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Bad sanitation, lack of foods and clean water for the overload people caused social problems and endemic diseases. Museums Victoria does not own the copyright in all the material on this website. Many of the blogs weve found spoke of their time on the island fondly, but in reality. According to the video, part of the reason was that the refugees created a higher demand in food, driving prices up. [4], After the departure of the refugees, the Marine Research Station of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu's was established on the island. Long-houses and offices made from wood from the local forest were built and the boat people were provided with better basic needs and amenities such as food, schools, workshops, electricity and water. Today, the recovery is evident as the trees which were once cut down for firewood and building material have regenerated, although some scars - a reminder to visitors of the boat people - are still evident. But pantai dia all got kaca. Then the island was borrowed as a refugee camp from the state government of Terengganu. The Pulau Bidong refugee camp in Malaysia was typical of the conditions faced by many refugees. Largest island (about 260 ha in size), Bidong was one of the scenic and uninhibited islands in those days. But the refugee population was well organized and many small businesses and an efficient food and water distribution system was set up. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the famous Pulau Bidong, while participating in a foster family program in Terengganu. Local fishermen traded with several Vietnamese who were brave enough to swim out to the fishing boats, anchored some distance from the island. Peace and tranquility have returned to these idyllic spots in the South China Sea but Bidong will never be the same again. It was taken at a refugee camp on the Malaysian island of Pulau Bidong off the coast of Terengganu in the South China Sea in April, 1981. Pulau Bidong was officially open on August 8th, 1978 On October 30th, 1991, Pulau Bidong camp was closed (Mohamad) 1996: Sungei Besi camp was closed Over 9,000 Vietnamese refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam August 28, 2005: Last Vietnamese refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam 1982 A story of despair, courage and compassion. Conditions on Bidong were difficult. Experience a former Vietnamese refugee camp on this all-day adventure to Bidong Island. The capacity of the camp was said to be 4,500. They took only what was most important to them. The experiences of migration officials are frequently untold and unrepresented by material culture, as are material manifestations of refugee narratives. Perhaps to make it just like home, the camp was subsequently turned into a bustling mini Saigon. Up until last month, almost 5,000 people had visited the island, and some of them include former refugees or their children. What remains are mute reminders of recent history: charred wooden buildings and rotting huts which once housed about a quarter of a million boat people since their first arrival in 1978. By January 1979, there were 18,000 Vietnamese on the island and by June 1979 it was said to be the most heavily populated place on earth with about 40,000 refugees crowded into a flat area hardly larger than a football field. I studied at a school in the camp which prepared the refugees for resettlement. If something is not done about Pulau Bidong, and soon, it will fast become nothing more than a ghost island. The journey was a hard one for many refugees. Some unpublished material may require permission for reuse even if it is very old. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bidong_Island&oldid=1105891529, This page was last edited on 22 August 2022, at 07:36. Different circumstances, different time and place. You can use price alert to monitor your flight fares according to your traveling budget. It had the trappings of a township - post office, church, temple, tailors, hair salons, sundry shops and even disco and bar. Some of the countries we currently cover are Burma, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Which is a shame, because people (both tourists and those connected to the refugees) still come and visit the ruins and cemeteries to this very day. But as the conflicts progressed in Vietnam, more and more refugees reached Malaysia. Pulau Bidong was eventually shut down as a refugee camp in October 1991, and the remaining refugees were moved to the Sungai Besi Refugee Center in Kuala Lumpur, where they were either eventually resettled or repatriated back to Vietnam. Although this tiny island only had the capacity to accommodate for 4,500 refugees, however during some very 'peak' seasons, it once sheltered almost 40,000 people. While the government had later clarified that they wont literally shoot the refugees (Tun M said shoo the refugees, not shoot), they have admitted in June that they had towed out more than 40,000 refugees since January that year. Some enterprising refugees had set up small businesses like bakeries and tailor shops, and in the late 80s there was a musical stage, with regular performances by both the refugees and the volunteers. First Peoples works may have additional legal and cultural issues. Conditions on the island were crowded, with poor sanitation and housing, but the refugee population themselves were well organised, aid organisations were well-represented and representatives from re-settlement countries frequently visited. The flight of stairs leading to the temple from Pantai Tenggara is richly decorated with colorful plaques written with the refugees' names, social security numbers and dates they arrived. We were also lucky to meet up with some old neighbors, who soon took us under their wings. To that end, officials from Europe, the US, Australia and Canada came to refugee camps in Southeast Asia to interview refugees and bring the lucky ones back to their countries, and little by little the number of refugees lessened. In the fall of 1978 the number of refugee boats arriving from Vietnam in Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong shot up. It was an agonizing wait - what will happen to us if our application is rejected? Doan was the last remaining Vietnamese refugee in Malaysia out of over 250,000 Vietnamese refugees who had landed on the eastern shores of Malaysia some 20 years ago. Tepper, Elliot L., ed. A Malaysian government transit boat on route to the Pulau Bidong refugee camp in 1981. Credit: Lachlan Kennedy/Museums Victoria From 1975 to 1985, Australia accepted 80,000 Vietnamese refugees, and now more than 200,000 Vietnamese-born people call Australia home. By the time Bidong was closed as a refugee camp on October 30, 1991, about 250,000 Vietnamese had passed through or resided in the camp. Immigration officials from many countries visited the island to interview refugees for resettlement abroad. What Can You Do in Chiaksan National Park Korea? The photographer was Lachlan Kennedy, who was a member of the Australian Department of Immigration Indo-Chinese Refugee Taskforce, from January-September 1981 during the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Bidong Island is located in Kuala Nerus district, Terengganu. Bidong, after being gazetted as a refugee camp was under the supervision and management of UNHCR. For details on the Bidong Island Guided Tour Package, call Ping Anchorage Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd at 09-6262020. 2023 Vietnamese Heritage Museum. All Rights Reserved. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. While the last Vietnamese refugee left Malaysia on Aug 30, 2005 . Refugee Camps Bidong Camp stories Boat numbers Voices of refugees Photos Bibliography Refugee finder Story of 1730 I was just on the internet and came across your website. But even though there used to be so much on the island, practically everything had rotted away or were vandalized. In May 1975, the first boat with 47 refugees arrived in Malaysia from Vietnam. The sums overloaded the island and the refugee camp was only for about 4,500 people. The refugee camp closed in 1991 with some 250,000 refugees having passed through and either re-settled or, eventually, forcibly repatriated. Malaysia managed to give temporary protection to the refugees at that time because of the coordination with third countries, and countries of origin. List of boats known to have arrived at Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp: 1978-1980, 1981-1985, 1986-1990, 1991 & after: From 1986 To 1990: Boat number Arrived Bidong Departed . It was a gift from Duong . The sums overloaded the island and the refugee camp was only for about 4,500 people. Bidong island was a refugee camp for the South Vietnamese boat people who escaped from communisms from the Vietnam war. Weve even done a piece on Malaysians being refugees somewhere else, but the point is, if youre talking about a refugee crisis in Malaysia, youd probably imagine these more recent cases. Photos. Img from Medium. Landed in the Malaysian shore at about 11:30pm , about 1 hour bus ride from Marang Transit Camp, with about 100 liters of diesel left. It has regained its former pristine beauty and many former refugees have revisited their old home. Also, there was something about keeping the racial balance in Malaysia. Though there's little of practical value in the ruins, signboards with Vietnamese characters and names are still on display - guiding our way around the little ghost town. On 30 April 1975, the Vietnam War ended with the evacuation of the American Embassy and the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese Army. Refugees leaving the camp would sell their shacks to new arrivals or brokers from as little as US$20 to as high as US$400. The passage from Vietnam was hazardous and the refugee boats were small, overloaded, and often attacked by pirates. As a young girl, I remember staring at the refugees staying at the Sungei Besi Refugee camp. Text content on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence, Ration Queues, Refugee Camp, Pulau Bidong, Malaysia, Apr 1981, https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/2103284, Lachlan Kennedy, Dept of Immigration Indochinese Refugee Taskforce, Malaysia, 1981. Malaysia About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features These shots are from the time I spent on Pulau Bidong, Malaysia, in 1985. The vocational school still has leftovers like television tubes, circuit boards, carpentry work-tables and tailoring guides - obviously displaying the training that UNHCR had given to refugees before sending them on to a permanent host country. If you are to go to Pulau Bidong today, you will find that part of it had become Universiti Malaysia Terengganus (UMT) maritime research center. To ensure the refugees got humanitarian aid and better living conditions, the UNHCR through the International Red Cross supervised the activities on the island. Our aim is to make mundane things like news and current events entertaining, and informative, hopefully in equal measure. BOX 27372 The Vietnamese Heritage Museum(VHM)is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the preservation andexhibitionof our Vietnamese refugees heritage. No Vietnamese Heritage Museum Waiting for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to process our application for asylum in Australia took nearly two years. The journey continued for 6 days in the calm sea. Another 600 refugees arrived in August and thereafter the arrival of boats from Vietnam was a near daily occurrence. In the early stages, the refugees, some with nothing except the clothes on their backs, ate anything they could find on the island including monkeys, frogs and squirrels. Outside the church, on a mass of cement shaped as a ship's bow, dozens of stone tablets commemorate all those who didn't make it over. As people would stay longer for screening, this was the case for who arrived after March 14th, 1989, many wells were dug by the refugee to be used for bathe, cooking, and farming. The island has a sad history, but it was also the beginning of a. Img from Astro Awani. A Vietnamese refugee camp was established later in Pulau Bidong in August 1978 with the assistance of the United Nations. Another 600 refugees arrived in August and thereafter the arrival of boats from Vietnam was a near daily occurrence. Bidong Island in Malaysia is a unique destination to choose as it doesnt offer too beautiful scenery, wonderful BIdong Island sunrise and fun activities to do but it has the interesting history to learn. Boredom and uncertainty are the biggest. Vietnamese Heritage Museum A beauty of Tioman Island Malaysia never forgets this place! Santa Ana, CA 92799. The process of shooting / developing / printing / scanning / processing the images has not always been kind. Refugees crowded onto the island "lived in makeshift huts two and three stories high made of salvaged timbers from wrecked boats, plastic sheets, tin cans, and corrugated iron sheets." CC Some recent travelers claim that the island is haunted by spirits who died trying to get there - one lady recently claimed she heard something eerie issuing from one of the shop houses of the former boat people there. It was a risky thing to do, but they were desperate, as recounted by former refugees and their children. The Canadian Embassy provided a matching grant of RM20,000 for us to build the stage for the performances. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the most accurate information is presented, some content may contain errors. Picked up by local police at 1:30am and by the UNHCR at noon on the following day (by bus to the Marang Transit Camp). My sister wisely hid the gold and precious stones that would determine our survival. By January 1979, there were 18,000 Vietnamese on the island and by June 1979 it was said to be the most heavily populated place on earth with about 40,000 refugees crowded into a flat area hardly larger than a football field. Imagine a seven year old child with a twelve year old sister, wondering about the safety of our family members back in Vietnam! Closing ceremonyBidong was officially closed with a farewell ceremony on October 30th, 1991. Refugees. After, strap on complimentary snorkeling equipment and explore the island's beautiful waters. Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Life on Hell Island Huynh's boat arrived on Pulau Bidong in 1978, just weeks after the island was opened to refugees. Crying, my brother and sister pulled me aboard. In 1979, Tun Mahathir, who was the deputy Prime Minister back then, made a controversial statement saying that Malaysia would remove some 70,000 refugees from the camp and put them out to sea again, as well as shooting on sight any refugee boats attempting to land. A total of 9,000 Vietnamese were repatriated between 1991 and August 28, 2005 when the last refugees departed Malaysia for Vietnam. A Increase font size. List of boats known to have arrived at Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp: 1978-1980, 1981-1985, 1986-1990, 1991 & after: From 1981 To 1985: Boat number Arrived Bidong Departed VN Number . Voices of refugees. Fresh (drinking) water was always an issue, which had to be transported from mainland by boat. One part of the beach was even named Pantai Cina - China Beach - after its more famous counterpart in Vietnam. Bidong Island The Bidong Archipelago comprises six islands. A Geneva Convention held in July 1979 resulted in Vietnam agreeing to restrain the flow of refugees and the Southeast Asian countries agreeing to take all those who came to their shores provided that the Western countries guaranteed resettlement for the majority of them. Including in the water. Since 1978 till 1991, Pulau Bidong refugee camp had accommodated more than 250,000 Vietnamese refugees together with a small number of Cambodian refugees. Bidong IslandThe Bidong Archipelago comprises six islands. Other refugee camps were also set up in other regions of Malaysia such as Pulau Tengah, Pulau Besar, Kota Bharu, Kuantan, Sarawak, Sabah, and Kuala Lumpur. To ensure the safety of the refugees in the island, security personnel like Police and RELA ( Voluntary Security Unit) was stationed there. Happy traveling! We encourage and welcome contact from First Peoples Communities, scholars and others to provide advice to correct and enhance information. Sebagai first outsider group rekee for tourism place. There were regular music festivals performed by the refugees and Malaysian musicians as well as UN, MRCS, Police Task Force personnel. The capacity of the camp was said to be 4,500. by John Doan. Cross, Copyright Lachlan Kennedy / All Rights Reserved. Bidong Island was officially handed back to the Terengganu state government, but remains restricted to the public until 1999. Despite having my sister to take care of me, I missed my family terribly. Bidong Island was officially handed back to the Terengganu state government, but remains restricted to the public until 1999. Bidong Island was officially opened as a refugee camp on August 8th, 1978 with 121 Vietnamese refugees. In addition, the governments of Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries discouraged refugees from landing on their shores. The first refugee's group consisting 47 people arrived on the island in 1975. In 1999, the island was opened to tourism. They were also a main source of food to the refugees. * * * * * Again, lady luck smiled at us. They were called "boat people.". In the end, it was decided that my brother, eldest sister and myself was to go, giving the opportunity to the younger generation to make a better life in the outside world. In May 1975, Malaysia's shores saw the arrival of the first weather-beaten boat, carrying 47 people from Viet Nam. Black market also thrived in the community. Based on accounts from a former refugee, the Malaysian government as well as volunteers had over time organized the island somewhat, and it had longhouses, schools, places of worship, and even a post office and coffee shops. Pulau Bidong Camp: Contestations for Power and Place Abstract With more than 1.6 million refugees departing from land and sea following the end of the Vietnam War (1955-1975), refugee camps emerged as part of the southeast Asian landscape for more than a decade. All rights reserved. Every year, they (the Vietnamese) will come here to visit the graves of their ancestors, and recently we found out that there are requests to hold weddings here even though they have become successful people in the fields of politics and economy, they have a very high sentimental attachment to Pulau Bidong, Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, translated from Astro Awani. After collecting all the cash and valuables my parents had, my family realized that there was only enough money for three people to go. An international volunteer staff of medical personnel tended to the refugee's health problems. In 1990, due to excessive supply of instant noodles, that were wasted, each person was given 5 packs of instant noodles per week instead of 7 packs. This collection enables the telling of both stories, with primacy given in this instance to the employee as custodian of the objects. Out in the sea, our main fears were the pirates - who will not hesitate to rob, rape, beat and murder - on top of the natural hardships of starvation, thirst and sea sickness. This important collection represents two sides of the asylum experience - the refugees and the government officials. Visit Airpaz to see the options of flight to the nearest airports and get the best choices with best prices. Guide to the Binh Danh photographs from the Pulau Bidong Series. Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp 1978 - 1991, Malaysia: Current News Home Thailand Koh Kra: Hell on Earth Songkhla Laem Sing; Malaysia Pulau Bidong Pulau Tengah; . Geneva: Public Information Section of the UNHCR, January 1985. Another 600 refugees arrived in August and thereafter the arrival of boats from Vietnam was a near daily occurrence. Conditions on Bidong were difficult. Some sources had estimated at as many as 300,000 of them were sent off to re-education camps, where they were tortured, starved, and forced to perform hard labor. No visitors were allowed on or around the islands. They stand like a mute reminder to the world. [3], By the time Bidong was closed as a refugee camp on 30 October 1991, about 250,000 Vietnamese had passed through or resided in the camp. "Palau Bidong Malaysia, is Still Home to 5,000 Refugees." OMG, SPM is so secretive, its even filed under OSA but why? Plan a visit to the island when you traveling to Malaysia and get a unique experience there. ThingsAsian is an Asia travel website with stories contributed by a worldwide community. One visitor, Leo Cherne, called Bidong "Hell Isle." Organized a day trip to Pulau Bidong, a former refugee camp, with local teachers and community members. Yes, this is the famous island portrayed in the controversial movie Turtle Beach (starring Joan Chen) but no, none of the refugees were murdered by the local fishermen. Vietnamese American Experiences at Westminster High School, Les Bird Book Signing: Along the Southern Boundary, Author Hour: Les Bird at Santa Ana Library, K c thuyn nhn ti trin lm ca Vin Bo Tng Di Sn Ngi Vit Little Saigon TV, PHOTOS: VHM Annual Gala A Reflection of Our Past. They were called boat people. However, the number of boat people fleeing Vietnam was relatively small until 1978. was officially opened as a refugee camp on August 8th, 1978 with 121 Vietnamese refugees. There were 99 peoples (wasn't known until arrival) on a 14 meters wooden boat, powered by very reliable a 4-cilynder diesel engine. There are still several solid wooden buildings left standing but these need a huge "face-lift" if they are to be put to use as a tourist attraction. Often, they would visit the graveyards found on Pulau Bidong, which have been maintained by the Archive of Vietnamese Boat People, with money contributed by ethnic Vietnamese around the world. This is the heritage that we leave behind for future Vietnamese generations. Why and how do I know the details of this boat? Most stayed on Bidong a few months or longer and were resettled abroad in third countries, especially the United States. VHM collects and sharesthetestimonies and artifacts that tell the stories of the Vietnamese refugees. These parallel and intersecting experiences have both personal and bureaucratic elements to them, linked by place, and world events, with craft and gifts of appreciation providing tangible points of connection and memory. The condition was very terrible in the early days of the huge refugees on the island. Many of us ethnic Chinese who remained in Vietnam were persecuted by the locals. This material reflects the creators attitude or that of the period in which the item was written, recorded, collected or catalogued. A kindergarten run by UNHCR staff looks no different than any other school. As our boat approached the island to dock, we were given a warm, yet strange welcome by other survivors. "[2] But the refugee population was well organised and many small businesses and an efficient food and water distribution system was set up. All the 'official' buildings were made from plywood with the processing building separate from the administration building.Bidong was opened as a refugee camp in August 1978 and by June 1979 there were about 40,000 Indo-Chinese refugees on an island said to have capacity for about 4,500 people. With the huge number of boat people landed on the island, in August 1978 the federal government borrowed this island from the state government of Terengganu and gazetted Bidong as a refugee camp.Bidong is one square kilometer in area and is situated off the coast of Terengganu, Malaysia in the South China Sea. It has regained its former pristine beauty and many former refugees have revisited their old home. Under the agreement, Malaysia accepted around 250,000 Indochinese boat people who resided at Pulau Bidong refugee camp in Terengganu. Aid organisations such as the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and many non-governmental organisations assisted the refugees. P.O. Our writers, photographers and contributors are real people who tell you the stories of their personal travels and experiences. The refugees lived in makeshift huts up to three stories high,and they dont have proper toilets and fresh water (it had to be supplied from the mainland or dug from wells). By the time Bidong was closedas a refugee camp on October 30, 1991, about 250,000 Vietnamese had passed through or resided in the camp. In May 1975, the first boat with 47 refugees arrived in Malaysia from Vietnam. By the time Bidong was closed as a refugee camp on October 30, 1991, about 250,000 Vietnamese had passed through or resided in the camp. In this video we visited Pulau Bidong, a island on the east coast of Malaysia that was once a refugee camp for the Vietnamese running away from the post Viet. Its size is 203 square hectares. 2023 Vietnamese Heritage Museum. Before the island was used to land Vietnamese refugees in 1978, the island was uninhibited and has beautiful scenery. List of boats known to have arrived at Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp: 1978-1980, 1981-1985, 1986-1990, 1991 & after: From 1978 To 1980: Boat number Arrived Bidong Departed VN Number . But kinds of the organization came to give aids and solved the problems of the refugees until they can have the better life, good health facility, school, and even entertainments. The capacity of the camp was said to be 4,500. Being humane has not paid off for us at all All we are getting is a further inflow of Vietnamese illegal immigrants, and we have every right to expel them. Tun Mahathir, in 1979, as reported by the New York Times. In recent times, weve covered quite a bit on refugees: heres a piece on Syrian refugees entering Malaysia, and heres one on Rohingyan refugees. Immigration officials from many countries visited the island to intervew refugees for resettlement abroad. The overwhelming shrubs and weeds are not helping either! 1980 -1981 Pulau Bidong Refugee camp sketches - La Toan Vinh About Us The Vietnamese Heritage Museum (VHM) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of our Vietnamese refugees' heritage. The UNHCR and International Red Cross was on hand to protect the safety of the refugees, then gazetted as a protected area by the Malaysian government. A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization, EIN 82-2141214. These refugees were creatively named the Vietnamese Boat People by the media. Mr Kennedy said it was a transitional moment in Australia's history. Bidong Island is accessible from the coastal town of Merang in Setiu district. An international volunteer staff of medical personnel tended to the refugee's health problems. Santa Ana, CA 92799. For some First Peoples communities, seeing images or hearing recordings of persons who have passed, may cause sadness or distress and, in some cases, offense. Only emptiness and a strange affectionate air lingers. P.O. Millions of people tried to flee the new Communist rule in Vietnam. Refworld is the leading source of information necessary for taking quality decisions on refugee status. Largest island (about 260 ha in size), Bidong was one of the scenic and uninhibited islands in those days. Pulau Bidong was closed on Oct 30, 1991. See:A beauty of Tioman Island Malaysia never forgets this place! One of the many cemeteries on Bidong. Transfer to Sungai Besei in Kuala Lumpur for 3 weeks before heading to Bataan PRPC (Philippine Refugee Processing Center) for a 3 months Cultural and Orientation Program for English level E. Left Zone 5 (near the Camp Market) early in the morning of August 14, 1984 to go to America via Northwest Airlines (Seatle WA port of arrival). Bidong had so many fishes around the island. All Rights Reserved. Sadly, my brother could not survive the traumatic journey. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Pulau Bidong served as a half-way house for these people before they were sent to other third countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and several European countries, and it took time to grant approval to those qualified to be accepted as refugees. VHM collects and sharesthetestimonies and artifacts that tell the stories of the Vietnamese refugees. Pulau Bidong, today. You may be required to obtain permission from the copyright owner. Well. Wewishto preserve this heritage for present and future generations to reflect upon. List of boats known to have arrived at Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp: 1978-1980, 1981-1985, 1986-1990, 1991 & after: Boat number Arrived Bidong Departed VN Number people Boat Story . The island has a spectacular backdrop ranging from various species of plants, trees and animals to clear waters surrounding it with a great view of the corals. In the afternoon of the first day, We were chased and stopped by a big steel fishing boat (Chin Thng 18). Refugee boats were often pushed offshore or towed to Bidong and other designated camps. Though refugees could reach Terengganu within days, the slow overcrowded boats were often attacked by pirates who, in ascending order of severity, robbed, raped, maimed and killed. Bidong Island or Pulau Bidong is a tiny island in one square kilometer of width. Tr V Bidong - Return to Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp. In May 1975,the first boat with 47 refugees arrived in Malaysia from Vietnam. It is an underwater gallery in 15 meters of depth that exhibits the replicas of relics and cultural artifacts such as Terengganu Inscription Stone, arch, tepak sireh, and traditional boat. The crisis saw as many as 2 million Vietnamese people leaving their country and seeking refuge in nearby countries, and in Malaysia, they were placed on an island called Pulau Bidong, in Terengganu.