The full stretch beach-front properties of Redang Lagoon and Pasir Panjang today are fully occupied with resorts of various classes. There is Redang Cliff, Redang Beach, Coral Beach Resort and many more including the soon-to-be-opened Aseania Resort. And Redang at night was as lively as Kuta or Patong with its booming beach discos....but not as rowdy nor at all sleazy!
The Pasir Panjang beach of Redang Island
But the main attraction of Redang is definitely its pristine waters and white powdery beaches. The dive-sites and snorkelling spots are gifts of God. Unfortunately the hordes of tourists does not make it a suitable place for a quiet retreat. Like everywhere else in the world, be it London or Paris, the Chinese have arrived! So you have to bear with them, with the noise and the queues, and enjoy the sun, sand and sea.
But what has Redang offerred to the original fisher-folks of this island? They own ( or used to own )these prime lots (as I found out in my earlier trip years ago) but has their life and living standards improved in keeping with the development taking place in Redang?
Perhaps....their children are probably employed by these resorts and earn regular income. But what has become of their land which I remember were Malay Reserved Properties....Who owns and operates these resorts and what benefits do these poor fisherfolks get? Just look at their current abode...I remember their houses were just like this years ago...maybe better.
The administration could have organised a state-sponsored corporation to galvanise all these plots of prime land and develop an efficient tourism project on this island. Establish some form of a REIT ( real estate investment trusts) and give these poor kampong folks the unit trusts like we did in the ASM scheme. With regular returns and dividends these poor fisher-folks will not loose their property just like that.
As it is would you blame them if they fly these flags on their boats?
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