MELAKA: The Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM) is planning to enforce new conditions for climbers who want to enter a Permanent Forest Reserve (HSK) in the peninsula, including using the service of mountain guides starting next year.
Its director-general Datuk Mohd Ridza Awang said the use of mountain guides is required, especially during climbing activities in risky HSK areas.
“However, the implementation of the proposal depends on the approval of state governments and not all 211 areas are identified as climbing areas around the peninsula.
“The Forestry Department in states have been instructed to identify risky HSK areas that need to use mountain guide services, and we will try to make it one of the conditions for climbing in addition to obtaining a climbing permit because HSK is categorised as a closed forest,” he said after officiating at the closing ceremony of Melaka-level Mountain Guide Course here today.
Also present were state Forestry director Khairun Nizam Abdul Rahim and state Fire and Rescue Department director Abu Bakar Katain.
Mohd Ridza said through the proposal, the ratio of one mountain guide to seven climbers is appropriate to ensure that a group can be managed safely throughout the activity.
Elaborating, he said in the first seven months of this year, more than 400 incidents were reported involving climbing activities at HSKs in the peninsula.
“We can see a significant increase in terms of community involvement in HSK recreational activities, especially after the reopening of the country’s borders as these activities were not allowed during the spread of COVID-19, in addition to non-compliance (with the regulations) where climbers enter HSK areas without permission,” he stressed.
In another development, he said there is no overlapping of functions between mountain guides and nature guides trained by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks because mountain guides focus on the management of risky climbing in HSK areas while nature guides are responsible for carrying out educational activities in national parks and other natural areas.
“This matter was discussed with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry last June and they welcomed JPSM’s efforts to introduce mountain guides as an initiative to further develop new nature-based ecotourism products and strengthen the economic activities of local residents in line with the agenda of the National Tourism Policy 2020-2030,” he explained.
Earlier, Mohd Ridza said JPSM aimed to train about 1,000 mountain guides through the course, which will be implemented in every state in stages by the end of this year.
He said to date, a total of 750 mountain guides have been trained through 23 basic courses implemented since 2020, following the high rate of accidents and deaths in climbing and recreational activities. – BERNAMA
