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Perak's Lenggong Valley Unesco site boom: Tourists soar, locals thrive, and geopark bid gains ground

Perak's Lenggong Valley Unesco site boom: Tourists soar, locals thrive, and geopark bid gains ground

Malay Mail3 days ago
LENGGONG, July 13 — Lenggong Valley continues to record rapid growth as a heritage tourism destination, with tourist arrivals soaring by over 280 per cent in just two years.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the number of tourists rose from 24,770 in 2022 to 114,182 last year, following continuous efforts to develop the area.
'Tour guides saw their income increase by 237 per cent, while accommodation operators recorded a 145 per cent increase in revenue over the same period.
'This development has had a direct impact on the local economy, especially for rural communities, including traditional villages and the Orang Asli, who are now actively involved in tourism-related activities such as handicrafts, traditional food and homestay programmes,' he said.
He said this during a dinner event held in conjunction with the evaluation session of the Aspiring Lenggong Unesco Global Geopark (UGGp) site here yesterday.
Saarani said scientific studies conducted have identified several areas with development potential, involving 39 geosites, 11 geoarchaeological sites, eight biosites, and 21 cultural and heritage sites.
'Five of these sites have been recognised for their international geological value, encompassing unique and interrelated elements of geological heritage, biodiversity, culture and archaeology.
'This diversity of resources makes Lenggong Valley not only an important site for research activities but also a competitive international tourism destination,' he said.
He also said the state government is actively strengthening Lenggong Valley's international standing through collaborations with various international geopark networks and participation in global conferences, including with Japan, South Korea and Turkey.
'Lenggong Valley is no longer just a tourism destination, it is now a centre for human capital development based on heritage,' he added.
Lenggong Valley, designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2012, spans 22 square kilometres (sq km) which is about one per cent of the total area of the Aspiring Lenggong Unesco Global Geopark, which covers 2,248 sq km.
The UGGp area covers five subdistricts, Durian Pipit, Temelong, Lenggong, Kenering and Gerik, with a population of around 61,039 people. — Bernama
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First, you will need to fill up 'Form 1' which is available to download via and fill up your details along with a brief of the event details and its cancellation, the event organiser name and its company's registration number. Also be sure to include the amount you're claiming, in this case the ticket price, along with additional losses if there's any. You can then submit the form physically at any MCCT branches in your area, or even online via the e-Tribunal Portal. There's also a filing fee of RM5. For those submitting their claims physically, be sure to prepare four copies of the 'Form 1' in advance. Once you've completed the claim submission, you would later need to serve one copy of your 'Form 1' and four copies of 'Form 2' to the organiser's company address personally or via post. The organiser will then have 14 days to file out their defence in 'Form 2' and submit it to MCCT where the Tribunal will later set a hearing date for both you and the organiser. Unlike a court proceeding, Tribunal hearings do not allow lawyers – you and the organiser will present and defend the case in front of a Tribunal president, whose role includes to act as a mediator and facilitator during the hearing. The Tribunal's primary aim is often to mediate a settlement between the parties. If an agreement is reached, it will be recorded as a consent award. However if no settlement is reached, the Tribunal president will hear both sides and make an 'Award' which is legally bound. If the Award goes into your favour, the organiser will have to comply with the Award within 14 days. Iin cases of the organiser failing to comply within that time frame, you may also lodge a non-compliance complaint to the MCCT's Enforcement Division. This will result in a fine up to RM10,000 or imprisonment of up to two years or both while for every day of a continuing offence. The organiser is also liable to a fine between RM100 to RM5,000 for each day. It is also worth noting that MCCT claims are capped at RM50,000 only and for civil claims exceeding the total amount can pursue their case at the civil courts. 5. Class Action Lawsuit If it turns out that you are not the only one affected, and there are other like-minded fans who are seeking refunds and compensation from the organiser – a class action lawsuit or representative proceedings might help. A class action lawsuit would allow one or more persons to represent others who share the 'same interests' in a legal action. This also means that the case will be presented at any one of these civil courts. This includes Magistrate's Court for civil claims amounting up to RM100,000, Session's Court for civil claims amounting between RM101,000 to RM1 million while the High Court can hear all monetary claims. Court proceedings are complex in general which requires legal strategy and which is why the group of plaintiffs would need to hire a lawyer to advise their best course of action. Unlike the MCCT, civil court proceedings are not just complex but more expensive. You would have to cover legal expenses, and it is also time-consuming — a proceeding could take from months up to years before a court judgement is made. However, on the brighter side a class action lawsuit would have greater impact in terms of pressuring a company in reaching a comprehensive settlement compared to a single individual claim. It is also more likely to garner greater attention from the public. Class action lawsuit is also cost-efficient as you can divide the legal fees and disbursements among the group of plaintiffs while also avoiding clogging up the courts with identical issues by resolving common issues for an entire group. In conclusion, for those who are seeking refunds and compensation for a cancelled concert or live events by the organiser, individually, MCCT is the recommended course of action. This course of action is cheaper and isn't as time-consuming as civil court proceedings. But in cases of representing a group with a collective civil claim amounting over RM50,000, taking the class action lawsuit route would be ideal, but it is best to get legal advice from a lawyer.

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