The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry’s idea to make Langkawi a niche attraction for Muslim tourists has drawn brickbats from a former minister.

Zaid Ibrahim said as it is, the tax-free island is already facing competition from other global tourism destinations like Riyadh, Dubai, Istanbul, Medan, Surabaya, Jakarta, and Hatyai, as well as local spots like Terengganu and Kota Bharu.