PONTIAN: THE bumpy, 30-minute car ride along B-roads lined with stalls and oil palm estates led to a junction. Straight ahead, the road ends at Tanjung Piai Resort, and to the right is the Taman Negara Tanjung Piai signboard.
The national park, a popular eco-tourism spot, is home to more than 20 species of mangrove trees, dusky leaf monkeys, mudskippers and smooth-coated otters, among others.
It is also one of seven Ramsar sites in the country, an important wetland area designated under the Ramsar Convention in 2013.
Malaysia signed the intergovernmental treaty in Ramsar, Iran, for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
This mangrove forest spans 926 hectares, and interestingly, is located in the southernmost tip of mainland Asia.
Down the wooden boardwalk towards the steel globe structure on the water’s edge marks the farthest south a human can go while standing on the Eurasian continent.
It is also one of the few places in the world where visitors can see the two neighbouring countries — Singapore and Indonesia.
The national park draws up to 1,000 local and international visitors, especially during public and school holidays.
Next month, it is expected to attract 30,000 people, among them astrophysicists, for SolarFest Malaysia 2019 in conjunction with the annular solar eclipse phenomenon.
But its tourism potential is hampered by poor maintenance of facilities and lack of marketing. The welcome banner just metres away from the main entrance has seen better times.
There was also hardly any information board for visitors to read. Its souvenir shop should have a bigger selection of gifts and mementos.
A park worker said the park did not have enough staff.
“We have issues with rubbish because even when we clean the mangrove forests every day, the sea will wash up more trash from neighbouring countries.
“Thankfully, we have volunteers from schools who come often to help with cleaning up,” said the worker, who preferred anonymity.
It was recently reported that Johor Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Liow Cai Tung had said several efforts were being carried out to “market” Johor and its national parks.
She said Pontian, Tanjung Piai and Pulau Kukup near here had been chosen for the “Festival Hujung Benua” or “End of Continent” festival.
She added that the state government would collaborate with the private sector and non-governmental organisations for programmes to foster love for the environment.
With the Tanjung Piai by-election, visitors have significantly increased.
It would also be the best time for the state government to upgrade the facilities at the national park ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2020.
The government may look into improving its road access, cellular network coverage and, more importantly, improving the infrastructure for the people.