ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR...

Kuala Lumpur remains a top city destination

Global market research company Euromonitor International, in its “Top 100 City Destinations 2018” report, listed Kuala Lumpur in the global top 10 most visited cities in 2017.

Third Asean country to host the 84th International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions World Library and Information Congress

The seven-day congress with nearly 4,000 participants from 111 countries showed Malaysia’s capability to host large-scale conferences.

Kuala Lumpur named 2020’s World Book Capital year 2020 by Unesco

The city will host a range of initiatives to promote books and reading in a year-long programme known as “KL Baca — Caring Through Reading”.

Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s songs declared National Heritage

A total of 149 songs performed and written by the late actor/ singer extraordinaire were among 255 cultural items declared as National Heritage. Others in the list were heritage objects, 24 heritage sites and six living people.

Dondang Sayang listed in Unesco’s Cultural Heritage list

Unesco recognises Melaka performance art Dondang Sayang as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” on Nov 29. The last time Malaysia was given this much sought-after recognition was in 2005 for the Mak Yong.

Revenue from 2018’s Tourism Tax distributed to states

Fifty per cent of the tax revenue collected from each state will be distributed.

The amount distributed to Sabah is RM12.67 million; Penang, RM10.98 million; Selangor, RM10.3 million; Johor, RM7.99 million; Pahang, RM7.86 million; Melaka, RM5.35 million; Kedah, RM5.08 million; Sarawak, RM2.58 million; and Negri Sembilan, RM2.47 million.

Gazetting of the Gombak Selangor Quartz Ridge (PKGS) as a national heritage

PKGS is a natural geological heritage site, covering 210 plots of land. It is also the world’s longest quartz ridge heritage site, spanning 14km. The ministry also submitted documents to Unesco for PKGS to be recognised as a world heritage site.

Discovery of 6,000-year-old Mesolithic human skeleton in Gua Chawan, Kelantan

The skeleton, believed to be that of a teen girl, was found by researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, archaeologists from the National Heritage Department and researchers from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.