KUALA LUMPUR: AS the country celebrates the birth of three Malayan tiger cubs recently, wildlife non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are urging for stronger measures to be adopted to save the critically endangered big cats.
The NGOs are calling on the government to impose heavier penalties on poachers, given that the number of Malayan tigers has dwindled to fewer than 200.
This suggestion came in the wake of Zoo Negara Malaysia’s proposal for poachers to be punished with the death penalty.
TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network, said the high likelihood or certainty of getting caught and prosecuted would act as a greater deterrent than anything else.
Its Southeast Asia director, Kanitha Krishnasamy, said this was dependent on the authorities having enough enforcers and for the government to invest in its investigative and prosecutorial strength.
“(And) in light of the government’s effort of considering new punishments for poaching, the authorities should study the impact of existing penalties to ensure that existing legal instruments are being effectively used.
“The RM1.56 million fine and RM850,000 fine issued in the two most recent wildlife crime cases involving Vietnamese nationals are among only a handful of times the high fines in the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (WCA) have actually been issued.
“Also, when those convicted could pay such high fines (whether in bail or after sentencing), it should trigger further investigation, perhaps under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFA),” she said.
AMLATFA considers 23 sections of the Wildlife Conservation Act and five sections under the International Trade in Endangered Species Act as serious offences, including for illegal hunting, possession, import and export of wildlife.
However, Wildlife Conservation Society director (Malaysia programme) Melvin T. Gumal believes imposing the death penalty on poachers will not solve the problem.
“I would like a heavier penalty (imposed on tiger poachers) if the judges are willing to, but I don’t know if the death penalty could serve as a deterrent.
“I don’t see how useful it is given that we already impose the death penalty on drug-related cases and as we know, it doesn’t make much of a difference.
“Imprisonment, on the other hand, will help with our efforts to save this national icon of strength, beauty and courage.”
The Malayan tiger is a subspecies unique to the Malay Peninsula and one of the smallest tigers in the world.
In the 1950s, there were about 3,000 Malayan tigers in the country, but they are now on the brink of extinction.
In 2008, the government drew up the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan with the target of having up to 1,000 wild tigers in the country by 2020.
Unfortunately, Gumal said, the target was unachievable, given that 2020 was less than a year away.
“We can’t get that number because it is impossible for the tigers to breed that fast. You can’t have 17 children at a time and the same goes for tigers.
“But with continuous effort from all of us, we can reach that number in a few years. We should all do our part and not wait until it is too late.”
On Thursday, the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court sentenced two Vietnamese to two years’ jail and fined them RM1.56 million for poaching.
Hoang Van Viet, 29, and Nguyen Van Thiet, 26, were sentenced after they pleaded guilty to 20 charges under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 for possession of traps and protected wildlife.
In March, another Vietnamese, Tran Van Sang, was sentenced to 19 years’ jail and fined RM850,000 after being
found guilty on 10 charges under the same law.