Outrage over the shooting of tiger

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has expressed outrage over the shooting of a three-year-old male tiger by a Rela member at Kampung Ulu Damaq in Sungai Bayor, Perak on Tuesday (June 22).

We fully understand that the safety of the villagers is of paramount importance, the Rela member should have notified and sought help from the Perak Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department instead of acting on his own.

The reason for killing the tiger, believed to have killed poultry belonging to a villager, was not acceptable.

MCA had received many calls from the public expressing their unhappiness and outrage over the shooting.

Infact, for the safety of the people and the tiger, the Rela member and villagers should have notified the authorities the first time they spotted the animal.

The tiger was believed to have strayed into the village some 10 km from the Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve to forage for food as its habitat had been encroached.

According to a report in The Star today (June 23) Selama acting OCPD Asst Superintendent Ramli Mohammad said the tiger had been spotted several times in the village and that it had apparently killed poultry belonging to a villager.

We can rear poultry or buy them in the market but not tigers. Beside, the number of tigers in the country is on the decline. Hence, tigers must be protected.

Besides a protected species and that the number of tigers in the country is on the
decline, tigers also have a very special place in the Malaysian culture, and that this year is also the Year of the Tiger.

I urge the authorities to have an in depth investigation on the matter and take action against those found guilty. This must serve as a lesson for others as well.


针对一只3岁的雄虎误闯村庄被司南马乌鲁大玛甘榜志愿警卫队联手射死一事，我认为司南马志愿警卫队应该寻求野生动物保护局的协助逮虎，而非擅自行动射杀闯入村庄的老虎。

我们充分了解村民的安全最重要，但警卫队发现老虎的足迹后，应该立即通知霹雳州野生动物保护及国家公园局以寻求帮助，而非自己行动。

我想，基于老虎捕食家禽而将牠射毙的理由不能接受。事发后，马华也接获许多民众致电表达他们对该射杀行动的不满和愤怒。

事实上，为了同时保护村民和老虎，志愿警卫队首次发现老虎踪迹后，就该第一时间通知有关当局。根据星报于23日的报道，霹雳司南马代警区主任南利莫哈末指被射毙的老虎已多次在村里出没，并捕食村民饲养的家禽。

被射毙的老虎相信是来自该新村10公里外的森林保留区。我们也相牠是由于栖息生态遭侵坏，而迫使牠闯入村内觅食。

家禽可以重新饲养或从市集上买，但老虎却不能。老虎不容易繁殖，加上数量不断下降，因此必须保护。再者，老虎在马来西亚文化中有独特的地位和意义，今年也恰好是虎年。

我促请有关当局就此事深入调查，并对付构罪的单位。我更希望国人能以此为鉴，进一步提高保护濒危动物和自然的醒觉和意识。