KUALA PILAH, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- More than 900 local and international participants are taking part in the fourth edition of the Angsi Forest Challenge (AFC) 2026 at Ulu Bendul Forest Eco Park here.
Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department director Ts Mohd Yussainy Md Yusop said the event, jointly organised by the state government and the Negeri Sembilan Tourism Board, not only promotes trail running but also highlights the unique permanent forest reserves (PFRs) in the state as a popular ecotourism attraction.
He said the 45 international participants were from the United Kingdom, Thailand, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, France, Singapore and Kazakhstan.
"For this year's edition, we have also placed greater emphasis on safety and risk management through the introduction of job hazard analysis (JHA).
"Department personnel conducted field inspections to identify potential hazards along the trails, ensuring the safety of participants while raising awareness of environmental conservation," he told Bernama today.
AFC 2026 features 50-kilometre (km) and 25-km routes, as well as 14-km and six-km categories, and a two-km Kids Trail for children under 12.
Mohd Yussainy said the Kids Trail category, introduced for the first time this year, attracted more than 50 participants, giving children an early exposure to trail running.
On ecotourism at Ulu Bendul Forest Eco Park, he said visitor numbers had increased by more than 10 per cent as of September, from the 203,505 recorded the previous year.
He said the tourism site had received RM13.5 million under the 13MP First Rolling Plan (RP1) allocation from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC).
"The facility upgrades are expected to be completed within two years (2029), providing improved amenities for recreational enthusiasts as well as local and international tourists," he added.
-- BERNAMA