Humanity Statue @ Galang Refugee Camp

 The Humanity Statue was sculptured by one of the boat person named  Nguyen Van Tuyen of boat no. SS1716TA with ID no. 800022 in commemoration of UN Day on 1st January 1985.

The statue was sculptured to pay homage to a young woman refugee named Tinh Nhan who committed suicide by hanging herself to a tree after being raped by the male refugees at the location where this statue stands.

The surrounding area here has a lot of monkeys hanging around and visitor is advised to take precaution so as not to be attacked or had items been taken by them.

Nghia Trang @ Galang Refugee Camp

Nghia Trang literally means grave in Vietnam and there is a massive grave at the refugee camp in Galang Island.

There is a monument at the entrance which reads "Dedicated to the people who died in the sea on the way to freedom" inscribed in 5 different languages; English, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Chinese and Tamil.

 

The deceased of all religions (mostly Buddhist and Christian) were buried here with some nameless grave which dedicated to those perished at the sea.

Each grave has a sad story to tell and from the physical look of them, those who were perished were not forgotten.

Vietnamese Boat @ Galang Refugee Camp

Another attraction at the Galang Refugee Camp is the boat replicas which were used by the Vietnamese Boat People in 1975 who fled their country ravaged by civil war.

 

The boat replicas here are actually been sunk and burned by the refugees as a sign of protest as they were forced to be returned back to their country after arriving at Galang island. These boats were restored in 1995 after all the refugees had been repatriated.

It is hard to imagine what life was like on the boat where it was said up to 100 people were onboard such a small boat and many had lost their lives in mid ocean.

The actual diesel engine with its exposed crankshaft which was used to power the boat can be found next to the boat replicas.

Galang Refugee Camp

If one had arrived at Barelang Bridge, it is worth the effort to travel a little more to the South to Pulau Galang to Galang Refugee Camp. The journey to the Galang Refugee Camp from the first bridge is approximately 40 minutes.

Entrace fee is IDR 20, 000 per head and the museum camp is opened from 0730 to 1630 (Monday to Friday) and 0730 to 1730 (Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday).

The camp is actually huge with its own jetty. It will be tiring if one is to explore it on foot (although the end result would be rewarding) and the best option is to hire a car to drive one around the camp.

The main museum building was once UNHCR's main administration office to run the camp during the period of 1978 - 1996 where many Vietnamese Boat People and asylum seekers were temporarily sheltered here during the determination of their refugee status and subsequent resettlement in the USA, Australia and European countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a lot of paintings at the museum which depicts their arrival, life and hardship while at the camp. Various cooking utensils used by the refugees were also on display here.

 

I still try to make sense as to why the huge painted portrait of Baden Powell is hung prominently at the museum. My guess is that the scout could had played a significant roles at the camp.

 

 

The UNHCR was able to keep track of the refugees here by this data board and apparently they were issued a temporary identification card.

The camp was closed in 1996, seven years after the Comprehensive Plan of Action for Indo-Chinese Refugees was adopted. All the Vietnamese refugees had been repatriated by UNHCR.

 

 

Galang camp had many facilities such as Indonesian Red Cross Hospital, church, temple and staff premises. The refugee main activities in the camp were to study English and other languages, or learn vocational skills, while waiting for the results of their applications to determine their refugee status.

The camp has huge potential to be tourist site if the authority put more effort to promote it and improve the facilities such as transportation, information board in English, canteen, parking and etc.

Barelang Bridge

No visit to Batam Island will be complete without stopping and admire the magnificient Barelang Bridge. It is the pride and an iconic landmark for the island.

The bridge is actually a chain of 6 bridges connecting the islands of Batam, Rempang and Galang. The bridge construction was conceptualized in the effort to transform Rempang and Galang Islands into industrial sites.

The construction of the bridges began in 1992 and traveling from the first bridge to the last is about 50km.

The first bridge, Tengku Fisabilillah Bridge is the most recognized of all, connects Batam and Tonton Island. The cabled-stayed bridge with two 118m high pylons and main span of 350m stretches for 642m.

Now, the bridge has turned to be a tourist attraction with proper viewing area and recreational facilities. Getting here from Nagoya area is around 40 minutes. There is no public transport to get here and the best way to reach here is by taking a taxi or rented car which might cost around IDR 450, 000.

Also, there is no proper parking to reach the viewing area and the improvised parking space is basically at the road side, manned by the locals who will collect IDR 10,000 for each vehicle.

St. Giles Wembley Premier Hotel, Penang

St. Giles Wembley Premier Hotel is one of the new hotel recently opened its door in the heart of Georgetown, Penang.

It occupies a strategic location, just beside the KOMTAR tower and 1st Avenue shopping mall. Definitely an ideal base to explore the city.

 

The lobby is spacious and comfortable. However, I wish the hotel has more check in counters to speed up the check in process should there be an influx of tourists at one particular time.

The hallway leading to the rooms are equally impressive with its fresh carpet design and well lit area.

 

I really like the superior room here (rate: RM 265/night) with its batik inspired carpet. All the lighting here are of LED and I can't even spot a compact fluorescent lamp here. It shows the hotel commitment to energy saving.

The room is well designed and I have a comfortable stay here. The curtains are able to block all the sun shine outside effectively and ensure a good continuous sleep in the morning. However, the room is not fully sound proof as I can still hear people slamming the door outside.

Another advantage of staying at this hotel is its view. My room view is not too bad as I can see the Penang Times Square, Sunway Hotel Georgetown, Gama and etc.

Grand Bluewave Hotel Shah Alam

Grand Bluewave Hotel is one of the very few hotel located in the heart of Shah Alam. It is located next to the State Museum and Library at Section 14.

 

Even though the hotel has been around for sometime, its interior and room did not look tired and are well maintained. The deluxe room modern and spacious. However, I am a bit surprise to see a CRT tv still been used in the room.

The room is what to be expected of a 5 star hotel. The only problem is that its air conditioner is too cold and not adjustable. I just have to shut it down when it gets too cold.

The public concourse area on each floor is spacious with comfortable seats for discussion or a small gathering.

 

They aren't much to see around the hotel except for the Blue Mosque which is about 5 minutes walk from the hotel