TUMPAT (Bernama): The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry fully supports the plan to nominate the 300-year-old Kampung Laut Mosque as a World Heritage Site under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

       Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said her office also welcomed the nomination of the Serunding Kampung Laut Heritage Site as a National Heritage Site.

       "Both of these projects have great potential to be recognised as World Heritage Sites under Unesco because they meet the criteria, namely the location of a unique cultural tradition and an example of extraordinary architecture.

       "Kelantan is rich in unique culture and heritage which needs to be preserved and highlighted at the international stage," she said in a speech at the Serunding Kampung Laut Heritage Site handover ceremony from the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) to the Ministry here Sunday (Oct 31).

       The key handover ceremony was officiated by ECERDC chief executive officer Baidzawi Che Mat to the Ministry's secretary-general Datuk Dr Noor Zari Hamat.

       Also present were Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Tumpat MP Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi.

       Elaborating further, Nancy said the redevelopment of Kampung Laut and the return of the Kampung Laut Mosque to its original site coincided with the Ministry's new approach where arts and culture were given priority as key elements of tourism products in an effort to promote Malaysia.

       "It is in line with the National Cultural Policy that we just launched on Oct 26.

       "The policy outlines the vision of making Malaysia a 'Developed Country with Cultured People'. This policy will be an inspiration to the Ministry to ensure arts, culture and heritage can be inherited from one generation to the next," she said.

       The Kampung Laut Serunding Heritage Site provides business space for nine local Kampung Laut entrepreneurs who sell specialties such as "serunding", "dodol" and "gelembung buaya" (coconut candy).

       Package 2 of the Serunding Kampung Laut Redevelopment Project is expected to be completed early next year, consisting of the Kampung Laut Art Heritage Site and the relocation of the 300-year-old Kampung Laut Mosque which was previously located in the village but was moved to Nilam Puri, Kota Baru, after the original site was submerged due to floods. - Bernama