Bryan Christy

No journalist in Malaysia has done more on the illegal wildlife trade, including Anson Wong, than Hilary Chiew.  Below is her take on her meeting Anson Wong and her reasons why Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment cannot fix the wildlife department.

BTW, the suggestion that a lawsuit would answer the question how Anson Wong was able to smuggle for decades is a ruse to divert attention from a proper inquiry, and a threat to journalists, NGOs and Malaysian citizens who expose crimes. 

By endorsing a lawsuit, the Ministry is saying it denies the facts of The Kingpin story, denies the facts of Anson Wong’s U.S. confession, denies that the wildlife department has never once brought a material case against Anson Wong, and denies what NGOs and newspapers in Malaysia have reported for years: that species from all over the world are smuggled through Malaysia, making it a global wildlife trafficking hub.  The problem is obvious.  As Hilary Chiew suggests below, the Ministry appears to “lack competent personnel” along with “political will and determination.”

Constricted by Boas–The Fall of Anson Wong

By Hilary Chiew 

COMMENT “I don’t want to go to jail again.” — Those were the words uttered by Anson Wong slightly over a year ago to me.

I was confident that he said that with full knowledge that he is untouchable in Southeast Asia – one of the regions which had become a safe playground for the flamboyant wildlife trafficker.

There is an undoubted air of cockiness in Wong. His underlying message was: Catch me if you can!

From his Toshiba laptop, he nonchalantly showed photographs of him holding a Malagasy ploughshare tortoise purportedly in a market in the neighbouring Zanzibar island off Tanzania. He claimed that he was on holiday there, and declared that he has remained clean since returning from the United States sometime in 2004.

Now, what are the chances of a person who has been convicted of running a wildlife smuggling ring that specialises in rare reptiles like the endangered ploughshare tortoise taking a holiday in Zanzibar and stumbling upon the very same species far away from its native habitat? (more…)

For those of you who recall the Taiping Four gorilla smuggling case involving Malaysia’s Taiping Zoo, or the history of prominent zoo owners in Malaysia and wildlife trafficking, here is perhaps the most absurd news of the day.   

On a positive note, Malaysia’s Wildlife Department has begun publicizing Special Permit decisions, ie, decisions to allow individuals or organizations to possess critically endangered species.  Lulus=Approved; Tidak Lulus=Not Approved.  Unfortunately, the list does not name the species approved/denied or the quantity…which brings us back to the title of this post…

Letter to the Editor appearing in today’s The Star, Malaysia.  Those of you who follow this blog, or the story of efforts to improve law enforcement in Malaysia, know that Azrina Abdullah, former director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, has been an outspoken champion.  Here’s my coverage of her work (Full disclosure:  She also gave The Lizard King a positive review).  Her courage to stand up and speak out on behalf of the country she is proud of and its wildlife has inspired positive change in her home, Malaysia, in the U.S., and no doubt in a few other places, too.

The question remains whether Minister Uggah will make this a meaningful reform or a paper one.  Is this the beginning of improvement or the end?  The forthcoming investigative audit will tell.

The Star
January 29, 2010
Check on wildlife permits hailed

I REFER to the article by Hilary Chiew “Minister to chair special wildlife permit panel” (The Star, Jan 24).

Well done to the minister for taking the initiative and positive step towards improving Peninsular Malaysia’s special permit system.

The proposed change is certainly welcome, especially in light of the numerous reports and letters from the public expressing dismay and concern over the mismanagement of wildlife trade over the past year. (more…)