TMJ: Pulau Kukup national park de-gazetted to become crown land

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 5): Pulau Kukup has been de-gazetted from a national park to become crown land, said Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, according to a report by The Malaysian Insight today.

“In the past, several national parks were privatised but in Johor, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has a different vision.

“To better protect all national parks, Sultan Ibrahim decreed that all the national parks be changed to Sultanate land,” he wrote in a tweet today.

The report by the news portal also said that Tunku Ismail dismissed concerns that the removal of the “fully protected status” will leave “the park vulnerable to degradation”.

“However, this does not change the status, policies, and usage of the park where it continues to remain a national park status,” said Tunku Ismail.

He also explained that in countries such as the UK, all parks come under the crown.

The six national parks in Johor are Endau-Rompin Peta, Endau-Rompin Selai, Tanjung Piai, Pulau Kukup, Gunung Ledang, and Sultan Iskandar Marine Park.

Pulau Kukup is the world’s second largest uninhabited mangrove island and is located near the coast of Pontian. It has been a national park since 1997.