By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Feb 1: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing has accused Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) for applying double standard in tackling wildlife issues in Kapit.
According to the Baleh assemblyman, while illegal bird’s nest at shoplots in Kapit were untouched, the sellers of wild meat especially wild boars were being ‘harassed’ by SFC enforcement officers.
“This is akin to selective persecution by SFC. The perception by the natives in Kapit is that GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) was the one persecuting the people, as SFC is under the state government,” said Masing, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the situation, as the negative effect is on the GPS elected representatives, who mostly represent the rural areas.
With SFC being a state body, he felt that the GPS government is the one being blamed for the corporation’s policy.
Masing also described SFC’s treatment on wildlife meat traders as “urban dwellers bullying the rural folks”.
SFC chief executive officer, Zolkipli Mohamad Aton, said section 33 of the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 prevent the sale of wildlife meat, as it is the single most important reason for the decline of wildlife.
This includes common species like wild boars, he added.
“It is to ensure that the rural communities who depend on wildlife resources for their subsistence will continue to have food. If there is a trade, people will hunt all the target species for sale. When this is gone, they will hunt the protected species too,” he said.
Zolkipli rubbished claimed that it is practicing double standard, saying that it was unfair to label SFC staff as acting like “urban dwellers taking on the rural people”.
“SFC staff are well trained in forestry and they know what rural people feel and think,” he continued.
On the bird’s nest issue, Zolkipli said SFC’s next operation will focus on illegal swiftlet farming, which has been a nuisance. — DayakDaily
