Friday May 29, 2009
YOUR article "Elephant found dead after encroaching into plantation" (The Star, May 27) highlights the absolute urgency to gazette the Temengor rainforest and its surrounding areas.The article was of an innocent elephant found poisoned by smallholders of an illegal oil palm estate nearby.
The poor animal was found dead last week. Not only have these smallholders encroached into state land illegally, they have also resolved to poisoning the animal which apparently "had been disturbing the plantation".
Firstly, the Belum-Temengor complex and its surrounding areas of Gerik are home to many protected wildlife and they are the rightful owners of the land that we humans have conveniently invaded.
Secondly, unlike Royal Belum, Temengor is unprotected, and without control the land is accessible to anyone and any form of activities such as logging and illegal plantations, etc.
Thirdly, do these animals know when they've crossed the border and that they have stepped into unprotected territory? Last but not least, who is to assure that such killing will not happen again?
The Body Shop and Malaysian Nature Society have been campaigning for years to protect the Belum-Temengor Rainforest complex. We are determined to redouble our relentless efforts to lobby for its conservation and protection.
The Government has done the right thing in the gazetting of Royal Belum in 1997, but this latest "murder" will not be the last unless Temengor is gazetted as well.
These animals deserve to live and roam free in their own home.
As Malaysians living in a planet with vanishing resources, we have to protect what is left for our future generations.
Don't let this outrage be forgotten.
The Body Shop,
Kuala Lumpur.
This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: News: Opinion 29 May 2009
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