IPOH: The Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) has stressed that any allegations relating to the neglect of elephant welfare at Tennoji Zoo in Japan must be supported by reasonable evidence before any move to terminate the cooperation programme or initiate the repatriation process can be considered.
MPT president Mohamed Akmal Dahalan said decisions concerning the termination of the programme could not be made unilaterally as they are subject to the terms and provisions agreed upon in the agreement between the parties involved.
"The process of returning the elephants or terminating the cooperation can only be carried out based on proper assessment and clear evidence, should there be any breach of the agreement’s terms, particularly involving animal welfare aspects.
"MPT wishes to emphasise that any decision related to terminating the cooperation programme, including the return of the elephants or implementation of repatriation, must be made on clear grounds and supported by reasonable evidence of breaches of the agreement,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (May 20).
Mohamed Akmal said the zoo is responsible for ensuring that the elephants’ welfare, health, nutrition, veterinary treatment, safety and daily management are carried out in accordance with international standards and best practices.
"Tennoji Zoo is also required to continuously implement environmental enrichment programmes in addition to complying with the prohibition of any activities that could compromise animal welfare or involve hybridisation.
"Furthermore, MPT and the relevant agencies have the right to conduct periodic audits and monitoring to ensure full compliance with all terms of the agreement,” he added.
He said monitoring mechanisms are also carried out through Joint Committee Meetings held from time to time, in addition to the zoo’s obligation to provide annual reports on the elephants’ health condition and management.
Commenting on transparency issues, he said the full copy of the agreement cannot be disclosed to the public as it is an official government document classified as confidential and subject to legal and professional obligations between both parties.
However, he said MPT would extend full cooperation to any investigating authority requiring access to the document.
"The contents of the agreement were drafted based on a comprehensive review with reference to the Animal Welfare Act 2015 (Act 772), the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716), the Malaysian National Elephant Conservation Action Plan, as well as international guidelines by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
"The Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Plantation of the Malaysian Parliament is currently examining the matter, including planning a visit to Japan for the purpose of review and information gathering,” he said. – Bernama
