'Who would go to a duty-free centre in the jungle?'

Whatever the reason that the government is building a duty-free centre in the middle of Lake Kenyir, it sure is not convincing Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad.

In fact, Raja Kamarul Bahrin (left) says the project which is currently under way at Pulau Bayas is not only questionable on the economic front, but is also ecologically damaging to the area which is the gateway for the Terengganu national park.

“We don’t know how much the project costs, but it would cost RM33 million to bring cables across to the complex and ancillary project. Buildings would cost another estimated RM200 million.

“Kenyir Lake is an hour’s drive from the Kuala Terengganu Airport, which only serves (domestic) flights, unlike Langkawi which has international flights.

“And yet I wouldn’t say the duty-free centre in Langkawi is doing very well. Is this (Kenyir project) justifiable? To get from Kenyir to Pulau Bayas you have to use a boat and there hasn’t been a functioning jetty till now,” he said.

[More to follow]