Negeri sembilan: All hiking activities at Gunung Besar Hantu and Trans Naning Trail must use the services of Mountain Guides registered under the Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department (JPNS) starting Oct 1. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun stated that the initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance climber safety and ensure a more systematic and orderly management of hiking or climbing trails.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, a total of 77 Forestry Mountain Guides have been registered under the JPNS this year. This registration facilitates closer cooperation between the department and the guides, particularly in trail management. It also positions the guides as crucial partners in preserving eco-tourism areas, serving as the department’s eyes and ears.

The announcement was made during a speech at a dinner event focused on eco-tourism publicity for Negeri Sembilan forests. The event coincided with the 45th Conference of State Forestry Directors in Peninsular Malaysia (PPNSM), a four-day conference that began yesterday. The Director-General of Forestry for Peninsular Malaysia, Datuk Zahari Ibrahim, was also in attendance.

Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun highlighted that forest-based eco-tourism products significantly contribute to the state’s revenue. In 2024, 383,961 visitors were recorded, generating RM807,560, and as of July this year, 278,512 visitors have already contributed RM608,440.

Aminuddin, who is also Port Dickson MP, announced government approval for the Sky Walk Project in the Pasir Panjang Forest Reserve in Port Dickson. The project, costing RM3 million, was initiated this year and is slated for completion in 2027. Additionally, forest-based ecotourism products in Negeri Sembilan have received national recognition, including an entry in the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) for the Sungai Menyala Forest Reserve under the Science and Technology category.

On a related note, Datuk Zahari Ibrahim mentioned that the PPNSM conference presented 12 working papers addressing current issues in the forestry sector. These included topics such as the mining of Non-Radioactive Rare Earth Element (NRREE) in Permanent Forest Reserves (HSK) and the enforcement and licensing of the Mountain Guides Association.

Zahari further noted that Malaysia’s forested areas cover 18 million hectares or 54.58 per cent of the total land area, with Peninsular Malaysia accounting for 5.74 million hectares (44 per cent) to date. Of this, 4.85 million hectares have been gazetted as HSK, which is managed sustainably by the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia and the respective Forestry Departments.