Bryan Christy

Two letters in the New Straits Times today condemn the Ministry’s response to Ms. Abdullah’s letter calling for investigation into the scenario raised by The Lizard King.  (see prior posts for more discussion).

Letter One:

Perhilitan’s responsibility: Disheartening
By TAN YOK KOON, Puchong, Selangor
New Straits Times

2008/10/24

I REFER to Dr Amerjit Singh’s letter “Perhilitan’s role: Enforcement going on” (NST, Oct 19). Yes, we know the Wildlife Department is making an effort to improve Malaysia’s laws in protecting wildlife in Malaysia, but the letter did not answer the fundamental question posed by Azrina Abdullah in her letter “Wildlife trade: Take a close look, Perhilitan”, (NST, Oct 1), which is to investigate the alleged involvement of Perhilitan officers, if any, in assisting a Malaysian reptile dealer to export illegally-obtained wildlife.

I find it disheartening to see how lightly the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and Perhilitan seem to take this matter.

Letter Two: (more…)

Out of the blue I got a note a few weeks ago from Nikki Patel who said she was a student at UPenn Vet School, had heard about The Lizard King on a Vietnam list-serv, and wondered if I’d like to talk to a few students.  Sounded great but given the timing I wondered if I’d be talking to a half-empty classroom of pre-midterm zombies.  I shouldn’t have worried.  Nikki and co. filled a lecture hall, had lunch catered for everyone in attendance, and coordinated with my publisher and with the great Philly bookstore Joseph Fox Bookshop to have a post-talk signing.  The students and faculty were fantastic.  After my talk I had a chance to go to lunch with a group of students.  The enthusiasm to do well by wildlife, not just as doctors, but as a matter of policy, was inspiring.  Thanks to Nikki, Mar, Colin and others, and thanks to Eco-Vet, Special Species, and IVSA at Penn for supporting the program!

Interesting news from Malaysia.  Last month the New Straits Times ran a terrific 3-part feature on The Lizard King, which included a rather severe accusation by officials inside the Wildlife Department that my book was “fiction” (along with some other not nice words).  In response to the Wildlife Department’s comment, I wrote a letter to the paper and so did Ms. Azrina Abdullah, Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.  Both were published.  Ms. Abdullah called on the Wildlife Department (known as Perhilitan) to investigate the scenario described in The Lizard King.  

Yesterday, Dr. Amerjit Singh, writing for the Secretary-General of the Ministry overseeing the Wildlife Department, responded to the paper with a letter, which I’ll leave to you (and time) to judge: 

Perhilitan’s role: Enforcement going on

New Straits Times, October 19, 2008

 By : DR AMERJIT SINGH for secretary-general, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

THE Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) appreciates the issues highlighted in the letter “Take a close look, Perhilitan” (NST, Oct 1) by Azrina Abdullah on the wildlife trade monitoring network, Traffic Southeast Asia. (more…)