Perak to probe damage to Gua Matsoorat after filming of drama

IPOH: The Perak government is investigating claims that fossils that are millions of years old and the wall at Gua Matsoorat (Matsoorat Cave) here were damaged during filming by a drama production company.

State Housing, Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohamed Radzi said they received a complaint regarding the damage at the historical site from a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

“The Ipoh City Council had given Syarikat Juita Viden Sdn Bhd permission to carry out filming around Ipoh from Feb 20 to April 30.

“Upon checking with the production company, we were told they only carried out filming outside the cave,” he told Bernama when contacted yesterday.

However, she said, there were traces of damage to the fossils in the cave but the production company denied its involvement as claimed by the cave operator.

Following that, Nolee Ashilin said they have arranged a dialogue session with the production company and cave operator to find a solution.

She explained that security measures had been stepped up together with the Perak State Agricultural Development Corporation, which manages the surrounding area for agricultural projects in the city.

Earlier, a Facebook posting had gone viral on social media claiming that there was damage in the cave after the filming of a popular drama series. It also alleged that the production crew had littered the place and shared several photographs showing the damage as well as a carving of the title of the drama on the cave's wall.

Director Michael Ang said on Instagram that he regretted the incident and that they were trying to find the culprits.

-- BERNAMA