(MY) guidelines to guard against tiger attacks

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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - The Star

Guidelines to guard against tiger attacks

By SIM LEOI LEOI

 

PETALING JAYA: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan)

has been directed to draw up guidelines for plantation owners and workers in

the wake of two tiger attacks in Kelantan recently.

Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Law Hieng Ding said

the guidelines would include measures to help owners and workers to reduce

the number of tiger attacks.

“For instance, some of these owners and workers have let their plantations

unkempt, resulting in thick undergrowth and making it hard for anyone to

spot tigers.

“The guidelines will help owners and workers take precautions by clearing

undergrowth and even putting up a simple fencing around their compound,

especially those near jungles where tigers have been sighted.

“These include areas in Cameron Highlands, Perak, Pahang and Kelantan,” he

told reporters after launching the Asia-Pacific Conference on Marine Science

and Technology organised by Universiti Malaya at Hotel Istana here

yesterday.

The department, he added, had also encouraged the protection of wild boars

in nearby jungles as one way of ensuring that tigers did not run out of

food.

Law was commenting on an incident in Jeli, Kelantan on May 5 where rubber

tapper and mother of five, Nik Mariam Nik Ibrahim, 34, died of neck injuries

after being mauled by a tiger.

Two weeks earlier, another tapper, Mohd Nor Deraman, 62, was killed by a

tiger in Tanah Merah, Kelantan.

Operations are under way to track down and trap the tigers.

Responding to a local report on the consumption of exotic dishes such as

tiger meat in certain restaurants in Puchong, Law said the ministry would

look into allegations that there was a lack of wildlife officers to carry

out raids on these outlets.

“At the same time, I would like to ask that the public boycott such outlets

because it has been proven that eating exotic dishes will not contribute to

one’s health and well-being. It is just a gimmick by restaurant operators

and poachers,” he said.

Earlier, in his speech, Law said the ministry was in the process of setting

up a committee to draw up an integrated policy to govern protection and

sustainable development of Malaysia’s oceans and coastlines.

“Malaysia is after all a marine nation with a long coastal line and blessed

with rich marine resources. However, so far, we have not carried out any

in-depth research on our oceans and on what should be done to conserve or

develop our coastlines, especially in areas of aquaculture projects, coastal

erosion, transportation in the Straits of Malacca and oil spills,” he said.

 

 

 

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