Please refer to attachments for information about Palau Bidong refugee camp in Malaysia. Those whose applications were rejected were sent to the Sungai Besi Refugee Camp, where they were later forcibly repatriated back to Vietnam after the war. With the closing of the camp, the remaining refugees were repatriated back to Vietnam. Luck was with our group. Geneva: Public Information Section of the UNHCR, January 1985. Despite having my sister to take care of me, I missed my family terribly. That was my first hand introduction on the horrific experiences of the Vietnamese Boat People. While the last Vietnamese refugee left Malaysia on Aug 30, 2005. Bidong Island was officially handed back to the Terengganu state government, but remains restricted to the public until 1999. It was an agonizing wait - what will happen to us if our application is rejected? Cross, Copyright Lachlan Kennedy / All Rights Reserved. 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. After a convenient hotel pickup, board a speedboat and learn all about "Little Saigon," where tens of thousands of people fleeing the Vietnam War by boat landed and built a camp. Bidong Island is accessible from the coastal town of Merang. A beauty of Tioman Island Malaysia never forgets this place! Tr V Bidong - Return to Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp. Malaysia 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. 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 . 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. Food In the early years, food was scarce but eventually food was much more adequate: plenty of instant noodles, condensed milk, green bean, sugar, chicken, fish, and vegetables. We were also lucky to meet up with some old neighbors, who soon took us under their wings. Another 600 refugees arrived in August and thereafter the arrival of boats from Vietnam was a near daily occurrence. I have orchestrated and driven the boat when it lett the dock How do I remember the details so well? Black market also thrived in the community. In the late 70s,Pulau Bidong was also home to Cambodians, who tried to flee the Khmer Rouge regime, Chinese-Vietnamese, who tried to escape Vietnamese Government. We encourage and welcome contact from First Peoples Communities, scholars and others to provide advice to correct and enhance information. Largest island (about 260 ha in size), Bidong was one of the scenic and uninhibited islands in those days. UNHCR - Last Vietnamese boat refugee leaves Malaysia As for what they will be doing, at the time of writing there were several proposals by the state museum on what will be done, but the first thing will be to allocate some funds to repair the amenities on the island and clean it up a bit, after Terengganu receives its petroleum royalty from the federal government in September. Traveling Guide to Bidong Island Malaysia - Get the latest updates Here's why that's a problem. The capacity of the camp was said to be 4,500. 2023 Vietnamese Heritage Museum. 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. This important collection represents two sides of the asylum experience - the refugees and the government officials. Pulau Bidong Vietnamese Refugee Camp in Malaysia: Bidong Island - Blogger 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. The sums overloaded the island and the refugee camp was only for about 4,500 people. You can also find some old buildings and cemeteries, remnants of the refugees that once stayed there. Aid organizations such as the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and many non-governmental organizations assisted the refugees. Since 1978 till 1991, Pulau Bidong refugee camp had accommodated more than 250,000 Vietnamese refugees together with a small number of Cambodian refugees. With the only navigation tools they had of a compass and a map, they sailed to the closest country with hopes that they will accept the refugees. An international volunteer staff of medical personnel tended to the refugee's health problems. The two sides were locked in war, until the North managed to capture Saigon (the Souths capital, now called Ho Chi Minh) in April 1975. Millions of people tried to flee the new Communist rule in Vietnam. The level of documentation for collection items can and does vary, dependent on when or how the item was collected. Bidong Island, Pulau Bidong, Vietnamese refugees, mini saigon, Merang Outside this mini Saigon was a Malaysian police station, a Red Cross hospital and UNHCR schools - kindergarten, primary and vocational. But the refugee population was well organized and many small businesses and an efficient food and water distribution system was set up. Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp 1978 - 1991, Malaysia Today, the only welcome for visitors to the beach are a barren beachfront stall and glimpses of buildings heavily hidden by overgrown brushwood and bushes. By the second day, our remaining food was stolen by another refugee. Theres an official fungus species named after Spongebob and it was found in Malaysia. 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. Sanitation was nearly non-existent and hepatitis was rampant. It takes 30 minutes to reach the island by speed boat. Whether that is fact or fiction is immaterial. The sums overloaded the island and the refugee camp was only for about 4,500 people. Mr Kennedy said it was a transitional moment in Australia's history. It takes 30 minutes to reach the island by speed boat. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the most accurate information is presented, some content may contain errors. VHM collects and sharesthetestimonies and artifacts that tell the stories of the Vietnamese refugees. BOX 27372 Your email address will not be published. Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp 1978 - 1991, Malaysia Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the famous Pulau Bidong, while participating in a foster family program in Terengganu. Malaysia About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Pulau Bidong Refugee Camp 1978 - 1991, Malaysia To ensure the safety of the refugees in the island, security personnel like Police and RELA ( Voluntary Security Unit) was stationed there. 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. They indiscreetly scrutinized us as we treaded gingerly, looking out for relatives and friends, on the white sandy beach. 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. Pulau Bidong Vietnamese Refugee Camp in Malaysia A Reset font size. They were called "boat people.". ThingsAsian is an Asia travel website with stories contributed by a worldwide community. Wewishto preserve this heritage for present and future generations to reflect upon. Bidong Island is accessible from the coastal town of Merang in Setiu district. The largest amounts of refugees came in 1979; more than 40,000 people. The war practically ended then, but it marked the beginning of further conflicts, both within and with its neighbors. Even if they reached land, the local authorities would often deny them entry, pushing their boats back out to sea. Although the island has the capacity to provide shelter for 4,500 refugees at any one time it took up to as many as 20,000 people at one stage, at the height of the arrival of the boat people. Bidong island was a refugee camp for the South Vietnamese boat people who escaped from communisms from the Vietnam war. Water was rationed at one gallon per day per person. I was going through the list of boat numbers and noticed that my parent's boat number was not recorded on the list. Only emptiness and a strange affectionate air lingers. Sadly, my brother could not survive the traumatic journey. The last remaining Vietnamese refugee in Malaysia, out of more than 250,000 "boat people" who began landing there 30 years ago, has returned home, marking a significant milestone in the history. Fresh (drinking) water was always an issue, which had to be transported from mainland by boat. Then in 1999, Bidong Island has opened again but for tourism purpose. There are colorful paintings, posters and alphabets decorating the walls in the classrooms and library. View of Pulau Bidong. In 1999, the island was opened to tourism. Pulau Bidong during 1978-1979 - Andrew Ngo - Vietnamese Heritage Museum Bidong Island is accessible from the coastal town of Merang. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The condition was very terrible in the early days of the huge refugees on the island. A Increase font size. 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. First Peoples works may have additional legal and cultural issues. The island is also known as Vietnam Island, as it was once used to keep the Vietnamese refugees during 1976 - 1991. The wildlife population was decimated. "We have heard stories of similarly desperate boat people escaping out of the communist Vietnam. It has regained its former pristine beauty and many former refugees have revisited their old home. Bidong, after being gazetted as a refugee camp was under the supervision and management of UNHCR. Local fishermen traded with several Vietnamese who were brave enough to swim out to the fishing boats, anchored some distance from the island. My sister wisely hid the gold and precious stones that would determine our survival. Also, there was something about keeping the racial balance in Malaysia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bidong_Island&oldid=1105891529, This page was last edited on 22 August 2022, at 07:36. 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 . 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. Within days after Saigon fell, the first boat arrived on Malaysian shores in May 1975, carrying 47 refugees. Their vacant stare, looking onto the outside world from behind the barbed wire, will forever be etched in my mind, although I was no more than ten when the camp was closed. Img from Medium. Refugee finder. However, perhaps many would not remember that in the 1970s, Malaysia, along with other neighboring countries, were part of one of the biggest refugee crises in history. There were regular music festivals performed by the refugees and Malaysian musicians as well as UN, MRCS, Police Task Force personnel. A Coffee Lover Adventure 6 The Must-Visit Destinations of Coffee Place in Jakarta, Bali Airport to Close for 24 Hours for Nyepi on Saturday. 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. Visitors are encouraged to join a guided tour for safety reasons because there are many "booby traps" in the form of abandoned wells about 20-metre deep dug by the Vietnamese for freshwater. Boredom and uncertainty are the biggest. Stayed in Zone C until April 30, 1984 (yes, April 30th!). 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. Here at CILISOS, we believe that the only way to consume information is with a serious dose of flavour. 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. From this time on the numbers declined with fewer arrivals and people processed and re-settled in countries such as Australia. As with many refugees, the Vietnamese were displaced following the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The original version of this document may be found on the offical website of the IRB at, Last Updated: Tuesday, 28 February 2023, 15:25 GMT, 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada. Something should be done to retain the heritage of the boat people, once so controversially intertwined with the country's destiny. Pulau Bidong, today. Peace and tranquility have returned to these idyllic spots in the South China Sea but Bidong will never be the same again. The refugees strongly protested their forced repatriation.