(MY) letter to Malia Obama-hope this letter reaches Malia

May 12, 2010

TIGER CONSERVATION: Open letter to Malia Obama-Malay Mail

Plea to First Eldest Daughter to help save the big cats

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 12:46:00

DEAR Malia,

I was very touched to learn that you talk to your father, the President of

the United States of America, every

week to find out what he is doing to help the tigers.

Your concern for tigers warms my heart and I pray it will help save the

tigers, including those in Malaysia.

Our tiger population has plunged from about 3,000 to 500 in just 50 years –

in about the time our country has been independent.

This is because we keep converting large areas of forests to oil palm

plantations, break up habitats with roads and other infrastructure, some of

which are quite unnecessary, and allow logging that degrades habitats.

Many of our tigers are also killed by poachers who cater to the crazy demand

for tiger parts in traditional Asian medicine, and our efforts to stop

poachers has been feeble.

Recently, Malaysia came up with a National Tiger Action Plan to double our

number of tigers by 2020.

In spite of having this plan, we continue to do a lot of things that are

unkind to tigers like building expressways through protected national or

state parks. How sad!

And what is happening in Malaysia also goes on in Indonesia, a country that

is close to your father's heart no doubt. A lot of tiger habitats there are

being cleared for oil palm, some by Malaysian companies.

The tigers and many of our magnificent wildlife like the orangutans,

rhinoceros and horn bills need urgent help.

It will take audacity to save them.

May I request that the US help set up a global fund for countries to keep

their tropical forests intact, and free of poachers and loggers; and halt

deforestation within their own borders to set a gold standard for an abiding

peace with Mother Nature?

Finally, as we have the second highest number of threatened tigers in the

world, could you pay us a visit soon?

Warm regards,

*JC Tansen

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia*

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