Sabah, Sarawak animal welfare reforms urged
Published on: Monday, April 22, 2024
By: FMT
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii proposed a ‘trap-neuter-vaccinate-return’ programme to tackle the issue of stray animals in a compassionate manner. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has called for legislative reforms to protect animals in Sabah and Sarawak.
Yii said the proposed reforms should include the expansion of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 to encompass the two states.
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He said the reforms would ensure consistent enforcement and provide better safeguards for animals.
“It is crucial to constantly review such laws to ensure they remain relevant and effective in addressing current circumstances,” he said in a statement.
“This will require better collaboration with civil society, including government agencies, NGOs, the veterinary fraternity and others, to ensure that all these issues are addressed effectively and compassionately.”
The DAP Youth chief also said he supported the cause of the recently launched Humane Animal Society Sarawak Kennels at Bark Park Borneo and had allocated an initial RM5,000 for their activities.
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He also proposed a “trap-neuter-vaccinate-return” programme to tackle the issue of stray animals in a compassionate manner, aligning with the Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor’s call for non-lethal alternatives to manage strays.
“This approach not only reduces the number of future strays through population control but also improves the health and quality of life for existing animals,” he said.
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Earlier this month, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin expressed her disappointment with the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) after it announced plans to carry out a “catch-and-kill” operation targeting stray dogs.
In a Facebook post, she reiterated her firm opposition to the “catch-and-kill” method and expressed her sadness over the operation scheduled from April 22 to 24.
She said various other methods, such as neutering, should be explored to address the issue and urged local authorities to adopt a more holistic approach to managing stray dogs.
Shah Alam mayor Cheremi Tarman then said the council would heed Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin’s advice and delayed the operation.
In a report in the Selangor Journal, he said MBSA would streamline coordination with animal welfare NGOs and have more meetings with residents to provide an understanding on how it manages stray dogs.
He said MBSA’s practice was to send stray animals to welfare centres, as opposed to euthanising them.
Cheremi also said MBSA would refer to the state government on whether the existing circular on guidelines for catching and disposal of dogs can be changed, especially replacing the word “disposal” with a better alternative.
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