He said if the 300,000-hectare expanse of the rainforest in Perak met the criteria of a world heritage site, the government would strive to develop the area to draw tourists to a jungle that held numerous species of flora and fauna.
"Classification as a Unesco world heritage site will bring with it economic value and tourists will start to flock there. However, we have to plan and control the influx of tourists; we want quality tourism," he said when opening the second phase of the Belum Rainforest Resort here.
Also present at the event were Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof, Chief of Defence Forces Tan Sri Zulkifeli Md Zain and Emkay Group chairman Tan Sri Dr Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar.
Najib said the Belum-Temenggor rainforest was 130 million years old, much older than the Amazon forest, and it was home to a unique biodiversity that encompassed near-extinct species of flora and fauna as well as many elements of valuable medicinal and therapeutic value.
"I see more hornbills here than in Sarawak. This is something that we did not know. The flora and fauna are beautiful; the flora also have therapeutic value. This is truly a gift of God to us that we must really appreciate," he said.
A glimpse of the Belum-Temenggor Rainforest in Perak.
Najib said the government had contributed RM2.5 million to the Emkay Group to develop the area into a unique resort where guests were able to appreciate the beauty of nature.
The prime minister also paid tribute to Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal, saying the property developer and philanthropist had spent more than RM100 million to develop the Belum Rainforest Resort and ancillary facilities.
"That is not something easy to do. He has a deep passion for making investments and paying back to the community, nation and, most importantly, to the future generations," he said.
Najib said the investments were not profit-oriented but more inclined towards educating the people to nurture heritage and instilling in them the awareness to appreciate the uniqueness of the eco-system in the rainforest.
Najib advised tertiary institutions in the country to undertake research at the Pulau Banding Rainforest Research Centre with scientists from abroad on the Belum-Temenggor natural environment.
He said he was impressed with the visit to interesting places in the rainforest, including the Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Sungai Tiang and the Green Ranger Malaysia Camp, and described it as a meaningful and unique experience.
Najib said the rainforest evoked nostalgia in him because it was his late father Tun Abdul Razak, the second prime minister of Malaysia, who opened the Temenggor Dam in 1974.
He said it was most interesting that a concept that had hinged on security in combating the communist terrorist threat had transformed into one about making the Belum forest a catalyst for the culture of appreciating the environment and national heritage.
"In this context, I wish to express my highest appreciation to Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal for having launched a meaningful initiative for our nation and the generations to come," he said.
The Belum-Temenggor Rainforest comprises four forest reserves, namely the Royal Belum State Park, Belum Forest Reserve, Temenggor Forest Reserve and Gerik Forest Reserve.
On the second phase of the Belum Rainforest Resort, Najib said the various four-star facilities could make it a choice venue for talks with foreign guests along the lines of the Camp David presidential retreat of the United States.
The second phase would see the provision of more accommodation besides the existing 70 rooms, such as 36 deluxe suites, six kampung-style traditional chalets, an exclusive villa, a swimming pool and a base camp.
Meanwhile, Emkay Group CEO Ahmad Khalif Mustapha Kamal said a proposal would be sent to Unesco on making the Belum-Temenggor rainforest a world heritage site.
"We have informed the Perak government that the Pulau Banding Foundation will be glad to be the secretariat in helping to make the rainforest a world heritage site like Penang and Melaka.
"If we succeed in this venture, we will be able to draw tourists to Malaysia to visit this unique eco-tourism destination," he told reporters after the event.
Ahmad Khalif said that if the proposal could be realised in two or three years, then the Belum-Temenggor rainforest would become a new source of revenue for Perak.
