Pulau Redang For The Rich And Famous

A report from The Star said "Pulau Redang aims to lure the rich with room rates no less than RM1,600". This is not good. If the state government continue with their plan, soon we'll need a lot of money just to spend a few days at the beautiful Redang island. They have a plan to turn the island into a getaway exclusively for the rich and famous.

Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said the state government would no longer approve the construction of chalet-type accommodation on the renowned island, which is much visited by the diving community. “Only hotels rated five-star and above will be allowed to be built,” he said.

In future, only wealthy individuals would be able to afford holidays in Pulau Redang as hotel rooms will cost no less than US$500 (RM1,599) a night, Datuk Ahmad Said said. And current chalets catering for backpackers would have to upgrade and also raise their rates.


Datuk Ahmad Said defended the plan as the only way to save the surrounding rich marine life and prevent environmental destruction due to pollution and indiscriminate littering.

A chalet operator, Nik Kamal Nik Husin, 43, said the move would only burden the villagers on the island as many were renting out rooms to budget travellers. The state government, he said, should build a centralised sewage treatment to deal with the waste disposal problem.

Pulau Redang is a jewel for Terengganu and the 10th most beautiful island in the world. It is a popular holiday destination for locals as well as foreigners, attracts about 100,000 visitors annually including many who flock there to visit the marine park.