The state government of Terengganu has given assurance that the 15 development projects in Kenyir Lake will continue to be implemented, including the duty-free complex in Pulau Bayas.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said that after spending hundreds of millions of ringgit to develop the necessary infrastructure around the man-made lake, the state government would not allow the projects to become "white elephants."

He said all the projects underway in Pengkalan Gawi, Pulau Bayas and Pulau Poh have been completed by more than 50 percent and need an additional RM80 million allocation to be completed in at least two years.

"I addressed this with the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and gave them a month to present their proposals for the continuation of the projects.

"Whether or not the projects need to be adjusted in certain aspects, which can be examined in detail later, but our priority now is to see the project completion," he told reporters after making a working visit to Lake Kenyir.

Ariffin Deraman, Chairman of the Committee on Tourism, Culture and Information Technology, was also present.

Once completed, Ahmad Samsuri said the projects were expected to help attract up to one million tourists a year to Kenyir Lake, compared to just 700,000 last year.

"Pulau Poh's projects will be ready by August or September, but Pulau Bayas ' projects may take a year or two longer," he said.