MORE BITE FOR PERHILITAN WITH TWO K9 DOGS FROM MAHB TO FIGHT WILDLIFE SMUGGLING

SEPANG, June 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) donated two tracking dogs (K9) to the Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (Perhilitan) to combat wildlife smuggling activities at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd senior general manager Mohd Arif Jaafar said the Belgian Melanois dogs named Van and Perry, imported from the Netherlands, were almost two years old.

He said the dogs had undergone intensive K9 training with professional trainers to detect wildlife listed in the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) such as elephant tusks, rhino horns, pangolin scales, snakes and turtles.

“These dogs are not only selected based on their ability to detect but also their health and temperament.

“We hope that these two dogs can help strengthen efforts to curb wildlife smuggling activities into Malaysia," he told reporters after attending the ceremony on the Cooperation of Government Enforcement Agencies to Combat Smuggling Activities at KLIA here today.

Meanwhile, Perhilitan’s deputy director-general (conservation) Datuk Fakhrul Hatta Musa said the donation took the number of K9s owned by Perhilitan to four.

“We hope our K9 unit can strengthen the effectiveness of efforts to combat the crime of wildlife smuggling into this country. Much appreciation to MAHB,” he said.

Customs director-general Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin said Customs personnel were always alert and reacted quickly to foil wildlife smuggling despite having to face various challenges to ensure the country’s security.

She said the success of fighting wildlife smuggling activities at the airport, especially at KLIA, would not be achieved if there was no unity and agreement in carrying out the assigned tasks.

“Cooperation, unity and agreement (the 3K’s) will generate synergy towards the achievement of the objectives that have been set,” she said.

She said that among the successes of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in combating wildlife smuggling at the airport last year was foiling attempts to smuggle snakes of various species, lizards and turtles of the ‘red-eared slider’ type from Malaysia to India.

-- BERNAMA