Process Of Gazetting Pulau Bidong As State Park To Be Completed By December

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 7 (Bernama) – The process of gazetting Pulau Bidong in Kuala Nerus as Terengganu’s fourth state park is expected to be completed by December.

State Parks Management Council (MPTN) director Tengku Mohd Arifin Tengku A. Rahman said the council is actively working to fulfil all necessary requirements and processes involving various government agencies and departments.

"Although the gazetting process has not been completed, we have already taken preliminary steps, such as conducting several beach and seabed cleaning programmes.

"We are also training four rangers who will be deployed as soon as Pulau Bidong is officially gazetted as a state park. Every state park requires rangers to maintain its safety and aesthetic values," he told reporters here.

He said that the gazetting of Pulau Bidong spans an area of 231.3 hectares of land and a maritime area extending one nautical mile from the low tide mark.

Tengku Mohd Arifin said briefings will be held with stakeholders, including fishermen and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), which owns part of the island's area.

"Even after the gazetting, we must also consider aspects of ecotourism. We will identify which areas can be opened or closed for tourists. Not all areas will be open or closed.

"So, we need to discuss and hold engagement sessions with parties such as the Terengganu State Museum Board, the Fisheries Department of Malaysia, fishermen, and UMT to determine when the areas should be open or closed," he said.

Pulau Bidong, which once gave shelter to Vietnamese ‘boat people’, was opened to tourists in Jan 2017.

However, visits are currently limited to daily trips, and tourists wishing to stay overnight must obtain permission from the Terengganu State Museum Board.

-- BERNAMA