Posted on by Kit

Complaint against Teluk Dalam Resort

Letters
by Eddie Paul C

(The following is a letter of complaint against Teluk Dalam Resort sent to the management by a Singaporean of his unhappy experiences but who has not received any reply after three weeks.)

Subject: RE: TELUK DALAM RESORT
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:44:06 +0000

We had the opportumity to stay at your resort from 17-20 Nov 2008. We had booked our stay via telephone from Singapore for the Cempaka Bungalow through your staff Ms Fadzilla who did a good job to convince me to give a try to stay at your resort. We normally would stay at the Pangkor Island Beach Resort. Sadly to say that our stay at your resort was a horrible experience. We regretted very badly but it was an experience anyway.

Please let me enlighten you with our bad experiences during our stay as follow:

1. At the Check-In reception on our arrival on 17 Nov we were advised to take an additional bed at RM40.00 per night. We consented to it.

2. We were then allocated bungalow No: 343. I would compliment the ambience, the setting and the beautiful bungalow. However, on approaching the premises we noticed a dirty looking mattress with some used towels placed on the railing probably left by the previous guests. We just passsed them by. We proceeded to look underneath the beds (which we normally did – just in case) in both rooms. To our horror the floor was atrocious – dusty, littered with cigarette butts, bits of papers, etc. However, outside the bungalow at the rear door there was heavy litterings with items such as cigarette butts and wrappers, chewing gum wrappers, used condoms, etc. This is really disgusting. Your house-keepers MUST be complimented for her failure.

3. As we were tired after a long drive we decided to take a stroll along the beach. To our horror the approach to the beach was littered with styrofoam, papers, etc and the undergrowth was overgrown and left unattended for ages.

4. We later proceeded to the swimming pool, and to our horror many tiles both around the pool and inside the pool were damaged. There was no evidence to show that rectification work was ever carried out. I infact had a minor (fortunately) cut under my foot. We also noticed that algae was growing in all the joints (tiles) in both pools – we can see them at the bottom of the pool and on the walls waiting to be cleaned and removed. Your staff did nothing to clean the pool of these harmful algae growth. Infact I suffered ulcers on my lips after my swim which I showed to your staff Ms Pang at check-out. Algae growth has been proven to be be harmful. My grand-daughter had to consult our family doctor in Singapore for similar mouth ulcers. I can send you receipt to show you proof. Please DO something about this.

5. After our swim on our return to the bungalow the ‘extra bed’ has still not arrived or made up. We later proceeded for our dinner at your restaurant. When we returned to the bungalow after our dinner at obout 8.30 pm we noticed that the dirty looking mattress was still left on the railing with a new bedsheet and a blanket just added. We did not make a fuss as the beds were sufficient for my wife, my maid, my 2 young grand-children (8 and 10 years old) and myself.

6. The next morning I noticed that the dirty mattress, bedsheet and blanket were still on the railing. I took photographs of them, and proceeded to your reception counter to lodge my unhappiness to your staff Baizura. I also told her that I don’t need the ‘extra’ bed for the obvious reasons as we were expected to use the filthy mattress, we had to make it ourselves (DIY) and apparently one of us had to sleep on the floor as it came with a 2-inch mattress only. On our return after breakfast the items were promptyly removed.

7. On 19 Nov while we were swimming in the pool in the late afternoon all of a sudden one of your staff brought a ‘floater rope’ to tie it across the pool, and a group of staff I believe from the Health Ministry (I noticed ‘Kesihatan’) came and told us to leave. We left but did not make a fuss as we are ‘guests’ in Malaysia as your civil service staff are known and can create problems for us during our stay if we ever did. I truly felt your staff and that of the Health Ministry were unethical, and acted like ‘gangsters’ to guests of the resort. Had this happened in my country I would have marched to the reception and the Health Ministry to lodge my strongest complaint. Yes, they have numbers but we also have equal rights to use the pool as we also paid for our lodging, if not more.

8. We had dinner at your restaurant and was surprised that the 3 main courses were all with ‘chillies’ – chilly crabs, rendang and one other chilly item. Personally, I think your resort must also change the mind-set, and also consider the plight of non-Malay children.

9. When we checked out on 20 Nov I spoke to your staff I believe Ms YS Pang and Ms Fadzilla regarding our unhappiness and showed them the photos I had taken. We have been to many resorts throughout Malaysia – Port Dickson, Penang, Langkawi, Pangkor, Kelantan, Tioman, etc I think this is one very bad experience we ever had. If Teluk Dalam Resort ever wants to woo more tourists it has to work tremendously hard to improve your service quality. Most of your staff has this attitude which we use it very commonly in Singapore – a ‘boh chap’ attitude.

10. By the way, on arrival at the Jetty we were the only family to board the Teluk Dalam Resort bus whilst the rest (about 30-40 people) boarded the other bus to the PIBR. After our stay we knew the reason why – and it is very obvious.

I hope you will investigate my feedback to you in order for you to improve on the service quality of your resort, and perhaps we may return one day!

30 Replies to “Complaint against Teluk Dalam Resort”

  2. YB.
    I think you should look into this problem seriously as it is under PAKATAN RAKYAT. We need to show the BN UMNO that Perak will be much much better than Bn.
    Its good that we have this complain so that we will improved better live for all the people of PERAK.
    Thank you
    MAY GOD BLESS YOU
    IRELAND

  3. Greetings!

    I had the similar experienced from my previous trip to Pangkor Island but in different hotel and restaurant. The facilities and room was not maintain/upkeep well.

    Hope the PR government put up measurement to audit those tourism sites although we all know its private business especially the beach area.

  5. When a particular restaurant overcharges its food and drinks, customers just steer clear away from it. So when a holiday resort starts to cheat its clients, don’t ever go near it again. Simple as that.

  7. Reply to Mr Eddy Paul C.

    1. You have come from a 1st world country to a third world country. What did you expect? The mentality, way of life and attitudes here are different from your tip-top, super duper efficient, clinically clean, fine-based environment and if you cannot tolerate it here, then stay home. Over here, its reeeeelax-la, tiada-apa attitude. Savvvy? Psssst!!! Where did you stick your chewing gum? Under their beds?

    2. If you did not get any response to your queries, comments and complains, it is because the hotel staff and management do not understand your England, OK? Here they only speak the Bahasa Pasar and the like and they are still looking for a translator to interpret your Mat Salleh England. Give them some time, till 2009 OK?

    3. Did you highlight the dirt, mess and filth to the “Kesihatan” fellows? Maybe they were there to study at first hand the breeding grounds of the aedes mosquito and they needed a real-life environment. Was the Health Minister there to open the ceremony?

    4. Any grouses you have are usually attended to, if at all, “behind closed doors” over here so that no bad things and skeletons come out into the open to frighten away innocent tourists like you. Everything is always fine over here and if you have grouses, it is always your fault , not theirs, savvvvy?

    5. Don’t forget to take all your shots before entering a third world country, OK? And don’t drink the water or use the swimming pool. You don’t want to know what are in it. And go for a full medical check-up when you get home so that you don’t spread third world diseases in your first world country. Your doctors there may not be familiar with our strange diseases so do take notes of everything you did over here.

    Best of luck next time. Mai Pen rai! Semua-nya OK! Next time try the “developed state” of Selangor.

  8. Many people would see the complaint in this article as an alarming sign of Malaysians’ inferior quality and low standard in maintaining the environmental cleanliness, in enhancing the table dishes menu quality and food hygiene in order to meet the international food catering standard, and in providing the commendable customer service which would make the clients feel like staying at home during their visit and vacational stay in the tourist resorts in Malaysia.

    However, I would see this article as a good brainstorming idea from Uncle Kit for encouraging the Rakyat to invest and endeavour in the lucrative and fast payback business of the pollution-free industry, i.e. tourism, in the states under the administration of Pakatan Rakyat.

    When the Menteri Besars and the Chief Minister are contemplating giving away some “Tanah Kurnia untuk tujuan pertanian” to the Rakyat, it is worth-while for them to give a serious thought on whether there is any developmental potential for planning and making the land site a pool of tourist attractions. While the local Malaysian investors may not have the huge sum of money to invest in the luxurious theme park projects such as Disneyland, Disney World, Legoland or Busch Garden, there are still many less costly theme park projects which are worth-investing. Take for instances, the Mushroom Farm in Muar, the Jamnapari goat farm in Yong Peng, the Pitaya Farm in Air Hitam (Johor), and Qian Hu Arowana Farm in Chua Chu Kang (Singapore) are the successful business model for many Malaysian potential investors to learn about.

    I foresee that Singaporeans are not going to change their habit of constant travel to foreign countries on vacation even though the Singaporean Government has announced a forecast of an economic recession in Singapore for the coming one year. In the past when the world economies fare well, most Singaporeans like to travel a long distance to tour Europe or the United States. During the economic recession, most Singaporeans may try to cut expenses by selecting the nearby neighbouring countries as their travel destinations on vacation. This foreseeable change in spending pattern of Singaporeans will provide good opportunities for the tourism businesses in Malaysia.

    Therefore, it is time for Pakatan Rakyat state governments to launch a long-term environmental cleanliness and food hygiene campaign in order to attract much more tourists from all around the world to come visit Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Selangor. Tourists are usually the big spender who can bring much income to the theme park operators, the hoteliers, the restauranteurs, the souvenir shop operators, and the taxi drivers. Meanwhile, the state governments can also be benefited from tourism through the collection of business license fees from the tourism-related businesses. The job opportunities generated from the tourism will also benefit the Rakyat in general.

    We should look at the complaint in Uncle Kit’s article as a “crisis” which would provide “opportunities” for many people who strive to achieve the goal of improving both their material benefits as well as their quality of life in our own nation, Malaysia. The first step towards such a noble goal will be nothing less than adopting a positive attitude to cultivate the personal habit of good mannerism and wanting to quest for excellence. With regards of the habit of good mannerism and wanting to quest for excellence, I just hope that all the Members of Parliament, especially those “kurang ajar” MPs from the Barisan Nasional, would learn to change for the better and be commited to set a good example for all Malaysians to follow.

  9. Teluk Dalam is two star rated. So experienced tourists, please avoid this resort. With regards to this, some five star hotel in Penang does not live up to its’ five star status. There is no service for the room, similar to no maintenance for the surroundings in Teluk Dalam resort. Malaysia has a lot of Visit Malaysia year. This does not mean wooing foreign visitors alone to come. It can also mean local tourists visiting places in Malaysia they have not been before. Or the neighbouring tourists.

  11. You are lucky not to find human faeces in the food served. Otherwise you’d have been down with e-coli and ended up in hospital.

    Sue the resort for damages?? You stand as much chance of winning the case as somebody suing for aggravation caused to you by your travel agent.

  13. For the same price you have to pay locally, maybe it is better just to visit some Asean countries. Could be even cheaper! I just wonder how many of the hotels created by the Tourist Board are still in operation?
    I think the staff can never change their third world mentality!

  14. It’s people with mentality like you sheriff that is a shame to claim as Malaysian. The tidak apa altitude is why Malaysia is so behind even to country like Indonesia. If you don’t know proper english, here in malay, SUNGUH MEMALUKAN… Well this kind of mind set has been cultivated by BN & the cronies… Our neighbour is not advance, it just us being backward… Go figure…

  15. mr eddie,

    you’re lucky you just found some used condoms around next trip maybe you’ll find densture too, don’t play play.

    next trip you better check in a 6 star hotel and don’t be too “kiam siap”. in Penang we have many budgeted hotels too but i don’t see much complains from the back-packers too.

  16. I presumed that is a government managed hotel.
    Well…one at Malacca…boasted to be the best and largest at Kelebang Besar…deep in…is rotting and…loosing money for two decades.
    See it…you will never want to stay there.
    Same ….in Port Dickson…same name hotel….most expensive….lousy services.
    Government do not care two hoots.
    And if they do…it takes years there after….and only when it becomes a subject to possibility loosing more votes..then they act.
    I thought Muslims are sparkling clean workers!!
    They are…but not UMNO Muslims.
    Hypocrites are close to devils……and not Godly souls.
    Don’t be fooled by their pious acting skills.

  18. Then look around so many government resorts….all over Malaysia…billions spent….all rotting..all loosing money.
    UMNO thinks…Muslims spent most time with families and praying…so the don’t know…safe and sound…votes still secured.
    They forgot….majority Muslims work for commercial firms…do mix around….and hate their hypocracies and racialist attitudes.
    What I have written….they know that’s true….and yearning for change of government…with patience and tolorance…not easily bribed with good news.
    These people know Malaysia belongs to Malaysians…not to sick men of Asia…. UMNO.

  20. Not surprising at all. This is not an isolated incident. I have been to a few hotels/resorts with such attitude. The worst are those operated by GLCs or government linked. They operate like exactly like the civil service. You get the feeling that they are doing you a favour instead of the opposite. I have seen too many sour face guest relation managers even in four and five star hotels in my travel. The best hotels and resorts in term of cleanliness and service are those managed by foreign managers. But once they are handed to a local, the standard immediately falls. Sad to say but this is a fact.

  22. I feel sorry for Eddie Paul C and ashamed to be Malaysian. I have experienced holidays when I had to apologetically excuse Msian resort/hotels poor facilities/efficiencies to foreigners. Once I had to help explain what the Selangor Pewter guide was mumbling abt, to my Japanese friends and the other foreigners in the group.

    Sheriff Singh, I hope you are joking because if you are not, you are the type of Msians that give us a bad name and hotel experience.

    Madmix said the service from Datai or YTL’s Mcca hotel’s FILIPINO and BALINESE staff is great. You said it, man. For this reason, I prefer to holiday in Bali, or Thailand. Will try Boracay one day. There, the indons and Thais are happy to serve us. In Malaysia, the service people give us a dirty look. It is as if we owe them a living when it is the other way round.

    The service industry people in Msia do not understand what it means to be in the service industry. They act as though they are the tuan. Funny, but i believe my patronage pays for their jobs.

    In any case IT IS cheaper to holiday in Indonesia and Thailand, plus airtickets from AirAsia. So why bother to Cuti-cuti Malaysia with such terrible attitude from the service people???

  23. Dear Eddie Paul C,

    Let me give you a typical umnoputra’s reply:

    “I deny. We have first class everything because we spend billions to get only first class. Nothing less. Everything you said therefore must be wrong. Even Bangladesh and Somali and Nigeria are not up to our very high standards.

    In any event you singaporeans are sour grapes and cannot accept the fact that we are actually better than you. Even our universities are actually better except that we are not kiasu like you so we dont do this do that just to appear high in ranking. And you are jealous of our spaceman arent you?”

    The same treatment was given to gerakan and mca. That’s how the bullying thingy was mentioned.

  25. Likewise, Malaysians faced some bad experiences while travelling to a country, which DAP adores a lot. DAP must show its sincerity by giving priority to Malaysians instead of trying to be the champion of the foreigners. Furthermore, they must listen to Malaysian’s grievances, especially the Johorean who have a lot to share.

    There are numerous issues, DAP could take up which would be more beneficial to the country, i.e land reclamation issue, CPF, Tanjong Pagar etc. I wonder if there’s any opposition leader over there would really support us if we made any complaint against any of their agencies. They are all loyal to their country….In Malaysia???

  26. Ya lah, cintanegara,

    – We should sweep such issue under the carpet or pretend it didn’t take place because discussion of such issue are not beneficial to the country.

    – Because a Singaporean has talked “bad” about us, we should now talk bad about Singapore to get even.

    – Kit should not allow such article in his blog because it tells the whole world our incompetencies, making us very malu.

  27. Another instant of MALAYSIA BOLEH (mati) lah!!! This is a typical example of BN’s leadership – KEPIMPINAN MELALUI TELADAN! When the “teladan” is shit, how can you expect good service below!!!

  30. Following are my observation of Tourist Attraction Lodgings which is run by Malaysia Government.

    We always have First-Class-Facility built to be run by Management with Third-world-Mentality which normally charges Third-World-Rates. In the beginning of the operation, these facilities would be a steal for the guests. However due to the lack of maintenance resulting from poor management, the facility will gradually run down to the point where nobody is willing to visit it and had to be closed down.

    The beauty of such a system in Malaysia is that after some time, the public will forget about this Thrived-and-lost facility. Slowly we will hear ‘proposals’ to re-build this ‘Kawasan Peranginan’ and naturally, millions of public fund would again be poured into the project and the cycle repeats.

    Just imagine what a big loss we Malaysian suffered when we always have World-Class-Attractions laying idle, contributing zero revenue to our tourism industry. These badly run facilities even contribute negative perceptions to our tourism industry (Be reminded this is by our Government). Not to mention millions of public fund every time refurbishments is required and the money spent on advertising and promotion on visit Malaysia.

    Correct me if I’m wrong, this “Tidak Apa” attitude seems to be a requirement from our government – our system is set do to Encourage this attitude.

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