Floods: Johor Forestry Dept to temporarily close all forest parks due to monsoon season

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Forestry Department (JPNJ) will temporarily close all forest parks, namely the Taman Eko Rimba (TER), Hutan Taman Negeri (HTN), and climbing tracks, as well as any permanent forest reserve (HSK) in the state starting Monday (Dec 27).

JPNJ director Datuk Salim Aman said the closure will be implemented until Jan 31 next year.

He added that the closure of all the areas to public visitors for any eco-tourism activities was a priority due to the current monsoon season.

"The closure is due to the monsoon season that has affected several states, including Johor.

"The department is also taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, as well as any unwanted incidents or accidents.

"The public is also advised to be prepared in the event of a heavy rain phenomenon that may result in floods due to unpredictable weather factors at this time," he said in a statement here on Sunday (Dec 26).

Salim added that JPNJ is hoping that members of the public will be understanding with regards to this temporary closure.

"We hope that members of the public will accept this decision, especially those who intend to go to the forest park for leisure or recreational activities.

"This action was taken as a safety measure and precaution to prevent any unwanted incidents," he said, adding that the safety of visitors is a priority.