(MY) primate scandal

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Primate scandal: Another cover up? Malaysiakini.com

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz

Dec 19, 05 5:20pm

 

The Wildlife Department had vowed that there would be no cover-up on

an orang utan smuggling scandal, but conservationists do not have

their hopes swinging high-up in the trees.

 

Contacted today, the department's and enforcement director Misliah

Mohd Basir said the agency has always maintained a 'positive' stance

in this issue and would continue to do so.

 

" We're always positive. Takde cover-cover (no cover-ups), " she added

before cutting the line.

 

Last week, it was reported that seven orang utans had been repatriated

to Sumatra from Malaysia following confirmation by a peninsula-wide

DNA-profiling exercise that they belong to the endangered Sumatran

species.

 

Recognised as 'critically endangered' in Appendix 1 of the 1973

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites),

trading in Sumatran orang utans (Pongo pygmaeus abelii) is prohibited

save for scientific research or conservation purposes.

 

Indonesia has stopped their export since 2000.

 

For years, six of the orang utans were featured in shows at the Kuala

Lumpur Bird Park, with the master of ceremonies purportedly

introducing them as an 'endangered species' found 'only in Sumatra'.

 

The shows were abruptly called off on April 9 this year after a member

of the public filed a complaint. The six orangutans were then returned

to Malacca-based private theme park, A'Formosa Resort. In mid-July,

they were confiscated by the authorities and kept at the Malacca Zoo.

 

A seventh orang utan was found to have been in the possession of the

Johor Zoo for an unknown period of time.

 

'We understand'

 

Conservationists, however, expressed disappointment that there had

been no indication that those who had smuggled the animals into the

country would be brought to book.

 

The Switzerland-based Sumatran orang utan conservation programme's

scientific director Dr Ian Singleton said this was 'disappointing but

understandable.'

 

Singleton, who had overseen the orang utans repatriation process last

week, said his experience in Indonesia had prepared him for that

possibility in Malaysia.

 

" Knowing the political climate being what it is, we are disappointed

but we understand, " he told malaysiakini.

 

" The people who had the Sumatran orang utans are politically powerful

people, " he added.

 

Meanwhile, Traffic Southeast Asia's regional programme manager Chris R

Shepherd urged heavy penalties against those responsible for the

illegal trade and possession of the orang utans.

 

" Sending them back is one part of the solution. We have to

congratulate the authorities for seizing the animals ... and MASkargo

for footing the (repatriation) bill. It shows they are (both)

committed to conservation work.

 

" But just confiscating those animals is not a penalty. The process is

far from over, " he added.

 

International crime

 

Firstly, Shepard said it is an international crime that cannot go

unresolved and secondly, it should be thoroughly investigated to make

sure it does not happen again " not just with orang utans, but with any

Cites Appendix 1 animal coming into any zoo or entertainment facility

in Malaysia " .

 

" As with any crime, they need to find out who is behind this, who is

masterminding this trade, and how it is being facilitated. Steps need

to be taken to ensure it doesn't happen again and to prosecute anybody

who has violated the laws, " he added.

 

Shepard said there were many other 'Cites 1' animals, such as

endangered birds, being brought into the country illegally which had

not been accounted for by the authorities.

 

" It is the management's responsibility in any Cites country to ensure

that any Cites 1 animal brought in are legally acquired, " he noted.

 

Despite this, history does not lend much credence to hopes that heavy

deterrence penalties would be imposed on those responsible should they

be identified, lamented the conservationist.

 

" Throughout Southeast Asia, people involved in wildlife trade are

often not prosecuted. Even those that are prosecuted, the penalties

are very often very small, and obviously not a deterrent, " he said.