“The eastern side of Johor, particularly around Kota Tinggi and Mersing, is home to diverse wildlife species. “In some areas such as Panti in Kota Tinggi, they are known as elephant crossing zones. Chow cautioned that the risk of human-­wildlife conflicts could increase if the proposed highway is developed ­without taking wildlife habitats into account. He said the projects were originally ­proposed under the National Highway Development Plan (NHDP) for ­deve­lopment after 2030, but rapid growth in the state has prompted the Johor government to prioritise them. Mohamad Fazli said that the projects are expected to cover three main sections, namely, Johor Baru to Kota Tinggi (30km), Kota Tinggi to Mersing (80km) and Mer­­sing to Endau (32km).

Source: The Star January 19, 2026 11:20 UTC