Pulau Tanjung Surat set for tourism revival with resumption of carnival

The Jong Gallery in Pulau Tanjung Surat.

THE Pulau Tanjung Surat Village Tourism Carnival will return in October after two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tourism Kejora (Southeast Johor Development Authority) assistant curator Muhammed Iqbal Rosli said the carnival was aimed at promoting tourism products on the island.

“Kejora is currently finalising the programme and we hope to add Pengerang Municipal Council and Desaru Coast into the organising committee so more activities can be held.

“The activities will include miniature Jong race, boat race, tug-of-war and other traditional games besides beach clean-up activities,” he told StarMetro.

Muhammad Iqbal said the Jong boat was made on the island.

“It was a very popular game among fishermen in the village,” he said, adding that the boat would be placed in the ocean and allowed to drift to shore.

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Fauzi Ismail said UTM had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Malaysia History Association Johor branch (PSMCNJ) and Alam Pengerang Resources (WAPR) to develop Pulau Tanjung Surat as a tourist destination.

One of the tourism activities at Pulau Tanjung Surat is cruising along the river surrounded by a mangrove forest.

The MOU is supported by Kejora and aims to increase local tourism products, which includes making the island into a destination for heritage and nature tourism.

It also aims to boost the local community’s socio-economic status.

“PSMCNJ will provide historical information about the island while WAPR will handle the task of searching and collecting historical artefacts,” said Prof Ahmad Fauzi, highlighting that UTM had been conducting research on the island’s eco-heritage since 2017.

More than 300 UTM students had shared their knowledge with the community in Pulau Tanjung Surat, he said.

He also said that the university had been involved in helping to preserve the area’s heritage, mangrove, Jong boats, fishermen’s occupation and STEM education galleries.

Pulau Tanjung Surat is located near Sungai Johor in the Kota Tinggi district and was the administrative centre for the representative of the first Johor ruler of the modern era, Sultan Sir Abu Bakar Ibni Almarhum Temenggong Seri Maharaja Tun Daeng Ibrahim.

The administrative centre is now known as “Gedong Dato Penggawa Timur” and was once a collection point for black pepper and gambier before being exported.