PM: Federal govt not an outsider in Kukup issue

PUTRAJAYA: The federal government is not an “outsider” in the issue involving Pulau Kukup in Johor, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a rebuttal to Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, the Prime Minister said the federal government had every right to have its say on the matter since it was within Malaysia.

“Malaysians are not outsiders. The federal government is not an outsider.

“We are responsible for all things in the country,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.

Tunku Ismail, in responding to a statement by Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar on the status of Pulau Kukup, had said that “outsiders should not meddle in matters related to Johor”.

Dr Mahathir said the federal government wanted Pulau Kukup to remain as a forest reserve and expressed hope that the Johor government would accept its decision.

“That is the stance of the federal government. I hope that Johor will accept it.

“Pulau Kukup should not be developed. It should remain as a forest reserve, particularly as it is a special mangrove forest.

“We don’t want the mangrove forest to be cut down in order to develop the island,” Dr Mahathir added.

On Friday, the Cabinet decided that Pulau Kukup’s status should remain as a national park.

Previously, Tunku Ismail had claimed that Pulau Kukup would be “better protected” after its status was changed from national park to Sultanate land.

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

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.