Singaporean hiker who went missing in Kota Tinggi forest reserve found safe with minor injuries: Johor police

JOHOR BAHRU: A Singaporean man who was reported missing while hiking at the Panti Timur Forest Reserve in Kota Tinggi has been found safe with minor injuries, said the Malaysian police on Sunday (Sep 18). 

The man was identified on Saturday night as Jason Ren Jie, who is in his 30s.

In a statement issued on Sunday afternoon, Kota Tinggi police chief Hussin Zamora said that his division received a call at around 2.20pm by a member of the public, informing them that the hiker who was reported missing earlier had been located at the 52-kilometre mark of the Kota Tinggi-Mersing highway. 

"Based on this information, a response team was mobilised to the location and reported that the victim was found safe and only suffered minor injuries," said Mr Hussin. 

"The victim was brought to Kota Tinggi Hospital for medical treatment and will be released to the Forestry Department for further action because he did not obtain a permit to enter the forest reserve," he added. 

Mr Hussin said in a statement on Saturday night that the police were alerted to the incident at around 3.30pm on Saturday by a Malaysian man who was the Singaporean man's hiking companion.

He added that the pair started hiking together at around 11.30am on Saturday morning and had became separated by 1pm.

After the police were alerted, a team from Batu Ampat police station was dispatched to the scene, said the police chief.

The search and rescue operation was also assisted by the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department from Kota Tinggi fire and rescue station, as well as the Forestry Department, said Mr Hussin.

In his statement, Mr Hussin also urged those keen to hike in the forest reserve to obtain a permit from the forestry department first to "prevent an incident like this from recurring".