PETALING JAYA: The theft of body parts from the corpse of a Malayan tiger, a critically endangered species, has sparked widespread outrage, with many condemning the act as a violation of basic decency.
Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia president and chief executive officer Andrew Sebastian expressed grave concern over the incident, saying that it undermines efforts to protect the species, which is already on the brink of extinction.
“It is not only sad but revolting. Such actions have made it tougher on the steadily declining Malayan tiger population.
“There is no excuse for this. People who take body parts of animals, especially those injured or dead, are no better than poachers. The full extent of the law with the maximum penalties must come down on the perpetrators,” he said.
The body parts were stolen from the carcass of a tiger believed to have been struck by a lorry near KM67.1 of the Gerik-Jeli East-West Highway on Saturday.
The stolen parts reportedly included four canine teeth, claws, the tail skin, and part of the skin from the tiger’s head.
Sebastian said there was a need for stricter enforcement, while urging those aware of any wrongdoing to come forward to the authorities.
Following the incident, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said his ministry was taking the matter seriously, with police now investigating the theft.
Additionally, WWF Malaysia, which has been involved in monitoring and conservation efforts in Belum-Temengor in Perak, offered to assist the Wildlife and National Parks Department with information or support.
On social media, users voiced their frustrations, with Vigneswary Krishnasamy arguing for proactive measures.
“Instead of making noise after such incidents, they should be making plans on how to build safe crossings for these creatures,” she wrote.
Another user, Kok Yuen Loh, criticised the lack of consideration for wildlife during highway construction.
“When highways are built through forested areas for human convenience, no thought is given to the wild animals roaming there. When traffic accidents occur, both animals and humans can get injured or even killed.
“We need to impose speed limits for night driving and perhaps even install road bumps in known wildlife crossing zones,” Kok suggested.
