Bringing plight of Malayan tiger to the forefront

KUCHING: The continuous decline in wild tiger population worldwide, which adversely impacts both the biodiversity system and national heritage, has led to governments, corporations, NGOs and individuals to heighten tiger conservation efforts globally.In Malaysia, the country’s leading financial services group, Maybank, which bears the face of the Malayan tiger as its iconic emblem, is taking action by entering into a two-year partnership with the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (Mycat) in an effort to bring the plight of the Malayan tiger to the forefront.

The start of the Lunar Year of the Tiger was an apt occasion to set the partnership in motion with a launch ceremony with Maybank chairman Tan Sri Datuk Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor, Mycat Programme manager Dr Kae Kawanishi, and Maybank president and CEO Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar.

Maybank will be contributing RM1 million towards a dedicated outreach and research programme being spearheaded by Mycat.

Taking a major role in developing and executing tiger conservation efforts in the country since 2003, Mycat comprises the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), WWF Malaysia, Traffic Southeast Asia (Traffic) and Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia Programme (WCS).

The alliance is supported by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (DWNP).

Speaking at the event, Megat Zaharuddin said the Malayan tiger had played a clear and highly visible role in Maybank’s evolution over the last 50 years.

“While Maybank has been involved in supporting tigers in Malaysia’s zoos, the rapidly declining tiger population worldwide and appalling rate of poaching of tigers in our country have led us to take firmer action this time around towards the conservation of wild tigers as part of our golden jubilee corporate responsibility activities,” he said in a press statement issued from Kuala Lumpur.

“As a result, we decided to provide funds that will be used mainly by scientists to conduct research that aims at gathering data that will help us conserve the fast-declining Malayan tiger from extinction.

“The Maybank and Mycat alliance will also focus on raising public awareness among our rural and urban communities, and providing enforcement support to the authorities by assisting in collecting accurate, real-time information on wildlife crimes.”

As a corporation, Maybank views this as an ideal opportunity to encourage their employees and the communities they operate in to learn more about the importance of biodiversity balance and the role conservation efforts can play in protecting the Malayan tiger, a national heritage.

“This partnership also serves to remind us that nature is not just a commodity to be extracted or taken for granted, and if we are to progress, it must be with sustainability in mind,” he said.

WWF-Malaysia executive director/CEO Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma, MNS executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong, Traffic senior programme officer Noorainie Awang Anak and WCS-Malaysia country director Dr Melvin Gumal.

Dr Kae, who led the first ecological study of tigers in Taman Negara from 1998 to 2001, is no stranger to tiger conservation efforts worldwide and is a keen advocate of the importance of science in conservation efforts.