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Stop killings of elephants in Sabah

  • Publication Date | October 4, 2019
  • Document Type | Letter to the Editor
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Forest Conversions, Wildlife
  • Tags | Deforestation, Forest Corridors, Pygmy Elephants
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Pygmy elephants | Credit: Clean Malaysia
Pgymy elephants | Photo Credit: Clean Malaysia

Sabah has made headlines time and again with the deaths of the pygmy elephants.  What shocked Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) was the manner in which the poor elephant was brutally gunned down.  Not only was it shot at several times, its tusks were also hacked off. 

The continuous spate of  killing of elephants is reflective of poor government delivery system; that it happens often enough can only mean that those entrusted with the tasks, namely the Wildlife Department are not doing enough. 

However, with the public outcry and the latest  probe into the incident aided by the police that led to the arrests of the six suspects,  there may be light at the end of the tunnel for the remaining elephant population.  Credit must  be given to the informer too  that led to the quick arrests of the suspects.

Firm and stern action must be taken against the culprits so that this serves as a precedent. SAM also demands that  action  be taken against the plantation company for allowing their men to commit such brutality.  The company should know better that any wildlife encounter or problems should be referred to the Wildlife Department instead of taking the matter into their own hands.

There have been a string of killings in Sabah as far back as 2013 with many cases unsolved till today. 

Threatened from all fronts from widespread logging of their natural habitat for agriculture and plantation development, the cutting off of elephant migratory routes, to poisoning, poaching,  accidental deaths and the resulting human-elephant conflict, the future of these baby faced, over sized ears pachyderm is all but doom and gloom. 

Considered as pest or threat to agriculture crops, the elephants are subjected to retribution by plantation owners. Every year, elephants are found either shot  or poisoned across Sabah’s elephant home ranges, though the public often hears nothing about it.  

In the name of economic and agricultural activities, thousands of hectares of  wildlife habitats have been cleared. There is every need to stop the “Business As Usual Deforestation” model and better manage Sabah’s  landscape before the decimation of more endangered species.  

The conversion of forests into plantations  has created fragmented or patches of habitats that are not enough to contain large elephant herds. This forces the species out of their habitats and at many instances venture to plantations or even villages.

It is thus essential for  forest corridors at plantations or even villages  to allow elephant movement   from one habitat to another, to restore riparian corridors and ensure proper land use  planning to locate fences and corridors. 

It is about time  the Sabah state government and the Sabah Wildlife Department   come out with effective and concrete conservation  action plans to prevent more untoward deaths of Sabah’s precious elephants and wildlife.  

Meenakshi Raman

President

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Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
Chee Yoke Ling
Chee Yoke Lingstudent of SAM, Executive Director of Third World Network, SAM’s sister organisation

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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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