| Next Stop Malaysia |
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The Malaysian Government is using sailing as a major tool in its tourism development strategy. While many cruising sailors might have little interest in racing, the newly established Malaysian regatta, the Monsoon Cup, part of the prestigious World Match Racing Tour, has become a major plank in a program to open up thje East Coast and that means for sailors more South China Sea cruising grounds and another regatta destination. Three hundred kilometre north east of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, on the east coast of the Malay peninsular is the traditional Muslim state of Terengganu. In tourism terms this is ‘an uncut jewel’ and the highly respected Conde Nast has rated the diving and cruising area off the state capital Kuala Terengganu, as one of the best in the world. There are many breath-taking islands complete with resorts, situated in the beautiful South China Sea. Redang Island, Lang Tengah Island and Kampas Island are accessible from Marang Jetty and Perhentian Island from Kuala Besut Jetty. There are many delightful anchorages and this area could obviously support numbers of bareboat charter, diving and other marine tourism operations. However in terms of international tourism development the biggest problem to date has been the lack of a major base, for use by dive operators, yachts and cruising boats.
Kuala Terengganu, with a population of around 350,000 people (the state of Terengganu has more than a million), is well served by air and road, but even though it is the centre of this significant marine area it has no marina facilities. Visiting yachts have previously had to negotiate an oft’ shifting bar and anchor in the river, hardly an enticing proposition for cruising yachts transiting between Singapore and Hong Kong. In 2005 the newly elected Terengganu State government in conjunction with the Malaysian Federal Government, began a program to facilitate a major city and state development project that would bring more tourists, provide ongoing infrastructure and an expanding range of job opportunities in the region. In Kuala Terengganu on a sandy island called Pulau Duyong, in the middle of the river that flows through the city, Malaysian property developer Datuk Patrick Lim is developing a luxury high-end resort that includes a 500-berth marina with full support facilities including traveling crane. To promote the location and to focus media attention on the area, with the strong support from the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Haj Ahmad Badawi, Lim and veteran Australian Match racer Peter Gilmour, proposed to Scott MacLeod and the Swedish Match Tour that Pulau Duyong be added to the 2005 Tour. The Prime Minister suggested the event title - The Monsoon Cup, because this major event would run in the Monsoon season and would bolster the local economy during this usually ‘slow season’.
Before the inaugural Monsoon Cup in Terengganu, the Duyong Basin was a sandy shoal. Adjoining a small fishing village, the Palau Duyong island site was under developed, now it features a five star resort. The Basin was in parts, hardly more than six inches deep and in other areas only six feet deep and it needed to be six metres. Dredging moved five million cubic metres of sand, that’s equivalent to 500,000 ten-ton truckloads. Last December, the entrepreneurial young Malaysian developer Lim and Gilmour delivered a stunning event. The occasion climaxed with a fairytale win for Gilmour beating Russell Coutts in the match racing final in front of a crowd of more than 15,000 cheering locals on the newly dredged Duyong Basin. When the Monsoon Cup event occurred it seemed the scriptwriter had some ‘heavenly powers’. As advertised in the brochure, organisers were reasonably, expecting heavy rains and winds. The last two afternoons, when the semi finals and the finals were held, turned out to be great weather with blue skies and 10-12 knot winds, ensuring viewers of the television coverage through ESPN and Star and their affiliates around the world, were treated to a display of top class Match Racing. The first stage of the deep water marina and resort is the only marina facility on the East Coast of Malaysia and is perfectly situated for yachts cruising and traveling between Hong Kong and Singapore. The marina already has 30 berths and upon completion the facility will be a well-protected 500-berth marina with a six-metre depth through out and with a 50 tonne travel lift crane. Currently under construction is a breakwater outside the harbour approximately two kilometers long. This new breakwater is being built in front of the river mouth, it is expected to be completed in late 2009 and will be very important for the future. The breakwater will ensure good depth all year round, marking the entrance safely navigable and prevent the easterly swells coming into the river and reduce the flooding that used to happen in the wet season. That combined with the dam (Kenyir) upriver used for hydroelectric system, will provide a major benefit for the whole city. Eight months before the 2006 Monsoon Cup, Peter Gilmour reports; ‘There is a lot happening, with further bungalows being built in the resort complex for the Terengganu Heritage Bay Club. This year it’s the Club House, expanding the marina and preparing the boat yard area for full haul out facilities. The resort and everything is just amazing at the moment. After the monsoon everything is green. There has been an exciting flow of guests, in the last week, in the lead up to the Formula One; Michael Schumacher has been out there. This week the first serious offshore racing boat will be visiting the Heritage Bay Sailing Club when Ellen MacArthur helms her amazing B&Q trimaran into Terengganu after a high speed run from Nha Trang in Vietnam. Don't be surprised if the Malaysian Prime Minister and a full blown media contingent arrives to greet her, as B&Q comes into the river. Peter gilmour continues ‘On the Malaysian National sailing scene we are putting in place a national sailing academy, with venues in a range of areas around the country, of which Terengganu is one. The academy will cater for kids all the way up to adults; dinghies for the kids then up to adults in bigger boats. Additionally we will be initiating classic corporate sailing programs similar to what Matt Hayes’ Sydney by Sail and Eastsail run on Sydney Harbour. ‘We are well into the middle of planning this year’s event (Monsoon Cup). It is just great to get that time to put into planning. And the feedback has been really good, both from the media and from the local community. ‘ The approach from the Heritage Bay Resort and the Monsoon Cup organisers and the Malaysian Government has been well received, as its clear that major facilities will result that will benefit the community on many levels. Respected Asian yachting journalist Captain Marty Rijkuris comments; ‘The Malaysian Government is certainly serious about yachting. The Government embarked on this marina building program a few years back and now we have marinas all the way up the west coast of the Malacca Straight, in Maur and Port Dickson, a new one just opened in Penang and now we have three in Langkawi. They are branching out onto the east coast and this is the first one in Terengganu with plans afoot for Tioman Island, Mersing on the mainland and down into Johore, so the whole coast will have marina facilities. ‘The Terengganu (Monsoon Cup) event is self-contained and does not compete with an already busy Asian regatta circuit. It’s like a Formula One car event on the water, with top class America’s Cup crews and the like.’ Developments and events like this spectacular one at Terengganu, benefit Malaysian tourism and facilitate the further expansion of the marine industry, while sailors and the cruising community are also big winners. For more information on Kuala Terengganu and Malaysia visit the Malaysia Tourism website - www.tourism.gov.my
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