KUALA LUMPUR: Over 430 Malaysians are among those arrested in Operasi Bersepadu Khazanah operations between 2021 to July 2024, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said 431 locals and 91 foreigners were arrested in the operations during this period with seizures amounting to RM150mil.
Operasi Bersepadu Khazanah is a joint effort between the police, the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), and the Environment Department (DOE) aimed at protecting Malayan tigers from poachers and increasing patrols in protected areas of peninsular Malaysia.
He also said the government, through Perhilitan, had taken various steps to combat trespassing which threatens forests and wildlife.
“We have already taken measures like the Community Rangers programme which began with 1,000 members, before growing to 1,500 and now 1,920.
“This involves 500 members in Sabah and Sarawak, with the remainder being in the peninsular,” he told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Oct 14).
Nik Nazmi added that the Orang Asli community made up the majority of the force given their expertise with forests and wildlife.
“There are also local communities, army veterans, police and non-governmental organisations as part of the force aimed at reducing poaching threats,” he said.
He was responding to a supplementary question by Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) on measures taken to reduce Malayan Tiger deaths alongside steps to preserve forest reserves.
Nik Nazmi also admitted increased instances of human-wildlife conflicts owing to habitat destruction.
“When animals lose their habitats and food sources, it forces them to leave their present areas,” he said.
He also said amendments to the Forestry Act can help in reducing pressure towards wildlife habitats.
