Malaysian activists: ‘No’ to animal testing lab plan

The Star 11 Jun 10;

KUALA LUMPUR: Animal lovers, activists, a Senator and a beauty queen were among those who gathered in front of the Indian High Commission here to protest the plan by an Indian drug company to build an animal testing laboratory in Malacca.

The Ethical treatment of Animals (PETA) drove home their point by using a “rat” mascot.

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Selangor chairman Christine Chin, handed a memorandum to High Commissioner Vijay Gokhale, which was received by Second Secretary Birbald Anand.

Also present at the protest was Miss Malaysia/World 2009/2010 Thanuja Ananthan.

Lyn Wong, 38, said: “People must be made more aware that testing on animals is not necessary as there are many alternatives in terms of medical research.”

Mohani Niza, 22, said the Indian company had expressed its intention to use monkeys in experiments to test drugs “because they think monkeys are not as cute as cats, but they do suffer as well.”

Also lending support was Senator Dr S. Ramakrishnan of the DAP, who said in a statement that animal testing should be banned because it was cruel, not reliable, inaccurate “and below human decency.”

It was reported that Indian drug company, Vivo Biotech, was planning to build a multi-million dollar animal testing laboratory in Malacca to test-trial medicines on primates, dogs, and small mammals.