Letter from Concern Regular Tourist

From : Cumbria England,

To : Datuk Paduka Abu Bakar

Dear Sir,

For the last 19 years, I have been a frequent visitor to Langkawi, and for a three year period, my husband & i returned here & fully intended to stay. However, it became apparent that many services, utilities were deteriorating resulting in the present chaos.

The collection of rubbish has become infrequent, resulting in piles of refuse left for days on the roadside. Areas of land cleared for development of cheap & badly constructed buildings with no thoughts of surrounding environment. A point in fact is the ongoing destruction of Tanjung Mali Hill.

There is now a "FUNFAIR" on Mukim Kedawang which has remained in place despite many pleas to the authorities by neighbouring residents & guest in the area to stop the deafening music which continous all evening, every day until 01.00 or 02.00am. The rubbish from the "FUNFAIR" is thrown onto the adjoining waterlogged land & left to rot into a stinking mess.

Langkawi is reputed to be a place of peace & beauty. It no longer is & I, for one will not return untill such time as these serious problem are resolved. For me the dream is over.

I would also mention that there is only one ATM in the whole area of Pantai Tengah & Pantai Cenang. It is frequently "OUT OF SERVICE".

I hope that something is done to restore Langkawi to its proper condition or for the island too.. the dream is over..

Yours Faithfully,

VALERIE BEECHINOR.

CC : Datuk Nawawi ,

Tourism Malaysia, Pusat Penerangan Pelancongan, Langkawi

Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani, Majlis Perbandaran Langkawi

Bahagian Perhubungan Awam, LADA,

Mr. Jeffrey Sunset Beach

Mr. Saidi Ramli, White Lodge Langkawi

Anaklangkawi :-

A letter from a concern regular tourist complaining about current situation of langkawi. This is some of the grouses we heard from time to time. It is sad to hear such grouses when the we've tried all we can to promote our lovely island.

I urge/ demand that authorities take serious concern regarding this. I know most of the complains can only be solve by the local authorities, LADA & tourism ministry. So please take act.. The ADUN & MP's can only raise the concern & complains but at the end those ppl in the office can only solve it..

So if they said its only the locals complain then think again.. For other let us write more complains & letters so that our lovely island become a dream again to people like Valerie..

As for the banks.. Please-lah.. increase your ATM's .. if you dont want the services than MPL should open to other banks.

p/s: Thanks to Parliment Langkawi office by sharing the letter.

Langkawi a big hit with Koreans

LANGKAWI: Koreans who have grown fond of Langkawi, are back for the second time to enjoy the islanders' warm hospitality.

The latest group is made up of 31 visitors aged between 40 and 78. Cheong Am Middle School of Seoul principal Choo Se Young said the participants, enrolled in a special programme for the poor and needy, were selected as part of the Malaysia-Korea Homestay programme.

"We learnt so many interesting things about Langkawi and the residents from a group of secondary students who came here last year. "We are so happy to have been chosen to savour the warm hospitality of Langkawi residents," he said after arriving at Kampung Keda Wang Tok Rendong here yesterday for a three-day stay with foster families. The VIP visitors were earlier wowed with a traditional welcome by their hosts. Many among the guests were seen clicking their cameras to record the warm welcoming ceremony which included youngsters beating the kompang while they were escorted by young village women carrying the bunga manggar to meet their foster families.

Choo said they were very touched by the warm reception by the Malaysian Homestay Operators' Association and its Langkawi chapter. "I know the group would remember this day forever. "This has been a truly moving experience for us and we want to learn more about the people, their culture and we will also not want to miss visiting the many tourist attractions that we have heard so much about in Langkawi." Meanwhile, Langkawi Homestay Association chairman Mokhtar Shabudin said the visit by the Korean guests was made possible after Tourism Malaysia held discussions with its Korean counterparts last October.

NST Online