Forest Research Institute Malaysia (Frim) Forest Park in Selangor has been officially entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which makes it the sixth world heritage of Malaysia. The announcement was issued on July 12, 2025 throughout the forty seventh session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, took place from July 6 to 16 on the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
The designation was approved by 21 Member States of the World Heritage Committee, chaired by Professor Nikolay Nenov from Bulgaria. This recognition is a big milestone in restoring artificial tropical ecosystems and emphasizes Malaysia’s involvement in environmental protection, especially in areas previously degraded by industrial activities.
From the mining land to the World Heritage Forest
Located about 16 kilometers northwest of Kuala Lumpur, Frim Forest Park was once a heavily damaged tin mining place. Since the Twenties, Forest Research Institute Malaysia has made systematic efforts to revive the world by replacing native tropical trees.
For a long time, these efforts successfully transformed this place right into a mature lowland rainforest ecosystem, together with natural vegetation structures, the range of tree species and wealthy biological diversity. This item of achievements is one among the earliest and essentially the most successful projects for rebuilding tropical forests on this planet.
As the UNESCO World Heritage Place, FRIM serves not only as a research and protection center, but additionally as a world symbol of successful ecological renovation conducted by people in degraded landscapes.
Long journey towards global recognition
The strategy of nomination to incorporate Frima as a world heritage site was not short. Since 2013, various government institutions and stakeholders have been involved in preparing documentation, conducting scientific research and interesting in international diplomacy.
The Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture (Motac) conducted this initiative, supported by the federal government of the state of Selangor, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO (SUM) and a everlasting delegation of Malaysia to UNESCO in Paris.
Malaysia adds to the gathering of world heritage sites
With the inscription Frim Forest Park Selangor on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Malaysia now has six world heritage places:
- Kinabal Park (2000)
- Mount Mulu National Park (2000)
- Historical cities of Melaka and George Town (2008)
- Archaeological heritage within the Lengong Valley (2012)
- Niah National Park Caves Complex (2024) complex
- Frim Forest Park Selangor (2025)
Southeast Asia is shining
In addition to Malaysia, two other places from Southeast Asia were also saved on the UNESCO World Heritage List this yr:
- Cambodian memorials: from repression centers to room and reflection, Cambodia – This page represents a change from the space of pressure into domestic places of reflection and peace.
- Yen TU – Vinh NGhiem – son, Kiep – A spiritual complex wealthy in cultural and historical significance, especially in the event of Buddhism in East Asia.
The inclusion of those three recent places from Southeast Asia strengthens the region’s status as a very important center of cultural and natural heritage on the worldwide scene.
Since mid -2012, there are 1248 places all over the world inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on the 1972 Convention on the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
