Bryan Christy

Last week, Malaysian Customs officers stopped a pair of low-level smugglers coming into the country from Madagascar.  Instead of capitalizing on the fresh energy and goodwill of the country’s new wildlife law (and a successful Customs stop) by announcing an investigation into a longstanding Malaysian smuggling syndicate operating in Madagascar,  Perhilitan’s Law Enforcement Principal Assistant Director Loo Kean Seong  has announced that either Madagascar pay for the endangered animals’ return, or the animals will be euthanized, or sold.   

While this may be technically correct as a matter of CITES law, Loo goes on to say that Perhilitan cannot spend public money on conserving species that are not from Malaysia.  This policy of refusing to protect non-native species is what has helped make Malaysia a wildlife smuggler’s paradise.  The statement is inconsistent with Malaysia’s CITES obligations, not to mention the principles behind the country’s new law.

Those who supported Malaysia’s new wildlife law hoped that Perhilitan would finally have the tools it said it needed to stop major wildlife traffickers.  Instead, Loo’s comments indicate Malaysian wildlife kingpins may have it better than ever:  They have a new law with the appearance of teeth, and nobody willing to enforce it.   On the other hand, WWF takes a cheerier view of things here, making the valid point that this is a perfect scenario for ASEAN-WEN to get involved.  As is widely known, for years endangered Malagasy reptiles have been smuggled directly to Malaysia and via Bangkok… 

Story, from The Star:

Take back animals, Madagascar told

By LESTER KONG, 17 July 2010 (more…)

From Malaysia’s newspaper, The Star:

Report Lodged Against Convicted Wildlife Smuggler, Two Govt Agencies

By JOSHUA FOONG, The Star

newsdesk@thestar.com.my, Friday August 21, 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of non-governmental organisations has lodged a police report against convicted wildlife smuggler Anson Wong, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and the Customs Department.

Speaking to reporters after lodging the report at the Brickfields Police Station, Malaysian Animal Rights Society president R. Surendran said:

“The reason we are lodging the police report is because, over the years Perhilitan has failed to take any action against Wong for smuggling and has even given him special permits to catch and keep animals.

“We know that one of the modus operandi of wildlife traffickers is to get permits to keep animals and later declare them dead, when in actual fact they have been smuggled out of the country,” he said.

Last Friday, Surendran lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on possible corruption involving Perhilitan.

The report lodged was also based on the book The Lizard King that exposed the existence of such a trade in the country.

He cited page 192 of the book by American Bryan Christy that highlighted a relationship between Wong and a “second-ranked Customs official” in Penang. (more…)

Heartening news from Malaysia today.  The Royal Malaysian Customs Department is stepping up enforcement on illegal wildlife trade, so-called Green Baddies.  From the New Straits Times:

Datin Seri Teh Halimah Mohd Eusoff receiving the Customs Personality Award from Datuk Seri Najib Razak on behalf of her late husband, former Customs director-general Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Datuk Tak at the 27th World Customs Day yesterday.

Customs zeroes in on ‘green baddies’

By Marc Lourdes
 2009/02/08

PETALING JAYA: The Customs Department has joined a global initiative to protect the environment, by placing those who smuggle flora, fauna and toxic waste across borders on the top of their hit list. The main threat is poaching endangered and protected animals for the cooking pot, traditional medicine, amulets and decorations. (more…)