Borneo elephants now classified as totally protected species under wildlife laws
The Star 11 Jan 12;
KOTA KINABALU: Those who kill Borneo elephants will now face a mandatory jail term as part of Sabah’s efforts to upgrade its conservation of the animal.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the elephant was classified as a totally protected species under its wildlife laws.
“This means that as far as our elephants are concerned, if you kill, you go to jail,” he said when closing a wildlife conference here yesterday.
The conference was jointly organised by the state’s Wildlife Department and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council.
Under the totally protected classification, those convicted of killing the animals will be liable for a mandatory jail term of up to five years.
Previously, those convicted of killing these animals, which were listed only as protected, were liable to a fine of up to RM30,000 or three years in default or both.
Masidi said the state was also finalising its draft of a request to the Federal Government to amend the Fisheries Act to prohibit the hunting of sharks in Malaysian waters.
“We hope that with such changes, we won’t see the sale of shark’s fin in this country soon,” he added.
On concerns that the state’s agricultural sector was impacting the environment, Masidi said: “We know we are blessed with an abundance of natural assets and we are determined to protect them.
“But Sabah, too, has its peculiarities and among these is that we are dependent on agriculture to eradicate poverty.
“So, you can criticise us but please see our side of the story, too.”
Meanwhile, Sabah Wildlife Department director Laurentius Ambu said among the consensus reached at the conference, which was attended by conservationists and oil palm industry representatives, was the need to push zero tolerance for wildlife killing.
“If companies would make it clear to their staff that they would be fired if they were found to be killing wildlife illegally, this could be a highly effective tool,” said Laurentius, adding that such an approach should be taken for protected species.
He said participants also highlighted the need for the maintenance of forest corridors in plantations.
“If such corridors no longer exist, these should be re-established wherever possible. It is, however, recognised that corridor establishment is expensive and challenging, and needs to be done together with other management tools,” he added.
Action plan to protect Sabah's 3 iconic animals
Daily Express 10 Jan 12;
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah launched, Monday, three five-year State Species Action Plans for the orang-utan, elephant and rhinoceros, respectively, that will provide a platform for better protection of the three flagship species.
The launching was officiated by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok at the opening of two-day Sabah Wildlife Conservation Colloquium (SWCC), jointly organised by Sabah Wildlife Department and Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) together with the Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT), Danau Girang Field and HUTAN - Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme, at the Le Meridien, here.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun and Wildlife Director Dr Laurentius Ambu, among others, were present.
Urging the plantation industry to collaborate with the State Government in implementing these Species Action Plans, Dompok was certain that with the cooperation from all parties concerned the oil palm industry can co-exist in a sustainable manner with the environment.
The plans are part of the nation's continued commitment towards conservation and continuation of its unique flora and fauna, he said.
"Being one of the world's mega centres of biodiversity, Malaysia has constantly become the focus of the international community and we have led the way in showcasing our effort in wildlife conservation and protection," said Dompok.
Malaysia pledged to maintain 50 per cent of the country's landmass under forest cover at the Rio Convention in 1992 and is still honouring this pledge 20 years on.
"Our unique wildlife and biodiversity are our natural heritage, and we owe it to ourselves not to deny our future generations these privileges and environmental treasures that we now enjoy. This demonstrates Malaysia's commitments on the approach towards sustainable development," he said.
Dompok said the SWCC 2012 which has aptly adopted the theme "Harmonising Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation with National Development" is the next step forward to better address and manage wildlife conservation issues through a multi-stakeholder approach.
"This is important taking into account that any recommendations should be holistic in nature and aimed at balancing the needs of the people, economy and nature, which forms the basic tenets of sustainability," he said.
Dompok also spoke of the country's palm oil industry's contribution to conservation, saying the industry itself has become more involved in this effort, giving a new synergy to the term 'corporate social responsibility'.
He said the Government in collaboration with the palm oil industry had launched the Malaysia Palm Oil Wildlife Conservation Fund (MPOWCF) in 2006, with the objective of spearheading wildlife and environment conservation efforts in Malaysia.
The MPOWCF was launched with an initial funding of RM20million of which RM10million is a grant from the Government and the balance of RM10million is provided by the palm oil industry.
The fund is administered by the MPOC, which also has the overall responsibility to manage the various conservation projects funded through MPOWCF.
Since its inception, he said MPOWCF has initiated a number of wildlife and biodiversity conservation projects, adding this has contributed to among others the establishment of the country's first Wildlife Rescue Centre in collaboration with the Wildlife Department.
The other projects are the Jungle Patrol Unit in Tangkulap-Pinangah Forest Reserve, inventory of Sabah's Orang-utan population, the Orang-utan Infant Care Unit in Bukit Merah and the satellite tracking and conservation of Bornean Banteng in Sabah.
These initiatives reflected the commitment by the Malaysian palm oil industry to environment conservation and wildlife in the country, he said.
In addition, the Borneo Elephant Wildlife Sanctuary (BEWS) which is in the planning stage is aimed at reducing potential human-elephant conflicts and create a controlled public access sanctuary to better understand and care for these animals.
Dompok also applauded the strong presence of various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at the colloquium, both from the local and international fraternity.
"Today, the environment favours a scenario where NGOs can work together with the government and industry, to improve the quality and standard of operations and sustainability," he said, hoping that NGOs would provide alternative perspectives to policies and actions, and give meaningful recommendation on how the government can improve the practices.
This is the constructive approach that we can all look forward to in achieving sustainable growth and environmental conservation, he said, inviting local and international NGOs to assume an active role with the palm oil industry in achieving common sustainable goals.
"I am optimistic that Malaysia can work together with the various NGOs in wildlife conservation and environmental protection," he said.
About 250 local and international delegates from a multitude of backgrounds representing government agencies, NGOs, universities, foundation, zoos as well as corporate bodies primarily in the palm oil industry and tourism are taking part in the SWCC 2012.
Both Ministers also witnessed the signing and exchanging of four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between the Wildlife Department and MPOC, WWF-Malaysia, The Rhino and Forest Fund and SOS Elefanti, as well as another MoU between the BCT and KTS Plantation Sdn Bhd.
Rescued animals will be housed in the new sanctuary in Kinabatangan
The Star 12 Jan 12;
KOTA KINABALU: A sanctuary for the rehabilitation of rescued Borneo pygmy elephants is expected to be operational in the middle of this year.
Sabah Wildlife Director Dr Laurentius Ambu said 2,000ha of land has been reserved for the sanctuary, known as the Borneo Elephant Wildlife Sanctuary, in Kinabatangan.
“We do not intend to house all the (rescued) elephants there. We will keep the animals there for treatment and then we will release them back into the wild,” he told reporters after the opening of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Colloquium 2012 here.
The colloquium was opened by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.
Ambu said about 20 elephants initially would be housed for treatment and rehabilitation once the sanctuary was operational.
He said there were 60 to 100 elephants of the pygmy species to be located and rescued using satellite tracking.
Pygmy elephants, a smaller kind of the elephant species, are considered endangered, with about 2,000 left in Sabah.
The sanctuary, will be operated by the Sabah Wildlife Department and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, will consist a rescue facility and a research and education division.
Dompok had urged the Malaysian oil palm industry to collaborate with the state in implementing the Species Action Plan, particularly for the conservation and rehabilitation of Sabah’s three iconic species such as the orang utan, the Borneo pygmy elephant and the Sumatran rhinoceros.
“I am optimistic that, with the cooperation of all the parties, the oil palm industry can co-exist in a sustainable manner with the environment, particularly in Sabah,” he said. —Bernama.
