Kota iskandar: The Johor government is taking significant steps to designate the Endau-Rompin National Park in Mersing as an official tiger protection zone by seeking international Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) certification. This initiative aims to bolster conservation efforts for the critically endangered Malayan tiger.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Health and Environment Committee chairman, Ling Tian Soon, emphasized the importance of this initiative following an illegal hunting incident last September involving a female Malayan tiger in Mersing. The move is crucial to ensure the continued protection of the tiger population and to increase public awareness of nature conservation.

Ling highlighted that the initiative represents a specific effort by the Johor National Parks to enhance wildlife protection and offers a platform for the state government to engage the community in environmental preservation. The state is currently working on the application for CA|TS certification to officially recognize Endau-Rompin National Park as a wildlife protection area. This effort is part of the broader 2026 Budget allocation aimed at strengthening big cat protection in the region.

In a related development, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced an allocation of RM225,000 for tiger habitat management at Endau-Rompin National Park, further supporting these conservation efforts.