Crackdown on wildlife trade sorely needed and appreciated

A tiger found with its paws trapped in a poacher's snare in Belum-Temengor, the largest continuous forest complex in Peninsular Malaysia. Along with losing its habitat to human encrochment, the Malayan tiger has been hunted almost to extinction for the illegal wildlife trade. — LAU CHING FONG/WWF-Malaysia

It is with relief, hope and gratitude that environmentalists received the welcome news that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador has directed that all district police chiefs will have to report on wildlife trade in their jurisdictions within a month ("OCPDs must submit report on illegal wildlife sale before Sept 18, says IGP", The Star, Aug 19,2020). This is consistent with the IGP’s earlier pledge, in October 2019, to crack down on wildlife crimes and push for harsher penalties for those convicted of them.

We further commend the Royal Malaysian Police’s (PDRM) decision to revoke the firearm licenses of those found to have engaged in hunting wildlife, and hope that the police will continue to revoke licenses and confiscate firearms when necessary. This is an important move to curtail wildlife hunting and to prevent the killing of wildlife in situations where the wild animal does not pose an actual and immediate threat to human lives and safety.