Use and abuse of firearms by Rela (Volunteer Reserve Unit)

[Guest guest]

New Straits Times - Letter of the Day.

 

Minimise the suffering of animals

 

June 3: THE possibility of giving Rela a bigger role in crop protection is

certainly not the answer and the end-all to the pest and rodent problems

faced by farmers.

 

Even when population control of pests is proven necessary, any killing must

involve the minimum number of animals and the method employed must be the

most humane to eliminate cruelty and minimise animal suffering.

 

Here again is the question of use and abuse of firearms. Rela members armed

with firearms out on a hunt have been involved in untoward accidents as

reported in the Press. Sahabat Alam Malaysia has also received feedback from

former Rela members about the thrill of shooting wildlife species in the

jungle in the dead of the night.

 

SAM would like to recall two latest incidents involving Rela members. The

first was highlighted by a reader in the letter's page in response to a

Chinese media report. He described the hideous act committed by residents

and Rela members on four monkeys which were caught stealing food.

 

The four monkeys had their skin shaved bald and paint applied on their bare

skin.

 

A second incident happened when Rela members in Teluk Intan shot 97 monkeys

and squirrels only to have the animals' tails cut off and proudly displayed

to the world. Such trigger-happy acts should not be condoned.

 

 

 

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