Teluk Intan monkey killings

[Guest guest]

2 October 2001

 

Minister, H.E. Y.B. Dato Law Hieng Ding

Deputy Minister, H.E. Datuk Hj. Zainal Dahalan

Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, Malaysia

cc: Director General, Musa Nordin

Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia

cc: CITES Management Authorities (Fauna), Malaysia

 

 

Dear Honorable Excellencies (cc: Mr. Musa and Sirs),

 

This letter regarding the reported killing of 97 monkeys in Teluk Intan

is being submitted on behalf of AESOP-Project. AESOP-Project [Allied

Effort to Save Other Primates] is an international coalition of individuals

and organizations dedicated to protecting non-human primates.

 

Refer please to 'Killing animals for sport angers group', the 27 September

2001 article published in The Star. [A copy of the article is appended

below for your convenience and review.]

 

By copy of this letter, AESOP-Project joins the Ipoh Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in expressing outrage over the killing of

these animals " for sport. "

 

Generally speaking, it is deeply disappointing to read about the needless

killing of animals. Viewing photographs of the killers hovering proudly over the

body parts (dismembered tails of monkeys in this particular situation) of the

innocent victims magnifies the disappointment; and learning that members

of a species which was supposed to receive protection were among those

killed further magnifies the disappointment. However, the most saddening

and disappointing of all is to discover that the violent killings were condoned

by the very governmental agency empowered to protect animals in Malaysia.

 

Has Malaysia revoked its Wildlife Protection Act No. 76 of 1972? If

not, can you please explain why the killing of these animals was approved

by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks? The killing of these

animals is certainly antithetical to the department's stated mission, which

reads as follows:

 

*To enhance knowledge, awareness and support from the public on the

need and importance of conserving the wildlife species and habitat.

* To protect and manage protected areas for the conservation of biological

diversity, ecosystem and unique areas within for research, education,

economic, aesthetic, recreation and ecological purposes.

* To conserve wildlife species for their sustainable benefits for the present

generation while maintaining their capabilities to meet the needs and

aspirations

of future generations.

 

Earlier this year (6 May 2001), I read the article 'Giving laws more bite

to fight poachers' in the Malaysian newspaper 'New Straits Times'. I was

in awe of Minister Datuk's (sincerely expressed) assertions that he would

ensure more stringent protection for Malaysian wildlife. I applauded Minister

Datuk's proposed amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act No. 76 of 1972

which were intended to provide more enforcement against poachers and more

effectively enforce wildlife protection laws.

 

What has changed in merely a few months since Minister Datuk's proposed

amendments that resulted in the massacre in Teluk Intan? It should not

surprise you that the international animal protection community is shocked,

disappointed and angry to learn of the sheer abandonment of wildlife protection

in Malaysia regarding the Teluk Intan institutionalized killings.

 

Please re-visit and investigate this matter thoroughly. If Malaysia has

(in the

past) appointed governmental officials who are not capable (or justly qualified)

to properly carry out wildlife protection directives, perhaps it is time to

consider

a " changing of the guards. " AESOP-Project implores you to all within your

power to ensure that a travesty (a crime against precious wildlife) such as the

Teluk Intan killings never happens again.

 

Sincerely,

Linda J. Howard

AESOP-Project [Allied Effort to Save Other Primates]

http://www.aesop-project.org

San Antonio, Texas USA

 

________________________

Thursday, September 27, 2001

Killing animals for sport angers group

 

IPOH: The Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is outraged

by the killing of 97 monkeys and 15 squirrels by Rela members near Teluk

Intan on Sunday.

 

Among the primates killed were dusky leaf monkeys, a protected species.

 

ISPCA vice-president Dr Goh Hue Lang said killing animals by way of a

competition was very cruel and should be stopped.

 

" If the animals are a nuisance they should be caught alive using cages or

with tranquilliser darts and sent back into the jungle.

 

" The National Parks and Wildlife Department (Perhilitan) is supposed to

protect animals and not allow such cruel killing of animals to take place, "

she said.

 

State Perhilitan director Jasmi Abdul said the department had given the

permission for the animals to be killed because they posed as nuisance to

the villagers.

 

" The villagers complained that the monkeys and squirrels had been destroying

their oil palm fruits and bananas besides going into their homes.

 

" But I did not know that they used the department's permission to hold a

competition to shoot the animals, " he said, adding that he would investigate

the matter.

 

Jasmi said the permission was given after efforts to catch the animals in

cages had proven futile over the years.

 

He said the department could allow the culling of animals if they were

pests, even if they protected species.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2001/9/27/nation/ipmonkey & newspage=Se\

arch