KUALA LUMPUR: A family's holiday to Sungai Chongkak in Hulu Langat, near here, last weekend turned into a nightmare when a bungalow they booked for the night appeared to be something worse than a haunted house.
Having to pay RM371 per night for the Sungai Chongkak Park and Resort's facility, most of the family's 10 adults and four children ended up having to sleep on the floor, while leaving doors to the house and three rooms there wide open to allow fresh air in.
A housewife who only wanted to be named as Emma, 44, said her family usually went to Eco Murai Rimba Park for their weekend getaways, but this time chose Sungai Chongkak as their favourite location was fully booked.
"We were shocked upon arrival at the bungalow as its condition was nothing like its advertisement.
"It was evident when we opened the front door. A strong smell of fungus greeted us. Inside, we found that most of the furniture, walls, and ceiling were infested with fungus.
"Not only that, one of the beds gave in when I put my toddler son on it. Not to mention that all the mattresses and bed sheets in the house were riddled with dirt and lizard shingles," she told the New Straits Times.
Emma said she was accompanied by her husband, her parents, and two siblings with their spouses and children.
She first aired her complaints on the resort on Facebook after they returned from the trip, which post has since gone viral over the social media platform.
Emma said several hours after checking in, they went to the resort's office to request for a fresh set of linen, but were greeted by a security guard who informed that all other employees only worked office hours.
"How can a resort management leave their guests unattended. What if there is an emergency at night?"
She said the resort also did not provide basic necessities like garbage bags and kettle, while the refrigerator there was rusty.
"At night we tried to sleep with the doors closed. But before long we started to feel suffocated due to the smell of fungus and contaminated air.
"We had to open the main door to let fresh air in, which led to another problem - insects entering the house."
She said the toilets were also dirty while water from taps did not flow freely. They also experienced blackouts several times.
Emma said since she posted the complaint, she was contacted by a representative from Tourism Selangor, which runs the resort, who promised to take action.
Meanwhile, Selangor state exco member Elizabeth Wong, who is in charge of state tourism, said she had ordered Tourism Selangor to close down all the resort's bungalows and cease operations with immediate effect.
She said the problem had brought a bad name to the state and its tourism sector, and wanted the agency to make amends.
"I was informed about the family's experience on Monday morning. It was shocking, I really regret that the family had to endure such an experience.
"Tourism Selangor has been told to cease operations. The area is not suitable for such structure as it is a forest reserve and the facilities were unfit for use.
"Sungai Chongkak is a famous holiday destination especially for families, campers, and many others. I want to thank the complainant for highlighting this issue," she said when contacted today.
Wong said Tourism Selangor had also been told to refund the family's payment for the bungalow and to compensate them with a free holiday trip for the bad experience.