Spotlight on the variations

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IT has been a series of ups and downs for Terengganu but eventful nonetheless with its share of political controversies, high profile crime as well as landmark announcements.

The year started sombrely with the death of the mother of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tengku Ampuan Bariah Sultan Alam Shah, who passed away at the Seri Kota Hospital, Klang at 1.22am on March 21. She was 78.

Her remains were flown to Kuala Terengganu from the Subang air base by the Royal Malaysia Air Force’s C130 aircraft.

Giving thanks: Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin dan Sultanah Nur Zahirah say their prayers upon arrival at the Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu.

In April, the state made international headlines for the wrong reason with the first and last short lived boot camp for effeminate boys in Besut, whereby 66 students from secondary schools statewide participated.

The boot camp drew the ire of many quarters, which described it as harmful for the boys involved and it garnered international attention from local newspapers and television as well as internationally such as coverage from Al-Jazeera.

It was not all sorrow for the state as its football team managed to win the FA Cup in June by beating neighbours Kelantan in the finals while its Sukma contingent emerged as champions of the competition the same month.

The people of the state has further reason to smile after Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said announced that the state would get its first university hospital when work on Hospital Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin begins next year, with its first phase costing about RM800mil.

In October, the Mentri Besar launched the much-anticipated Kuala Terengganu City Centre (KTCC) project, which covered a 7km area from the centre of Sungai Terengganu.

The project is slated to change the look and feel of Kuala Terengganu while expected to attract more than RM2.6bil worth of tourism revenue when it is completed.

In December, the state welcomed back Terengganu ruler Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and his wife Sultanah Nur Zahirah after the former had completed his tenure as the yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Huge development: Ahmad Said (second from left) being briefed by East Coast Economic Region Development Council CEO Datuk Jebasingam Issace John (left) after the ground opening ceremony.

The ruler was given a rousing welcome by thousands of his subjects as the celebrations lasted for about a week.

In terms of crime incidents, police raided a rehabilitation centre in Marang on June 15, which was dubbed as a house of torture after it was discovered the centre’s workers had allegedly abused its inmates.

Two workers and the manager were arrested following a complaint from the father of an inmate.

In December, state police recorded its biggest drug bust in five years after busting a drug syndicate posing as the disabled.

Several raids at three drug storage areas resulted in more than RM500,000 worth of ‘pil kuda’ or methamphetamine seized.