Plan protects Malayan tigers too

Endangered species: The Malayan tiger is roaming the jungles of the peninsula. It is often poached for purported medicinal value.

PETALING JAYA: The animal that symbolises Malaysia – the Malayan tiger – has leapt into the 11th Malaysia Plan.

With not more than 350 of this large cat still ­roaming our forests, the Government plans to increase its numbers along with other endangered species such as the elephant, sambar deer (rusa) and the gaur (seladang).

One such existing initiative that will be intensified is the 1Malaysia Biodiversity Enforcement Operation Network (1MBEON), which aims to curb wildlife poaching.

Spearheading the programme are the National Resources and Environment (NRE) Ministry as well as the Defence Ministry.

The NRE’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks director of ex-situ conservation division Fakhrul Hatta Musa revealed that the programme has managed to cripple several poaching syndicates since its inception last year.

“Our aim is to stop poachers from harming ­protected wildlife,” Fakhrul Hatta said.

Fakhrul Hatta explained that 40 officers from the NRE and 60 army personnel patrol the forest reserves in Malaysia.

So far, the programme has conducted five ­operations, successfully nabbing at least 10 poachers.

Each operation, he said, lasts 18 days with the budget for food, staff allowance and transportation costs setting his department back by RM50,000 each time.

“We always need more officers to have more ­regular patrols,” he said.

So far, 1MBEON has managed to save wildlife with an estimated street value of RM500,000 from being poached.