NGOs: Better to teach people about Redang's beauty

The Star 10 Apr 10;

PETALING JAYA: Several non-profit environmental organisations have spoken out against the Terengganu government’s plan to turn Pulau Redang into a high-end, exclusive getaway for the rich, saying educating the people about preservation was more vital.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) said that educating the people on the importance of preserving the diving haven’s natural beauty and adhering to a strict enforcement of guidelines would be a better move.

“MNS is of the opinion that there should be no further development on the island except to improve and review certain amenities and introduce the best practices for the island,” it said in a statement yesterday.

The body expressed concern about over-development which had taken a toll on the island, especially in waste management and the health of corals in certain areas of the island.

“Having informed visitors to the island is one of the ways we can protect Redang’s national heritage,” MNS said.

MNS communications head Andrew Sebastian said he was worried that the “carrying capacity” of Pulau Redang may had been exceeded.

If there were too many visitors on the island, the fresh water supply may be used up sooner, he said.

“Also, if raising prices is to control the number of people going there, MNS supports the move if the money is used to help smaller operators put in the appropriate systems to prevent pollution,” he said.

On Thursday, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said announced that the island would be turned into an exclusive getaway with rooms starting from US$500 (RM1,600) per night.

Ahmad said the move was to control the number of people who visited Pulau Redang in order to save the island’s rich marine life and prevent environmental destruction due to pollution and littering.

He added that only hotels rated five-star and above would be allowed to be built, adding that the state government would no longer approve the construction of chalet-type accommodations on the island. Existing chalets would also have to upgrade and raise their rates to match the high-end destination decision.

Reef Check Malaysia, another non-profit organisation that looks into coral conservation, said the Government should not waste money building new resorts but have stricter enforcement and policies instead.

Its Eco Action Programme manager Ummi Haslinda Mohd Rosli said a centralised sewage treatment should be built, adding that there should also be compost machines for solid waste to be shared by all resorts.

“These are some of the ways to improve the environment of the islands,” she said, adding: “We can also monitor the number of tourists visiting the island and impose strict fines on tourists and locals who fish at restricted areas. Enforcement officers need to be vigilant in punishing those who litter.”

Ummi Haslinda said it was just not enough to post signs to caution tourists and locals to not litter.

“It’s better to have a simple and improved eco-friendly environment than having islands swamped by big and expensive resorts that do not help conserve the marine environment,” she added.

Tourism Ministry gives the thumbs-up on high-end Redang
The Star 10 Apr 10;

PETALING JAYA: The Tourism Ministry has given the thumbs-up to the plan to turn Pulau Redang into a high-end destination as this is in line with the Government’s aim of increasing tourist spending.

Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ong Hong Peng said the Terengganu government’s plan was a good one, adding that it was also parallel to the objective of attracting high-end tourists.

“It will also be a measure to maintain sustainable tourist development on the island,” he said yesterday.

However, tourism organisations have expressed concern over the move as they believe it would adversely affect tourist arrivals.

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) deputy president John Tan said the state should not take away what people had enjoyed for years.

“It is a good idea to have an island for the rich niche market but the approach is wrong,” he said in a telephone interview.

He said other islands near Pulau Redang could be developed as exclusive destinations instead of Pulau Redang which was immensely popular with both local and foreign tourists.

“How many people can afford to pay US$500 (RM1,600) per night? This will definitely affect tourism,” he said, pointing out that a big percentage of visitors to Pulau Redang were backpackers.

He said it was ironic that while the move was meant to protect the island’s surroundings, it turned out to be a slap in the Government’s face.

“The state government should not have approved the building of those budget chalets if they did not have a proper sewage system in the first place,” Tan said.

Malaysian Ecotourism Association secretary-general Lee Choon Loong said high prices for resorts did not necessarily mean high value.

“Visitors to Pulau Redang come to appreciate the marine flora and fauna. That is the value they want, not luxury hotels,” said Lee.

He said a high-value destination did not need to be expensive or branded, adding that Pulau Redang’s value came from its natural beauty.

“But the corals there are damaged and nobody will want to pay to see that. It will be like a scam,” he said.

Former Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim said there was no reason to restrict Pulau Redang to wealthy tourists.

He proposed a quota for high-end and budget tourists instead, if the reason was to control the number of tourists going to the island.

Decision on Redang does not go down well with divers
The Star 10 Apr 10;

PETALING JAYA: Divers gave the thumbs-down to the move to make Pulau Redang an exclusive getaway, saying that for half the RM1,599 a night accommodation proposed by the Terengganu government, a diver can now get a four-day trip including accommodation, food and diving activities.

They said budget travellers and divers would not be able go to the diving haven if it was made a high-end destination.

Diver Angeline Goh, 29, believed that the plan would not only turn divers away but also cause chalet operators to go bust.

“Diving operators look for cheap packages to take their clients. If it is expensive, they will move to other places like Tioman,” she said yesterday.

Another diver, Sean Phoon, 30, agreed that there was a need for conservation efforts but noted that hiking prices and making it an exclusive getaway was not the solution.

“The corals have deteriorated and there is a need to preserve the environment.

“You can preserve the environment by following Pulau Sipadan’s measures – limiting the number of people on the island. You cannot force existing chalets to hike up their prices and kill off these chalets by insisting on a ridiculous price tag,” he said.

Reconsider move on Redang, says Terengganu PAS
The Star 10 Apr 10;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Teren-gganu PAS is not in favour of Pulau Redang being turned into an exclusive island for affluent tourists while limiting budget travellers who now make up the bulk of tourists to the island.

The party’s state deputy commissioner Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut urged the state to reconsider the move as it would have a negative impact rather than being a boon for the island.

Eventually, Redang would end up like Monaco which was commonly referred to as the Las Vegas of Europe as such exclusivity normally encouraged gambling and vice-related activities, he said here yesterday.

Mohd Abdul Wahid said the state government could designate one stretch of the island as a gateway for affluent holidaymakers without disregarding tourists on shoestring budgets.

He said the state should also consider the welfare of the locals who depended on budget travellers for a livelihood.

He said locals rented out chalets to holidaymakers on limited budgets to make ends meet and they would not be able to do so if only the rich went to the island.

Pulau Redang Petty Traders Association spokesman Mohd Idrus Mohd Amin, 46, said the state government should outline a mechanism to assist them before enforcing the move.