(MY) letters on macaques export and sharks fin from readers

[Guest guest]

2007/09/04-New Straits Times

 

Macaques: Can't we be more caring?

By : SHOBA MANO for The Remembering Sheena Campaign,

Subang Jaya

 

Are macaques being punished for trying to coexist with humans?

 

 

ON Aug 17, the government lifted the ban on the export of long-tailed

macaques, calling them an " urban nuisance " .

 

Are they being punished for trying to coexist with humans in what was

once their habitat, which humans invaded?

 

In doing so, these monkeys may have disturbed a VIP's golf game,

broken antennas from SUVs or messed up the designer kitchen of

someone's country home.

 

So now, they are branded as " urban monkeys " and allowed to be hunted.

 

Even the species protected under the Wildlife Act are not protected as

can be seen by the poaching of tigers, orang utans and pangolins.

 

In the Tumpat tiger case in October 2005, the culprit was fined

RM7,000 with no jail sentence.

 

The tiger carcass can fetch more than three times as much on the market.

 

Time and time again, people read about courts refusing to give jail

terms for poachers.

 

We notice that these poachers arrested seem to be lorry drivers,

kampung stall owners or middle men and never the masterminds.

 

In India, movie star Salman Khan was arrested and sent to prison for

five years for violation of animal protection laws.

 

In the US, Michael Vick, an American football player, is also looking

at a prison sentence for abusing dogs.

 

Yet, in Malaysia, it is unheard of for such big names to be arrested,

let alone given jail terms.

 

We also notice that no action is taken by Perhilitan (Department of

Wildlife and National Parks) against resorts that advertise their star

attractions of endangered species.

 

Now we hear from Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri

Azmi Khalid that monkeys will be exported.

 

His excuse? Sterilisation to curb the monkey population is not working

and so his ministry has no choice but to do this.

 

What about culling? Perhaps that will deprive the ministry of revenue

to be gained from sending the monkeys to a slow death.

 

These monkeys are going to be exported to Hong Kong, South Korea,

Taiwan and Japan where they will end up in cooking pots, be tortured

in laboratories or exploited in other ways.

 

Malaysia's treatment of its animals is unconscionable.

 

The least the government can do is cull the animals instead of aiding

and abetting their torture and slow death.

 

Independent rescuers of animals and wildlife seem to be doing a better

job than Perhilitan at protecting animals even with limited funds and

resources.

 

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2007/09/04-New Straits Times

 

Shark's fin soup: Leave sharks alone for our good and theirs

By : GERARD WONG, Segambut, Kuala Lumpur

 

CHEAH Hooi Giam of Penang ( " Campaign lacks strong bite " — NST, Aug 20)

concedes that sharks breed slowly and are over-harvested and

endangered.

 

But it is intriguing to see that he does not agree with the campaign

against consuming shark's fin soup.

 

Shark campaigners have never denied the fact that Western countries

are guilty of depleting shark populations in their own waters.

 

In fact, shark conservationists in the West lobby their own people to

stop shark game fishing, implement laws to prevent shark

over-harvesting and enforce quotas and fishing-equipment regulations.

 

At the same time, we cannot deny the Asian preference for shark's fin soup.

 

Even if it were true that the majority of fins are not taken by the

" shock and awe " tactic described by Cheah, the end product is the

same: Whether eaten for the fins or the meat, sharks are being

harvested for consumption and this will be detrimental to the marine

ecosystem and in the long run, to ourselves.

 

As to the value of shark oil and shark cartilage as anti-cancer

supplements and other health tonics, a search of the Internet will

reveal that many of the sites trumpeting their nutritional and health

benefits are connected to those who are making money out of their

sale.

 

More alarmingly, national health authorities worldwide have warned

against the consumption of large, top predators of the ocean such as

sharks, swordfish and marlin because of their accumulated high mercury

and other chemical contents.

 

These poisons can be detrimental when consumed by pregnant mothers as

they can affect the nervous system of their foetuses. In men, an

overdose of these chemicals has been proven to result in sterility.

 

Thus, other than to fatten the pockets of those who sell shark fins

and shark-derived products, its consumption could be more hazardous to

humans than is publicly acknowledged.

 

Just as the Western world should refrain from consuming and

over-harvesting sharks, we in Asia should refrain from eating their

fins, cartilage and oil.