Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry secretary-general Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman (left) briefed by the director of the Global Archaeological Research Centre (PPAG) of Universiti Sains Malaysia, Prof Stephen Chia Ming Soon at the centre in George Town, June 26, 2024. — Bernama pic
The discovery of a Buddha statue, dating back to the eighth or ninth century, in the Bukit Choras archaeological heritage site in Yan, Kedah shows the significance of the area as an important religious site at that time and older than the Angkot Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia.
“We will hold an exhibition soon after USM completes a thorough study on the relic, and we have not made a decision yet on whether such discoveries will be exhibited at a selected museum or if Bukit Choras will be developed as a new archaeotourism product like as has been done in Cambodia and Indonesia.
“The discovery is older than the Angkor Wat and Borobudur. This is interesting for us,” he said in a press conference on the discovery held at the PPAG, USM here today. He said the local research team, led by Nasha Rodziadi Khaw, involved a collaboration between the National Heritage Department (JWN) and USM, and this research had been ongoing from April 21 to May 21 this year.
