TANGKAK, March 13 — The Johor state government is giving serious attention to the human-elephant conflict in the state, with various conservation and wildlife management measures being implemented to ensure a balance between development and biodiversity preservation, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
He said Johor is currently estimated to have between 120 and 160 wild elephants, concentrated in several districts, including Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, and Segamat.
“This situation has resulted in some residents, particularly farmers, frequently facing crop damage due to elephant encroachment. This requires a more structured approach to balance development and the sustainability of wild animals.
“To this end, the state government has established a Special Committee on Human-Elephant Conflict, in addition to implementing measures such as elephant translocation operations and the development of food bank areas for elephants to mitigate such conflicts,” he said.
He told this to reporters here today after presenting appointment letters to Community Rangers and launching the Peninsular Malaysia-level Operasi Bersepadu Khazanah (OBK) 2026 operation at Dataran Ledang.
Arthur added that the state government is also developing the Johor Elephant Sanctuary in Kota Tinggi, which will serve as a centre for protection and wildlife conservation education.
He also said that a RM30 million wildlife crossing or viaduct project on the Batu Pahat-Jamaluang route, expected to be completed by 2028, will function as an ecological corridor linking several major forest reserves in Johor.
Meanwhile, Arthur said a total of 1,950 Community Rangers have been appointed in Peninsular Malaysia, funded by a RM60.6 million allocation to strengthen biodiversity protection and forest patrols.
“From that total, 159 rangers comprising Malaysian Armed Forces veterans, police retirees, Orang Asli communities, and local residents will be stationed in Johor to assist the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) in monitoring forest areas and curbing encroachment and illegal hunting.
“They are the nation’s shield within the wilderness, and we will not tolerate biodiversity crimes. We must unite in combating all forms of encroachment, as the destruction of the ecosystem will impact us all,” he said.
Regarding the nationwide implementation of OBK, he said that from 2019 to 2025, 3,000 encroachment activities were foiled, with a total seizure value of RM413.1 million. — Bernama
