When people join together online to express their views, it can make a difference. That's the power wildlife conversation NGOs in Malaysia hope to harness with their latest endeavour.
In a show of solidarity, the Malaysian Nature Society, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Wildlife Conservation Society and WWF-Malaysia have created an online petition to campaign for changes in the country’s wildlife protection law.
Rampant poaching of endangered animals has shown the desperate need for reform of the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972. The petition seeks 100,000 signatures by June 2009. At Press time there was a total of 1525 signatures.
Currently the law applies only to Peninsular Malaysia, conservationists say it is likely that Sabah and Sarawak will follow if wildlife protection is strengthened. Beyond hunting and poaching, our wildlife is threatened by large-scale forest loss driven by logging and the development of oil palm plantations.
This is the petition, in full:
To: Government of Malaysia
Currently, wild animals in Peninsular Malaysia are protected by the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972. This 35-year-old law is severely outdated and riddled with loopholes.
There is a serious need for the Malaysian government to remedy the loopholes and beef up the law, as many species continue to be poached and illegally traded at alarming rates. Wildlife offenders often escape arrest, prosecution and punishment.
We need this law to be urgently reviewed comprehensively and amended.
Examples of amendments needed:
• That all products containing or claiming it contains parts of totally protected species to be made illegal.
• That mandatory jail sentences and stiffer fines are imposed for serious wildlife offences.
Please extensively review and amend the current law, and seek public input in this process.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
To sign the petition, log onto www.petitiononline.com/MYLaw/petition.html
This article was taken from: The malay mail: cyberspot 7 November 2008
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