Muhyiddin appeals to Johor Sultan to return status of Pulau Kukup

PETALING JAYA: The status of a national park and Sultanate land is not the same and the Johor sultanate should revert it to ensure Pulau Kukup remain as it is, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Home Minister Muhyiddin says that he was "angry" when he knew that Pulau Kukup was degazetted to be converted into Sultanate land.

He says that Pulau Kukup is one of the largest and beautiful islands that should not be disturbed and be allowed to remain as a national park to preserve its natural diversity.

"Degazetting and transferring the national park into sultanate land is changing the ownership. I appeal to the Sultan to return it to what it was before. Now, any party can go in (to develop).

"I am not an outsider. I am a Johorean. Anyone knows the status of a national park and sultanate land is not the same, Pulau Kukup can be better managed under the old arrangement (as national park)," says Muhyiddin to the media here today (Dec 11).

Pulau Kukup, located off the coast of Pontian in south Johor, has been a national park since 1997 and is mostly uninhabited.

Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had claimed that Pulau Kukup will be "better protected" after its status is changed from national park to Sultanate land.

Lawyers for Liberty has asked why the stripping of national park status was done "silently", without ay public announcement, until the gazette was leaked online.

Renowned as the world's second largest uninhabited mangrove island, it is one of five Ramsar sites in Malaysia.

Ramsar sites are wetland sites accorded international importance under the United Nations’ Convention on Wetlands.