(MY) against hunting

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Tuesday August 8, 2006 - The Star

 

Game reserve won't stop illegal hunting

 

SAHABAT Alam Malaysia (SAM) is alarmed and concerned over a recent press

report on the proposed setting-up of a special game reserve for hunting in

Sabah.

 

The idea mooted by the very custodian of the state's fauna and flora – the

Sabah Wildlife Department – is to help stop the illegal hunting of

wildlife.

 

If the department had difficulty stopping illegal hunting in the past, how

is it going to stop this illegal activity now with the setting up of a

special game reserve?

 

Licensed game hunting will not be the end to all illegal hunting. Illegal

hunting will continue so long as there is ineffective enforcement, lack of

manpower, willpower and resources to stop it.

 

When there is difficulty in controlling illegal hunting, how effective will

the department be in ensuring that hunters stick to the rules of hunting

only game animals?

 

The temptation will be great, whether it is porcupines or other small game

animals. Hunters just cannot resist the temptation to kill a larger or

threatened wildlife.

 

Can the department guarantee that any endangered animal that wanders within

the shooting grounds will not be killed?

 

Game hunting should be halted completely once and for all. It has nothing to

do with our traditional way of life or our culture and it has no place in a

progressive modern nation.

 

Nature does not need hunters. It is scientifically proven that there are

certain mechanisms that maintain a balance in nature, such as in cases of

too many animals in a certain area, the births will fall or sickness takes

care of the least resistant member of the species.

 

Therefore human interference in nature is not needed.

 

 

 

*S.M. MOHD IDRIS,

 

President,

 

Sahabat Alam Malaysia,

 

Penang. *