KUALA TERENGGANU, April 22 — Operations at the three‑star hotel on Pulau Poh in Kenyir Geopark near Hulu Terengganu, due to launch in March this year, have been postponed after the previous operator withdrew.

State Tourism, Culture, Environment and Climate Change Committee chairman, Datuk Razali Idris, said the state government is meanwhile working to develop ancillary products around Pulau Poh.

“Regarding the government hotel on Pulau Poh, the project is still within its defect liability period. Previously, operations were planned under a hotel operator, but that party has officially pulled out,” he said at the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly sitting at Wisma Darul Iman here today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Zawawi Ismail (PAS-Telemung) on what the state government is doing to make Pulau Poh a key tourist destination.

Razali said the state government has lined up several programmes to draw visitors to Pulau Poh, including the Kenyir Geopark Festival 2026, which will be held from Aug 27 to 30 this year.

When met by reporters outside the session, Razali said the previous Pulau Poh hotel operator withdrew to focus on its business in Kuala Lumpur.

“However, when that operator pulled out, it did not cause any losses to the state government,” he said, adding that Terengganu Incorporated Sdn Bhd, as the hotel operator, has merged the management of Hotel Paya Bunga and Hotel Primula, both state‑owned properties, to run the hotel on Pulau Poh soon.

The hotel on Pulau Poh is part of the Tasik Kenyir Duty‑Free Zone development plan, and in addition to the hotel, the island has other facilities such as a cargo jetty and an iconic bridge that has become a draw for visitors.

The construction and operation of the hotel have been postponed several times, including due to the Covid‑19 pandemic. — Bernama