Think City’s decade-long urban renewal strategy now powers the Northern Region to unlock the full potential of cultural heritage and sustainable development 

KUALA LUMPUR, 27 SEPTEMBER 2023 – Think City, an impact organisation committed to fostering liveable and sustainable cities, hosted a documentary screening event that shed light on the significance and the efforts implemented to connect secondary towns in the Northern Region of Peninsular Malaysia. These endeavours not only preserve the region’s archaeological and heritage sites but also leverage them to promote a culture-based economy approach. Think City spearheaded this initiative with the support of Yayasan Hasanah, under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance. 

The event featured three captivating documentaries, each a testament to the Northern Region’s rich cultural heritage and historical significance. Produced by renowned docu-filmmaker Iman Corinne Adrienne and Serpentiga Films, these documentaries focused on the Northern Region Archaeotoursim Network Programme (NRAN), which aims to connect historical and cultural sites across the Northern Region, with an initial focus on Lenggong and Bujang Valley. 

YB Steven Sim, Deputy Minister of Finance II, emphasised the importance of conserving and promoting historical and cultural assets while fostering culture-based economies. He said “Tourism, culture and history-based tourism have enormous potential. Budget 2023 has allocated RM250 million for tourism promotion (where RM50 million was for UNESCO sites, Pulau Pinang and Melaka)… Through the efforts by Think City and the seeds sown by Prof Datuk Dr Siti Zuraina, these efforts are now extending beyond Lenggong. I am confident that the government will continue to pay attention to the tourism sector, not only general history, especially cultural and historical based tourism.” 

The documentaries that captivated the audience attention were: 

"Exploring the Northern Region of Malaysia": Overview of the programme's objectives and showcased dedicated efforts to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Northern Region. 

"Lenggong Valley: Unearthing Our Past": Showcases Lenggong’s archaeological findings and cultural assets, offering valuable insights into Malaysia's rich anthropology and history. 

"Bujang Valley: The Cradle of Malaysia’s Early Civilization": Explores Bujang Valley's archaeological and cultural assets, highlighting its role as a centre of early civilization in Malaysia. 

Emeritus Professor Dato' Dr Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid, a pioneer in archaeology and esteemed authority in the field delivered a keynote address. She said, “It is our responsibility to preserve these sites (Lenggong Valley & Bujang Valley) not only for Malaysia but for our local communities and the world. It has been proven that early human migration from Africa to Australia, passed through Perak. The skeleton of Perak Man is highly significant, contributing to the history of world medical science." 

She added, “This UNESCO recognition is highly desired by other countries because it can indeed improve the economy and also the identity of a nation.” 

The event marked the culmination of Think City’s work in the NRAN which began in April 2022 to reoptimise and connect heritage assets into a curated network of archaeotourism, cultural heritage, and natural sites serving as drivers of economic resilience and socio-economic growth. 

The RM10 million project aims to create new jobs and investments in targeted sites, while showcasing the nation’s rich heritage and history. This includes strengthening the ecosystem surrounding these sites, establishing multiple pitstops and entry points into a neural network based from the overarching narrative of the Northern Region. This a multi-year programme is designed to sustain and enhance local economic development. 

Hamdan Abdul Majeed, Managing Director of Think City said, “The Northern Region Archaeotourism Network Programme is an ambitious endeavour aimed at connecting our rich historical heritage, cultural sites, natural wonders, archaeological marvels, and monuments in the Northern Region. As evident from these impactful documentaries and line-up of grantees, this initiative strives to raise awareness among government bodies, stakeholders, community members, and the wider public. It emphasis the wealth of our history, underscores the imperative to safeguard and preserve it, and highlights how we are connected as a multicultural society.” 

“However, we are just at the start of this journey and we need to ensure continuity of this programme through partnerships, collaborations, government and private sector support, and increased funding. The work in preserving Malaysia's cultural heritage is a collective effort, and therefore, we look forward to the Budget 2024 announcement to further catalyse growth in these cities,” he added. 

The event today celebrated 18 grantees of the Cultural Economy Catalytic Grants Programme Cycle 2, an integral component of the NRAN. These grants empower individuals and organisations to actively contribute to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. To date, Think City has completed two cycles with a total of 42 grantees receiving funding to implement their programmes. Both grant cycles have made significant contributions to Perak, and from the larger network, linking other sites like Wang Kelian and Kedah. Think City is also collaborating with 14 other organisations on partnerships grants and is involved in 4 projects as part of a management initiative. The NRAN has garnered a combined value of RM15.6 mil in the region in grants, partnerships and management initiatives.