Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery To Boost NCER's Prehistoric Tourism Network

KEPALA BATAS, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- The Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery is set to strengthen the prehistoric tourism network within the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), diversifying the country's tourism offerings towards high-value segments based on heritage, knowledge, and research.

Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the gallery is not just a physical development but a comprehensive economic initiative, creating job opportunities, enhancing community economic activities, and opening new sources of income for the surrounding areas.

Approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) with an allocation of RM10 million, the project also reflects the Federal government's support for Penang's efforts to develop tourism products rooted in prehistory and heritage.

“Guar Kepah is more than just a historical site; it is a treasure that holds evidence of early communities and the development of society in this region.

“Developing prehistory-based tourism products in Penang is part of efforts to diversify the economy, particularly in the NCER,” he said during the gallery’s opening ceremony here today.

The gallery’s opening was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Also in attendance were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, and the Dutch Ambassador to Malaysia, Jacques Werner.

Akmal Nasrullah highlighted that the gallery would link key prehistoric tourism sites in northern Peninsular Malaysia, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lenggong Valley in Perak, the Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery in Penang, and Sungai Batu in Kedah.

He emphasised that this effort aligns with the national strategy to diversify tourism products, targeting history enthusiasts, heritage researchers, academia, and students both locally and internationally.

The Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery, located at a historical shell midden excavation site, is a state-of-the-art facility gazetted as a heritage site under the National Heritage Act 2005.

Developed through a strategic partnership between NCER, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and the Penang Chief Minister’s Incorporated (CMI), the gallery's construction began in Nov 2022 and was completed in Aug 2024.

The gallery will feature the "Penang Woman," Malaysia’s first complete Neolithic skeleton, as well as bones previously stored in the Netherlands, repatriated through collaboration between the National Heritage Department, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), the Foreign Ministry, and Dutch authorities.

-- BERNAMA