‘Amend Perak’s forestry laws to safeguard Malayan tiger’

Big cats in danger: Sultan Nazrin looking at the Malayan tiger exhibit during the World Tiger Day celebration at the Belum Rainforest Resort in Gerik. — Bernama

GERIK: Perak’s forestry laws should be amended in accordance with the National Forestry Act to protect the Malayan tiger, says Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

He said the amendments should include the replacement of permanent forest reserves and the public hearing process, which must be done after forest land has been degazetted.

“Having replacement areas and public hearings are the two important matters when it comes to protecting the Malayan tiger,” he said after attending the World Tiger Day celebration at Belum Rainforest Resort here yesterday.

Nik Nazmi said the matter came under the jurisdiction of the state government, “so we hope they will change the enactment for the sake of protecting the tigers”.

“The Federal Government will continue to push the Perak government to amend its enactment to be in accordance with the National Forestry Act,” he said.

He noted that Perlis was currently making the amendments.

“As of now, only Selangor has made the amendment on the matter, so we hope other states will follow suit soon,” he said.

At the event yesterday, Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah presented certificates to 10 forest rangers from World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF Malaysia), Perak State Park Corporation (PSPC), and the Orang Asli Menraq patrol unit.

Sultan Nazrin also presented the Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CATS) certificate to PSPC director Mohamed Shah Redza Hussein.

In April, Royal Belum State Park was awarded CATS accreditation in recognition of its efforts and commitment to tiger conservation.

This milestone has been achieved through a partnership with WWF Malaysia, which provided guidance and support throughout the accreditation process.

In his opening speech, WWF Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar congratulated PSPC and other parties involved in achieving the recognition.

“The achievement places Malaysia on the map as South-East Asia’s first country to implement CATS, alongside India and Nepal, the two other Asian countries to be recognised,” he said.

Also present were Raja DiHilir Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris A’fifullah Shah and Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.