Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said today that the state government heeded his advice and stopped issuing "logging quotas" as far back as 2014.

"In fact, His Majesty had surrendered 'logging quotas' issued to him," read a statement posted on the ruler's Facebook page today.

The statement was issued after Sultan Ibrahim granted an audience to Johor Forestry Department director Jeffri Abd Rashid, Menteri Besar Osman Sapian and state secretary Azmi Rohani.

The ruler said Jeffri had briefed them on the state of Johor's forests and the department's plans.

"His Majesty also decreed that enforcement efforts to preserve the forest must be improved and an action plan must be drafted to protect forests and wildlife," read the statement.

Recent press reports have drawn public attention to Johor's remaining forest reserves of late, particularly after Malaysiakini revealed that Pulau Kukup was quietly degazetted as a national park.

Last week, a special report by Malaysiakini established that the Forest City Golf Resort was built in 2017 on what was once part of the Sungai Pulai forest reserve.