Pangkor Laut Island

Pangkor Laut Island is a small island southwest of Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia.

History

The idea to place a leper settlement on Pangkor Laut was first proposed in 1893. Within a decade, from Perak and across the country, Malays with leprosy were being sent there. In 1905 it was reported that "??? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ????, ??? ????????? ?????????? ?? ?????????. ????? ????? ??? '???????? ??? ?? ? ???? ???????? ???.'" A following report was a bit different: "???????? ?????????? ???????? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ???????????? ????? ??? ???????????, ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ? ??????? ???????????. ? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ????????? ??????????, ??????? ?? ?????."
In the 1930s a new facility to treat leprosy was built in Sungei Buloh in Selangor – and then the old "colony" was phased out.
During World War II, the island was where Freddie Spencer Chapman made his submarine getaway during the Japanese occupation of Malaya.
Luciano Pavarotti visited the island in 1994 and he declared the island a paradise. In 2002 Pavarotti officiated the opening of Spa Village, a spa facility attached to the Pangkor Laut Resort, with the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the event.