Discussing animal welfare issues in the hallowed halls of Parliament

ON Aug 5, I found myself walking through the gates of the Parliament Building not as a politician or VIP but simply as a rakyat who cares deeply about a cause that is too often overlooked – the lives of stray animals in our country, and the people who live among them, namely the feeders, rescuers, animal lovers and, yes, even those who fear or dislike them.

I was there as part of the Alliance of Malaysia Animal NGOs (Aman). We had been invited to meet with Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who generously opened her office to hear about the challenges we face in animal welfare advocacy, where we are today, and what we hope to achieve in the future.