked universities and government research facilities in the US to return the skeletons of the Niah people that they have taken to study.

Karim said “more than 100 skeletons” are in the US.

“Now that the study is over, they should be returned.”

“We are turning Niah as a historical site, those things that are excavated from there should be brought back”.

He said the other side has agreed to return the bones. “We just need to pay for the shipping back to Sarawak.”

Karim said the skeletons would probably be home by the end of the year.

One or two will be displayed and the rest put in storage, he said. – February 9, 2019.