Run to save the Malayan tiger

(From left) WWF-Malaysia lead tiger researcher Dr Mark Rayan Darmaraj, Lim, and Shahril Azuar at the launch of the Malayan Tiger Run 2019 – Roar For Life!.

OVER 4,000 participants are expected at a fun run on July 28 to raise awareness of the dwindling number of Malayan tigers.

WWF-Malaysia and Maybank Foundation will be holding the 5km “Malayan Tiger Run 2019 – Roar For Life!” at IOI City Mall Putrajaya at 6am.

Supported by the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry and Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia, the run is the first public event of this scale to be held in conjunction with Global Tiger Day.

“We have exceeded our initial target of 4,000 participants and had to cap the number for safety reasons at the run,” said WWF-Malaysia chief executive officer Sophia Lim.

She said the number of Malayan tigers had dropped from an estimated 3,000 in the 1950s to just 200 today, citing loss of habitat and poaching as the main reasons for the decline.

“Those who cannot join the run can lend their support through the Malayan Tiger Pledge, which will be launched during the run with the hopes of garnering the support of one million people by Global Tiger Day 2020.”

The main objective of the pledge campaign is to gain support from the community in making the Malayan tiger a national priority and setting up a National Tiger Committee.

The event also hopes to inspire Malaysians to speak out for the protection of the Malayan tiger.

Also present was Maybank Foundation chief executive Shahril Azuar Jimin, who said its has been working closely as a tiger conservation partner with WWF-Malaysia in the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex over the past four years.

“Throughout our journey with WWF, we have invested about RM5.2mil in various programmes.

“Through this run we aim to educate Malaysians on poaching and how it should stop if we want to double the population of these tigers,” he said.

Shahril Azuar added that the foundation was prepared to extend its partnership with WWF-Malaysia and also urged other corporate companies to do their part.

For further details, visit www.wwf.org.my — By BRENDA CH’NG