KUALA LUMPUR: Forestry and state park officers can now make arrests and seizures.
Dr Samsudin Musa, who is project manager of the Improving Connectivity in the Central Forest Spine (IC-CFS) initiative, said this involves 21 officers from the Forestry departments of Pahang, Perak and Johor as well as Johor National Parks Corporation and Perak State Parks Corporation.
"Previously in raids or arrests involving wildlife crimes, they had to be assisted by Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) personnel or the police. But this is no longer necessary," he told the New Straits Times recently.
Samsudin said the appointed officers could operate beyond permanent reserved forests or state parks under the IC-CFS project.
"Having more officers empowered by the law is expected to boost efforts to curb the illegal wildlife trade and deter poachers from entering our forests.
"Also, poachers and illegal wildlife traders face higher fines and lengthier prison terms following amendments to the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 last year. The maximum fine is increased from RM500,000 to RM1 million and the maximum jail term is raised from 10 to 15 years," he added.
He said the IC-CFS project recognised poaching as the main threat to wildlife conservation, and made enforcement its highest priority.
"Enhancing enforcement by conducting more frequent patrols is an important component of the project.
"The Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool patrolling system, which was piloted in Perak last year by the Forestry Department, will be expanded to Johor and Pahang this year."
The system enables the collection of data for use in forest management and protection of wildlife habitats.
Samsudin added that a local community ranger programme had also been implemented.
"In January this year, the programme run by Perhilitan was made part of the armed forces veterans and Orang Asli programme.
"Regular patrolling under the programme, together with other enforcement efforts, has reduced poaching significantly as demonstrated in the Belum Forest Reserve."
Samsudin said the people behind the IC-CFS project are working with other agencies to reconnect ecological corridors.
"In protecting a wildlife habitat, there are certain circumstances that come into play. One is when wildlife wanders outside of the forest looking for food due to forest fragmentation.
"So we are working with other agencies to reconnect targeted ecological corridors.
"For example, the viaduct that was built in Gerik, Perak provides a safer passage for wildlife, especially big mammals such as elephants."
Perhilitan has built artificial salt licks and installed an electric fence to guide the animals to the viaduct, he said.