Tioman Resort Forgives SPM Students Who Flooded Google With Bad Reviews After BM Exam
The resort owner said she understood the frustration the students must have been feeling.
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A group of unsatisfied Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates bombarded a Pulau Tioman resort with bad reviews after it was featured in their exams
During the Bahasa Malaysia listening test on Monday, 21 February, the resorts's name, Salang Sayang Resort, was mentioned as a holiday destination.
Unfortunately, the name was hard to make out in passing and many took to social media after the exam to complain that they misheard it as "salam sayang", "salam layang", and even "layang layang", and were afraid they will have marks deducted due to the error.
Some students then found the existence of the resort online and left a series of 1-star ratings on their Google profile, blaming the resort for the trouble.
Image via GAGS Malaysia (Facebook)
Image via GAGS Malaysia (Facebook)
Although the act drew criticism from other social media users for being immature, Salang Sayang Resort has decided to take the flak in stride
The owner of the resort, 28-year-old Nadiah Tuan Rozaimon Azam, told mStar that when she was bombarded with messages and comments on Monday afternoon, she was initially worried that customers were displeased with the service of her hotel.
However, when she started reading the messages individually and checking the situation with her staff, she soon learnt that the complaints were related to the SPM listening exam.
"According to a student, the question reads 'Iman's family went on holiday to Pulau Tioman and stayed at Salang Sayang Resort', but some misheard it as 'Salam Dayang', 'Salam Layang, and even 'Sembayang Resort'," she said.
Image via Pulau Tioman
Amused by the confusion her resort's name has caused, Nadiah said she was not bothered by the bad reviews and understood the frustration the students must have been feeling with the exam
"Looking on the bright side of it, Alhamdulillah, we see this as a gift from Allah as previously nobody knew about our existence," she told Malay Mail in an interview.
She added that she might even put up a promotion package for the 2004-born SPM candidates.
"To all '04 SPM candidates, too many direct messages and comments are coming in. Good luck to you all and thank you for noticing our resort," she also wrote in an Instagram Story.
Responding to comments asking if she had a deal with the government to have her resort's name appear in a nationwide exam, she added with a laughing emoji: "Please come to the resort when SPM ends. Salang Sayang is not in the wrong, the person who wrote the question must have been here before."
As of writing, all of the SPM-related negative reviews on the resort's Google and Facebook pages have been removed.
Image via @salangsayangresort (Instagram)
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