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Allow Only 200 Tourists A Day to Pulau Payar

Allow only 200 tourists to Pulau Payar in Langkawi at one time. That is the proposal by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Environment Malaysia) for the carrying capacity of visitors to the island, which is the only marine park on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
At present, 700 people visit the island per day. The State Government is considering to allow only 400 visitors into Pulau Payar a day.
Sahabat Alam co-ordinator Mohd Nizam Mahshar said the big number of tourists to the island was worrying as it posed a threat to marine life.
"The recent proposal was to reduce visitors to 400, but considering that the natural condition is bad, we suggest that the limit be reduced further to between 100 and 200 visitors per day.
"It is better to reduce the number of tourists to Pulau Payar now. When the ecological situation has improved, then maybe the number could be increased," he said at a Press conference here.
This measure was part of several steps, which included a study of the impact of tourism at Pulau Payar.

Alor Setar, Kedah 2005-09-25