MB to explain bid to de-gazette Pulau Kukup

JOHOR BARU: Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian, who has come under much flak over the earlier revoking of Pulau Kukup’s national park status, is expected to answer to his critics on the final day of the state assembly meeting tomorrow.

For now, he declined to answer queries about Pulau Kukup, which has been categorised as “sultanate land” following an announcement from the Johor palace, after the state government de-gazetted the island and cancelled its position as a protected national park.

“I will answer on Sunday after two other executive committee members finish their winding up speech at the state assembly,” said Osman, who is also the state Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman, to reporters yesterday.

On Thursday, Bersatu supreme council member Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said if the Pakatan Harapan state government under Osman had approved the move, then it was no better than the previous Barisan Nasional government.

In his posting on his blog titled “Poser to the Johor MB on island transfer”, he said that Osman should consider resigning if could not explain to the satisfaction of the people who voted him in.

Pulau Kukup, which is near Pontian, is apparently among the biggest uninhabited mangrove forests in the world.

A gazette dated Oct 25 about the state authorities cancelling its status as a protected national park went viral on social media.

On Thursday, Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim tweeted a letter from the office of the Johor Sultan’s Private Secretary to the state Land and Mines Office that made clear Pulau Kukup’s status as a national park.

According to the letter, Pulau Kukup will remain a national park despite its status being changed to a sultanate land.