An NGO group's critique of the Johor government for its supposed lack of commitment to tackling environmental issues has been called into question by the Johor Youth Council.

Although noting that people should care for the environment, the council’s president Md Saleeheen Mohamad wondered why particular attention was being focused on the state.

In a statement last night, Saleeheen said other issues – such as littering, the lack of civic consciousness and the presence of industrial pollutants in rivers – should be focused on instead.

“Why raise issues that have been decided on, especially the Pulau Kukup issue? As we all know, the Johor sultan himself decreed that it would remain a national park," Saleeheen said.

“Perhaps the NGOs’ accusations are from a party that is uncomfortable with Johor’s development. Or perhaps they are acting on someone’s orders.

“The Johor Youth Council, representing 22 organisations throughout Johor, wishes to invite the NGOs concerned to give the environment some attention, such as by cleaning up rivers and other activities that truly show their love for nature."

On Monday, the group of 42 NGOs urged the Johor government to be bold in addressing the issue of a golf course being constructed in a mangrove reserve.

The group, led by Johor Yellow Flame, said the issue emerged just two months after Pulau Kukup had been degazetted as a national park – which they said showed that the state government is doing little to rectify environmental issues.

A Malaysiakini special report earlier this month highlighted the construction of a golf course and hotel in Sungai Pulai Forest Reserve, the largest remaining intact riverine mangrove system in Peninsular Malaysia.

Read more: Teeing off in a forest reserve

In his statement, Saleeheen claimed that building a golf resort in a mangrove forest would not harm the environment.

“Every development is carefully planned for the long-term, in addition to drawing foreign investors and tourists to Johor,” he said.

It was reported in December last year that Pulau Kukup had been degazetted as a national park on Oct 25, and was classified as 'sultanate land' instead.

Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar had said that Pulau Kukup would continue to function as a national park despite the reclassification.

However, Putrajaya opposed the move, pointing out that such an arrangement meant the area would not have legal recognition as a national park.