sign in a cave in Laos

27 April 2021

Gunung Kanthan media updates 2021

 This is an ongoing list of media reports about the quarrying of Gunung Kanthan in Perak, Malaysia. The earlier blogs are 2013 2014 , 2015 , and 2016-2020.

Gunung Kanthan is being quarried by Lafarge Msia, who changed its name to Malayan Cement in 2019. And YTL acquired Lafarge Msia stake. But YTL still calls Kanthan the Associated Pan Malaysia Cement (APMC) Kanthan Quarry.

Reports from 2021 :

Ipoh Echo , 12 Jan 
Appeal to Preserve Monastery in Gunung Kanthan [this was removed by the 14th]

Perak China Press , 13 Jan
Hundred-year "Sakyamuni Sacred Rock" hopes that the government approves it to stay in the original site

Perak China Press , 14 Jan
There is a potential risk of falling rocks in the Gongqiaoshan [Arch Bridge Mountain]
This included a media statement from Pan Malaysia Cement in English entitled “A tragedy waiting to happen – monastery built on volatile structure prone to limestone fall”.

Flora & Fauna International , 25 Jan
Mention of Kanthan trapdoor spider.

Sinar Harian , 5 Feb
Wartakan kawasan hutan batu kapur (Gazette the limestone forest area)
Gua Khantan, Chemor, has a spider habitat, namely Liphistius khantan, which is placed on the red list when the species is not found anywhere in the world.

Several videos on Youtube , 25 Apr
Published by the  Sakyamuni Caves Monastery :

Gunung Kanthan: Saving Sacred Gunung Kanthan, Beauty with Treasure
Gunung Kanthan expedition
Gunung Kanthan: 100 Years History of Sakyamuni Caves Monastery
Gunung Kanthan: Save 100-Year Sakyamuni Caves Monastery


YTL/APMC took the Sakyamuni Caves Monastery to court on 1 Apr but as the monks didn't have a lawyer, they were granted an extension until 17 May. It seems that area C will be blasted, leaving just area D, where Gua Kanthan is -


Bernama , 26 May 2021
Perak state authorities urged to conserve two Kinta geosites

The Star , 27 May 2021
"NGOs urge Perak govt to fully commit towards preservation of two geoparks in Kinta Valley"

The Sun . 27 May 2021
"Perak state authorities urged to conserve two Kinta Geosites"

The Vibes , 31 May 2021
Century-old Sakyamuni Cave Monastery faces eviction.
This is a particularly good article as it details court orders and some history of past eviction notices etc.

The Vibes , 1 June 2021
"Money over heritage: Sakyamuni eviction threatens natural treasure, says preservationist!

The Vibes , 2 June 2021
"Sakyamuni reveals one-of-a-kind golden Buddha statue as it faces eviction"

Malaysiakini , 5 June 2021
Kuari Gunung Kanthan: Tiada syarikat dapat kontrak baru - Exco Perak (Gunung Kanthan Quarry: No company gets new contract - Perak Exco)

The Star , 5 June 2021
More tourism activities planned for geoparks in Perak, says state govt

The Vibes , 5 June 2021
Perak exco rubbishes claim on new Gunung Kanthan quarrying contracts

The Vibes , 5 June 2021
YTL subsidiary assures Gua Kanthan protection, says awarded lease in 1960

Bernama , 5 June 2021
No new contract for quarry activities at Gunung Kanthan - Perak Exco 

The Sun , 5 June 2021
"More tourism activities planned for geoparks in Perak, says state govt"

The Sun , 6 June 2021
"Move to boost tourism at geoparks in Kinta district"

Bernama , 6 June 2021
Perak planning various tourism programmes for Kinta Valley Geopark

The Vibes , 8 June 2021
More quarrying will wipe out Gunung Kanthan’s endangered species, cry green groups

The Vibes , 14 June 2021
Quarrying fears at Gunung Kanthan geopark fuel anxiety at yet another cultural site

Getaran , 14 June 2021
Gunung Kanthan, Kenapa Sambung Kontrak Sebelum Dapatkan Ulasan Teknikal? - Gunung Kanthan, why continue the contract before getting technical reviews?

Save Sakyamuni Caves Monastery, Save Gunung Kanthan
An online petition to save the monastery

The Vibes , 22 June 2021
For or against temples on limestone hills? It’s delicate environmental issue, say experts.

Sin Chew , 28 June 2021

Oriental Daily , 28 June 2021
The government is urged to intervene in the forced relocation of the Sakyamuni Buddha Temple in Gunung Kanthan

Mongabay , 30 June 2021
Monks and wildlife come under pressure from Malaysian cement company

The Star , 5 July 2021
Cave monastery near Chemor fears eviction

The Malaysian Insight , 6 July 2021
Perak’s Gunung Kanthan in danger of being reduced to rubble

Malay Mail , 14 July 2021
Perak MB promises to look into calls to preserve century-old cave temple , monastery on Gunung Kanthan 

The Star , 14 July 2021
Make cave monastery a heritage site, authorities told

The Star , 16 July 2021
MB wants to settle Kanthan cave monastery matter amicably

The Vibes , 19 July 2021
Gunung Kanthan monastery eviction case slowed by NRP restrictions.

The Vibes , 12 Aug 2021
Gunung Kanthan needs govt protection to prevent its exploitation: CAP.

The Star , 13 Aug 2021
Good reasons to preserve Gunung Kanthan (letter)

Malay Mail , 15 Aug 2021
In Kinta Valley National Geopark, century-old cave monastery fighting for its survival as quarrying activities encroach

Sinar Harian , 4 Sept 2021
'Teliti semula kelulusan kegiatan kuari di Perak' (Review the approval of quarry activities in Perak) 

The Star , 4 Sept 2021
Environmental activists want Perak govt not to extend land leases for quarries, mining sites in geoparks

Descent , June/July 2021, 280:19.
Peninsular Malaysia. Quarrying away Gunung Kanthan. 
[Descent is a caving magazine published in the UK]

China Press , 6 Sept 2021
The Neolithic murals in Gua Kanthan are estimated to be 2500 to 4000 years old

Harian Metro , 6 Sept 2021
Lukisan dipercayai beribu tahun ditemukan di Gua Kanthan (Paintings believed to be thousands of years old found in Gua Kanthan)

Berita Harian , 7 Sept 2021
Lukisan gua dianggar berusia 4,000 tahun ditemui

Oriental Daily , 7 Sept 2021
Ancient rock paintings discovered in Gua Kanthan, but most of them are destroyed by modern graffiti

Sin Chew , 7 Sept 2021
Cave paintings - Gua Kanthan, thousand year old beautiful paintings, about 2500 to 4000 years of history

archive.org , Sept 2021
Gunung Kanthan 2500 years to 4000 years Rock Art Found - Sept 2021

The Star , 15 Sept 2021
Studies needed on Gua Kanthan drawings to determine origin

The Star , 10 Nov 2021
Ipoh High Court suggests cement company, cave temple settle eviction out of court


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I will add to this blog as new reports are published.