Pangkor Island Research Articles

THE RELEVANCE OF SCUBA DIVING ACTIVITIES AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION ON PANGKOR ISLAND

Scuba diving tourism is one of the tourism products that contributes to Malaysia's economic returns. There are three main issues underlying this research problem, namely the validity of Pangkor Island as a scuba diving tourism destination in Malaysia, the confusion about Pangkor Island's actual status as a scuba diving tourism destination in Malaysia based on tourism agency promotions and souvenir sales, and past studies conducted by local scholars. To obtain validity, several stakeholders were made respondents of the study, namely foreign tourists, local residents, and resort entrepreneurs. This study aims to identify the characteristics of tourist attractions on Pangkor Island based on the perceptions of foreign tourists and local communities, examine the involvement of local communities in tourism development, and the level of their knowledge about scuba diving tourism. Furthermore, it examines whether this activity is a characteristic attraction that drives international tourists to visit Pangkor Island based on the stated attraction characteristics and the scuba diving activity service offerings by hotel and resort entrepreneurs there. This study uses a quantitative approach and is supported by a qualitative approach. The research methods used are face-to-face interviews using questionnaires, observations, and in-depth interviews. The study's findings on 125 foreign tourists, 179 local communities, and 42 hotels and resorts show that Pangkor Island is not relevant as a scuba diving destination. All three stakeholders gave negative responses to this research problem. For foreign tourists, the main attraction stated is the beach and the sea, as well as the attractive natural environment, which is 71.4%. Local community interviews showed that Pangkor Island is not popular as a scuba diving destination, which is 52.0%, and resort analysis found that scuba diving package offerings are only offered by four out of 42 resorts and hotels on the island, and only if there is demand. The study's findings indicate that scuba diving is not popular as a tourist attraction there. Therefore, this study's findings reject the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) statement that places Pangkor Island as a scuba diving tourism destination. In conclusion, this research contributes to the academic discipline, particularly in service geography and tourism, and policy makers such as the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism.

SOCIAL CARRYING CAPACITY AS A PLANNING TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: A CASE OF PANGKOR ISLAND, PERAK, MALAYSIA

Tourism can drive economic growth and development in destinations, but unchecked growth can have negative impacts on local communities and the environment. To ensure that tourism is sustainable and does not cause harm, social carrying capacity (SCC) has become a useful planning tool. SCC refers to the maximum number of tourists that a destination can accommodate without exceeding the capacity of local resources, infrastructure, and services. This study aims to identify the level of crowding on public holidays at Pangkor Island and the acceptance levels of tourists and the local community regarding tourism. A quantitative methodology was used, involving 96 international tourists, 332 domestic tourists, and 387 members of the local community. The results indicate that the level of crowding on public holidays at Pangkor Island is still within acceptable limits. The barometer showed that international tourist respondents rated the level of crowding as excellent (green colour), while domestic tourist respondents rated it as acceptable (yellow colour). Local community respondents also rated the level of crowding as high but still acceptable (green colour). This study concludes that the Social Carrying Capacity at Pangkor Island is still good, and it is important to maintain it to achieve sustainable tourism. By managing tourism growth and ensuring that the number of tourists does not exceed the SCC, destinations can reap the economic benefits of tourism while preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the area and protecting the well-being of the local community.

Social and Ecological Impacts of Marine Energy Development in Malaysia

The excessive usage of fossil fuels in Malaysia is increasing yearly to meet the increasing domestic demands. However, this will impact the environment as fossil fuels will emit hazardous gases into the atmosphere. The development of marine energy in Malaysia is still in early periods compared with China, the U.K, and America. Notably, the impact of marine energy extraction on shallow water regions is not yet fully understood, such as the changes in the topography, the effect on marine life, and the cost of development and maintenance for tidal stream energy. This paper is focused on the social and ecological impact of potential marine energy development in Malaysia. Significantly, this study relies on published data to analyse and identify potential sites for harnessing tidal stream energy. Numerical calculation shows that the coastal region receives higher available energy compared to the deep sea. Three sites are found to be the best location for tidal energy exploration in Malaysia, namely Pangkor Island, Port Klang, and the Malacca coastline. From these three sites, the available energy per year for Pangkor Island is 193.668 MWh, while for Port Klang and Malacca coastline are at 241.66 MWh, and 433 MWh respectively. Apart from the economical aspect, the social aspect of tidal energy exploration is also examined. The purpose of the Renewable Energy Act 2011 and Electricity Supply Act 1990 is to ensure proper legislation for the implementation of marine renewable energy in Malaysia, specifically regarding zones of the ocean, licensing, and installation requirements.

SHORELINE MAPPING OF TELUK NIPAH USING DIGITAL SHORELINE ANALYSIS SYSTEM (DSAS) IN ARCGIS WITH TIDAL CORRECTION

Shoreline characterization using remote sensing technologies is a useful tool to determine the historical shoreline changes of a specific coast. Tidal variation is one of the important factors that should be considered in the shoreline mapping exercise. However, the tidal correction has often been neglected due to the need to access the historical tidal data series for the study site. As a result, the accuracy of the shoreline mapping without tidal correction is ambiguous. Hence, this study aims to establish the historical shoreline mapping of Pantai Teluk Nipah, Pangkor Island, Malaysia, with a tidal correction, using ArcGIS software. For 30 years of the study period, Landsat satellite imageries were processed via ArcGIS to quantify the shoreline change rate. Based on the previous shoreline mapping study without the tidal correction, transect 23 of Pantai Teluk Nipah has undergone severe erosion where the erosion rate is up to –6.83 m per year. With consideration of tidal correction, the shoreline erosion rate at the same transect has reduced to –3.87 m per year, which is consistent with the current beach condition at Pantai Teluk Nipah.
 Keywords: coastal, shoreline extraction, remote sensing, tidal effect, erosion, coastal retreat, tidal correction

First report on metabarcoding analysis of gut microbiome in Island Flying Fox (Pteropushypomelanus) in island populations of Malaysia.

Flying fox (Pteropushypomelanus) belongs to the frugivorous bats, which play a crucial role in maintaining proper functioning of an ecosystem and conservation of the environment. Bats are well-known carriers of pathogenic viruses, such as BatCov RaTG13 from the coronavirus family that share 90.55% with SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen causing recent global pandemic coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). However, bats' possible role as a carrier of pathogenic bacteria is less explored. Here, using metabarcoding analysis through high-throughput sequencing, we explored the gut microbiome composition of different island populations on the east and west coasts of Peninsula Malaysia. The 16S rRNA gene in samples from Redang Island, Langkawi Island, Pangkor Island and Tinggi Island was amplified. Bacterial community composition and structure were analysed with α and β diversity metrics. A total of 25,658 operational taxonomic units at 97% similarity were assigned to eight phyla, 44 families, 61 genera and 94 species of microbes. The Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum in all populations. Meanwhile, the genera Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella, isolated in this study, were previously found in the rectum of other fruit bats. Our analyses suggest that Redang Island and Langkawi Island have high bacteria diversity. Thus, we found geographic locality is a strong predictor of microbial community composition and observed a positive correlation between ecological features and bacterial richness.

A Review on the Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Humans and Animals Reported in Malaysia from 2008-2018.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Human toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in Malaysia has increased since it was first reported in 1973 as shown in previous reviews of 1991 and 2007. However, over a decade since the last review, comprehensive data on toxoplasmosis in Malaysia is lacking. This work aimed at reviewing articles on toxoplasmosis research in Malaysia in order to identify the research gaps, create public awareness, and efforts made so far and proffer management options on the disease. The present review examines the available published research articles from 2008 to 2018 related to toxoplasmosis research conducted in Malaysia. The articles reviewed were retrieved from nine credible databases such as Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Springer, Wiley online library, Ovid, and Cochrane using the keywords; Malaysia, toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, toxoplasma encephalitis, seroprevalence, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, pregnant women, genotype strain, anti-toxoplasma antibodies, felines, and vaccine. The data highlighted seropositive cases from healthy community members in Pangkor Island (59.7%) and among migrant workers (57.4%) at alarming rates, as well as 42.5% in pregnant women. Data on animal seroprevalence were limited and there was no information on cats as the definitive host. Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from HIV patients; pregnant women, and domestic cats is lacking. This present review on toxoplasmosis is beneficial to researchers, health workers, animal health professionals, and policymakers. Therefore, attention is required to educate and enlighten health workers and the general public about the risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in Malaysia.

Checklist of Marine Fungi and Yeasts Associated with Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota from Pangkor Island

Marine microorganisms such as fungi and yeasts can adapt to extreme marine environment conditions and play different roles especially in the nutrient cycling and as bioindicator of ocean change. This study was carried out to isolate and identify fungi and yeasts associated with Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota from Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia in order to determine their species richness. Two specimens of H. leucospilota were collected from Giam Island and Teluk Nipah Beach of Pangkor Island. Nine samples of fungi and ten samples of yeasts were isolated from the internal and external parts of the H. leucospilota specimens such as cuticle, tentacle, coelomic fluid, cloaca, cuvierian tubules, and surrounding sediment and seawater. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region were applied for species identification of the microorganisms. Sequence analyses of the ITS region resulted in the identification of five genera of fungi i.e. Cladosporium, Curvularia, Polyporaceae, Acremonium, and Penicillium; and four genera of yeasts i.e. Sterigmatomyces, Pichia, Debaryomyces, and Candida with some of them could be identified up to the species level. The findings have significantly contributed to the recentinformation on the checklist of fungi and yeasts isolated from the H. leucospilota specimens from Pangkor Island.

The Effects of Crowding Towards the Domestic Tourist Satisfaction at Pangkor Island

The crowding is a multiple dimensional concept which produced by human (visitors and tourists) or physical appearance. Nevertheless, the crowding is seen as an undesirable impact to the satisfaction of tourists in tourism attraction. The purpose of this study is to find the consequence of crowding towards domestic tourist’s satisfaction at Pangkor Island. Therefore, two objectives of this study: i) to identify the factor that influence the crowding at study area from domestic tourist perspective, ii) to analyze the effect of crowding towards the domestic tourist satisfaction at study area. This study is using quantitative technique which 384 questionnaires were distributed to the domestic tourists as respondents at Pangkor Island. The findings showed that the factors of accessibility were influenced of crowding at Pangkor Island. A part of that, the majority of respondents stated that the attraction and accessibility was the elements which effect the crowding towards the domestic tourist satisfaction at Pangkor Island. This study may inspire the stakeholders in handling the numbers of tourists for ensure it will not give negative impacts to Pangkor Island.

MORPHODYNAMICS OF THE TELUK NIPAH SHORELINES

The coastal retreat is one of the most common problems taking place at littoral zones, and it will only become an issue if the area is overwhelmed with commercial developments and anthropogenic activities. The coastal erosion experienced by the shoreline of Teluk Nipah, which is located at the west of Pangkor Island in Malaysia, has triggered some levels of attention among the local authorities and community. The root cause of the erosion and shoreline retreat rates remain uncertain, is due to the unavailability of records studies on beach morphodynamics in the past. Hence, this study aims to assess the decadal shoreline changes of Teluk Nipah by using remote sensing technology. Landsat satellite imageries, which ranges from 1990 to 2018, have been acquired for quantification of the shoreline change rate at Teluk Nipah using a GIS software - ArcGIS. The analysis results indicated that the shoreline is dynamic and unstable between the 1990s to 2010s. The most populated area of the shoreline experienced critical erosion that requires immediate attention by the stakeholders.
 Keywords: Coastal morphology, coastal retreat, erosion, littoral zone, remote sensing

Seroprevalence of Sarcocystis falcatula in Two Islands of Malaysia using Recombinant Surface Antigen 4.

Sarcocystosis was diagnosed worldwide by serodiagnostic tests utilising the whole parasite, for which the protozoa were maintained in vitro are more costly. In this study, antigenicity of Sarcocystis falcatula recombinant protein (rSfSAG4) was investigated towards the local communities of Pangkor and Tioman Islands and its seroprevalence was surveyed in these islands. A total of 348 human sera were tested using rSfSAG4 by Western blot and ELISA. High prevalence of sarcocystosis was observed in Tioman Island (80.6%) than in Pangkor Island (50.0%) by Western blot. In ELISA, the seroprevalence observed in Tioman Island was 45.9%, whereas in Pangkor Island 63.0%. In other parasitic infections, the prevalence was 34.0% by Western blot and 46.0% by ELISA. In healthy control group, 7% by Western blot and 8% by ELISA showed positivity to rSfSAG4. It is suggested SfSAG4 is a candidate antigen to measure seroprevalence of sarcocystosis.

Level of Compliance of Traditional Fishing Vessels to Fisheries Department Regulations in Pangkor Island

This study aims to determine the level of compliance of fishing vessels operations to Malaysian Fisheries Department rules and regulations as well as to identify the reasons of non-compliance among fishermen in Pangkor Island, Perak. The data was collected through the distribution of questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistical tools. The level of compliance of fishing vessel operations was determined by a five point Likert scale, whilst qualitative statements were grouped into several topics using qualitative content analysis. The reasons for the fishermen’s non-compliance were also identified by using closed-ended and open-ended questions. The outcome of this study can be categorised into several levels of compliance. As for the reasons for non-compliance, the most frequent reason chosen by respondents was lack of trust towards the authorities.

Haplotype and network analysis of island flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) using D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA to confirm subspecies designation

Taxonomic confusion among island flying foxes (Pteropus hypomelanus) still in debate as in the lack of further genetic studies that describe subspecies validity needs verification. On the basis of morphological variants, 17 subspecies of P. hypomelanus are currently recognized. A previous study showed the distribution of two subspecies of P. hypomelanus in Malaysia: P. hypomelanus robinsoni in Pangkor Island, west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and P. hypomelanus lepidus from Perhentian Island, Kapas Island, and Tioman Island, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Herein, using the displacement loop (D-loop) region of mitochondrial DNA sequences, phylogenetic and haplotype network was conducted on their population structure in Peninsular Malaysia upon 42 genetic samples from Dangli Island (Langkawi), Pangkor Island (Perak), Redang Island (Terengganu), and Tinggi Island (Johor). Phylogenetically, two main clades separating northwest and southeast populations emerged. No haplotype was shared between the populations. The results from genetic differentiation (estimate of population subdivision (FST) and nucleotide subdivision (Nst)) yielded a gene flow that was nearly cut-off because of the central mountain that forms as an effective barrier between islands of the east and west coasts of Peninsular Malaysia. Although the above finding genetically confirms their subspecies designation, examination using a nuclear marker is needed in future studies.

THE STRUCTURAL RELATIONSHIPS OF EXPERIENCE QUALITY, TOURIST SATISFACTION AND DESTINATION LOYALTY: THE CASE OF PANGKOR ISLAND, MALAYSIA

Previous studies show that a superior tourist experience would lead to travel satisfaction and develop loyalty towards a destination. However, the role and influence of experience quality on tourist behavioural intentions have yet to be thoroughly scrutinized. This study aims at examining the experience quality of Pangkor Island tourists and its effect on their satisfaction and destination loyalty. This research applied the convenience sampling method whereby the survey data were collected conveniently from the tourists visiting Pangkor Island. The data obtained were examined via Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The structural model assessment proposed that the natural attraction of Pangkor Island, the local behaviour, destination value, safety and cleanliness influence the tourists' satisfaction and destination loyalty. This study contributes to a better understanding of how the quality of tourist experience affect their behavioural mechanisms: travel satisfaction and destination loyalty. The research findings contribute to the literature on island tourism and enrich the existing knowledge of experience quality components and their effect on tourists’ satisfaction and destination loyalty.Keywords: Destination loyalty, experience quality, Pangkor Island, satisfaction, Tourist. Cite as: Hanafiah, M. H., Jasmi, A. F., Razali, A. H. M., & Sulaiman, M. S. (2019). The structural relationships of experience quality, tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty: The case of Pangkor Island, Malaysia. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 4(1), 186-210. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss1pp186-210

Screening of vibrio spp. isolated from sea cucumber stichopus horrens

Lack of knowledge about ingestion of raw or undercooked sea cucumber might contribute to the increase of food poisoning cases around the world. This study aim to screen the pathogenic bacteria Vibrio spp. isolated from the sea cucumber Stichopus horrens. An experimental study was conducted by collecting 20 samples of Stichopus horrens from Pangkor Island, Malaysia. The samples were transferred to the lab for microbiology analysis. The bacterial count (CFU/ml) method was utilized to quantify the Vibrio spp. in the samples, followed by bacteriologic culture technique on Thiosulfate Citrate Bile Salts Sucrose (TCBS) agar. Vibrio spp. was further confirmed by biochemical tests and antibiotic sensitivity tests. The outcome showed that total presumptive Vibrio counts of sea cucumber were 11.8 ± 1.79 log CFU/ml. Based on the colony morphology and biochemical tests, the Vibrio species presence were confirmed isolated from the sea cucumber. The most frequently isolated Vibrio spp. were Vibrio cholerae (35%), followed by Vibrio parahemolyticus (15%), Vibrio alginolyticus (5%) and Vibrio vulnificus (5%). These species were susceptible to tetracycline and streptomycine while being resistant to ampicilin. Overall, it was indicated that Vibrio spp. was not detected in (40%) of the sea cucumbers Stichopus horrens while detected in the other (60%).

The Use Of Sustainable Livelihoods Framework In Evaluating Fishery Policies In Pangkor Island, Malaysia

The marine fisheries sector contributed 1.4% to Malaysia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016, of which 76% is contributed by coastal fisheries sector. Twenty-four percent of this coastal sector output is contributed by the State of Perak, where Pangkor Island is located, making Perak the major contributor to the fisheries sector of Malaysia. This article aimed to identify the gap between development policies implemented and sustainable outcomes achievement, and subsequently provide suggestions for future adjustments to the sector development policies. The gaps identified include the difference between (1) improvement in the quality of human capital through workshops to improve income level and the actual output enjoyed by fishermen due to the financial limitation; (2) desired outcome of aquaculture project and the actual benefits seen due to limited physical, human and financial capital; (3) improvement of physical capital such as housing area and the financial capital available to service mortgage and replace equipments; and (4) livelihood strategies adopted and the fishermen desired livelihood outcome. A few recommendations were presented to reduce the above mentioned gaps, which include (1) strengthen the current structures and processes to ensure desired outcome of each policies and projects are achieved; (2) encourage the involvement of other operators on the island in moving towards improving the livelihood of fishermen; and (3) a long term plan of changing the culture of “hand to mouth” through education. Keywords: sustainable development, Pangkor Island, coastal fisheries, livelihood strategies

Uncommon Ossicle in Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) Leucospilota from Teluk Nipah, Pangkor Island

The high popularity of a commercial sea cucumber species on Pangkor Island (i.e. Stichopus horrens) has resulted in a lack of studies on Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota from Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia. S. horrens is the main ingredient of gamat-based traditional medicine on the resort island, while H. leucospilota is the most dominant species. For that reason, this study aimed to isolate ossicles from a specimen of morphospecies H. leucospilota collected from Teluk Nipah Beach, Pangkor Island; and to determine the shapes of the ossicles for species verification. A number of six ossicle shapes were observed. Beside buttons and tables as the common ossicle shapes; I-shaped rod, long I-shaped rod, branched rod, and spider-shaped rod were also documented. Nonetheless, the spider-shaped rod is an unusual ossicle shape in H. leucospilota as there was no previous record on it, thus it could be considered as a new finding. In summary, the results of this research indicate the uniqueness of the specimen of morphospecies H. leucospilota as a result of the presence of the spider-shaped rod. More studies with more samples, more morphological approaches as well as more molecular techniques need to be incorporated in future for a better insight.

Seroprevalence of sarcocystosis in the local communities of Pangkor and Tioman Islands using recombinant surface antigens 3 (rSAG3) of Sarcocystis falcatula

To investigate the seroprevalence of Sarcocystosis in the local communities of Pangkor and Tioman islands, Malaysia, by using antigenic recombinant surface antigens 2 and 3 from Sarcocystis falcatula (rSfSAG2 and rSfSAG3) as the target proteins via Western blot and ELISA assays. SfSAG2 and SfSAG3 genes were isolated from S.falcatula and expressed in Escherichia coli expression system. A total of 348 serum samples [volunteers from both islands (n=100), non-Sarcocystis parasitic infections patients (n=50) and healthy donors (n=100)] were collected and tested with purified SfSAGs in Western blot and ELISA assays to measure the seroprevalence of human sarcocystosis. None of the sera in this study reacted with rSfSAG2 by Western blot and ELISA. For rSfSAG3, relatively high prevalence of sarcocystosis was observed in Tioman Island (75.5%) than in Pangkor Island (34%) by Western blot. In ELISA, the different prevalence rate was observed between Tioman Island (43.8%) and Pangkor Island (37%). The prevalence rate in other parasitic infections (amoebiasis, cysticercosis, filariasis, malaria, toxocariasis and toxoplasmosis) was 30% by Western blot and 26% by ELISA. Only 8% (by Western blot) and 10% (by ELISA) of healthy donors showed reactivity towards rSfSAG3. This is the first study reporting a seroprevalence of sarcocystosis in Pangkor and Tioman Islands, Malaysia. The combination of Western blot and ELISA is suitable to be used for serodiagnosis of sarcocystosis. With further evaluations, SfSAG3 can potentially be used to confirm infection, asymptomatic screening, surveillance and epidemiological studies.

Inhibition of UVB-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and MMP expression by Zanthoxylum rhetsa bark extract and its active constituent hesperidin.

The antiphoto aging property of Zanthoxylum rhetsa obtained from Pangkor Island, Malaysia, was evaluated. Solvent fractions of different polarity obtained from the methanolic extract of the bark material were initially tested for anticollagenase and antielastase activities. The ethyl acetate fraction showed bioactivity against the protease enzymes. Hence, it was subjected to further purification via column chromatography, to yield a major constituent, hesperidin. Subsequently, the ethyl acetate fraction and hesperidin were tested for their effects against UVB-induced cytotoxicity and expressions of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α), NF-κB, and MMPs (MMP1, 3, and 9) in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). Both fraction and pure compound prevented UVB-induced cytotoxicity in HDF cells, in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the ethyl acetate fraction inhibited the increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by UVB to a level similar to the control (without UV treatment). Additionally, the fraction significantly inhibited the expressions of NF-κB, MMP 1, MMP 3, and MMP 9 in HDF cells treated with UVB. Similar effects were observed with hesperidin. The results obtained suggested that the ethyl acetate fraction of Z.rhetsa and its bioactive constituent, hesperidin, have the potential to be used as active ingredients in sunscreen and antiphoto aging formulations.

Trust on Social Media Content Among Travelers

DMO need to take advantages of social media as a primary ways to draw tourist to visit destinations. Visitors’ use and trust social media content creation of pre-visits and post-visit to the island. It is seen as a trustworthy for travel planning. Social media are used to promote activities, programs, events and local culture for tourist to experience. 132 self-administered surveys at Nipay Bay, Pangkor Island, Malaysia was analyzed. Convenience sampling was used to collect survey data. Descriptive statistic and regression was used to analyze the result. The regression result showed that 74.8% variance of the social media trust was explained by these social media consists of Instagram, Google, Facebook, Online travel guide, TripAdvisor, Twitter. The regression model was significant, F (6,125) = 61.770 p

Mosquito Biology and Mosquito-Borne Disease Awareness Among Island Communities In Malaysia.

Mosquito-borne diseases have been increasing at an alarming rate over the past decades. In Malaysia, one finds several important mosquito-borne diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. Mosquito surveillance and control programs are the most effective way of detecting and controlling mosquito-borne diseases, but these programs are less effective without an aware and well-informed general public. In 2014 we used a questionnaire to evaluate the extent of awareness of basic mosquito biology and mosquito-borne diseases in 6 villages, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Teluk Gedung, Kampung Teluk Dalam, Kampung Ujung Kelawai, Kampung Sungai Pinang Besar, and Kampung Sungai Pinang Kechil on Pangkor Island, Malaysia. A total of 1,012 individuals responded to the questionnaire, consisting of 790 Malay (78.1%), 164 Chinese (16.2%), and 58 Indian (5.7%). More than 60% (Malay = 73.7%, Chinese = 64.0%, Indian = 79.3%) of the respondents were familiar with basic mosquito biology and practiced personal protection against mosquito bites, and the association was statistically significant (P = 0.02). However, the majority of the respondents had limited knowledge on mosquito-borne diseases, and this varied significantly among the 3 ethnic groups (P = 0.0001). Our recommendations are to improve and intensify public health education outreach programs to the island residents and to encourage community participation in vector control programs.