BESUT: Strong winds and huge waves have left more than 100 tourists stranded on Pulau Perhentian since Sunday, after speed boats were unable to operate to the mainland.
Pulau Perhentian village security and welfare committee chairman Zainuddin Mohamad said that the adverse weather from last Thursday posed a danger to small boats ferrying tourists.
"For their own safety and upon instructions from the Marine Department, the resort and boat operators advised the affected tourists to stay put at their lodging homes until the situation permitted travel to the mainland.
"They will be ferried back to Kuala Besut as soon as the weather permits, irrespective if it is early in the morning or late evening," he said.
Also affected were about 30 schoolchildren of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kuala Besut who were unable to return home to their villages in Pulau Perhentian for the Chinese New Year holidays.
Kuala Besut state assemblyman Tengku Zaihan Che Abd Rahman used his good offices to coordinate with the Parent-Teacher Association to place the affected students at a hostel with facilities for food and beverage.
Tengku Zaihan expressed concern for the safety of the pupils and did not wish to risk rushing them home to the island.