There was much dismay following circulation on social media of photos showing turtle eggs being served to guests, said to be taken on Aug 29, 2015 in Sandakan, Sabah at an Umno division function ,with the federal Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in attendance.

For many years, conservation groups in Malaysia have battled to protect fast dwindling sea turtle population in this country. Rapid and at times haphazard development, loss of nesting habitat, over-collection of turtle eggs and pollution have all caused the numbers of sea turtle in this country to plummet and it is very much a race against time to fight for better state and federal laws and to raise public awareness on this subject.

And against this backdrop, the federal minister’s flippant response following circulation of those photos can only be derided.

By way of addressing public criticism, the federal minister was reported to have said that he did not eat the turtle eggs in question as he has high cholesterol levels and that he was not aware that it is against the law (in this instance the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997 ) to consume turtle eggs.

As a federal minister, you must surely be aware that your high ranking position in the civil service comes with vast responsibilities. Whether you like it or not you have the duty to educate yourself in or at least be aware of a myriad of pressing national issues - conservation and protection of Malaysia’s dwindling wild and marine life being one of them, and the people are entitled to expect this from you and hold you accountable.

Not only is pleading ignorance in this day and age a pathetic excuse, such flagrant lack of accountability by a federal minister, especially in a situation when laws have been flouted, is wholly irresponsible and a clear dereliction of duty.

In addition to expressing ignorance of the law, the federal minister has also refused to apologise to the people of Malaysia, and especially to the people of Sabah, for stealing a national treasure that belongs to us collectively.

In the preamble to the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997, the purpose of the Enactment is made clear: it provides for “the conservation and management of wildlife and its habitats in the State of Sabah for the benefit and enjoyment of the present and future generations of the people of the State of Sabah.” The minister’s actions on Aug 29 are detrimental to the benefit and enjoyment of Sabahans.

Turtles used to land on Malaysian beaches in their thousands each year, but since the 1980s, numbers have plummeted due to coastal habitat destruction and the plundering of turtle eggs from our beaches. Malaysia has now lost the Leatherback turtle altogether, and the Green and Hawsbill turtles dangle by a thread. Our shores will be so much poorer without visits from these gentle Testudines, as will our cultural heritage.

Just think of ketupat penyu, the Turtle Stone at Rantau Abang, and the story about the turtle that turned itself into an island so that fishermen on the verge of drowning could climb ashore. The seafaring people of Malaysia have a culturally rich understanding of the turtle that the federal minister seems to show little awareness of, as shown by the apparent lack of remorse. This is especially disappointing given your portfolio as rural development minister, sir.

Our politicians and ministers are keepers of public trust. We place our trust in our elected representatives to uphold our laws, to understand our culture, and to work to protect the well-being of the electorate (this includes protecting the natural environment that supports our well-being). The federal minister could turn this mistake into a valuable learning opportunity by discovering the conservational and cultural value of Malaysia’s turtles.

Sir, we urge you to work to protect our turtles, taking your own experience as a lesson in the hazards faced by these ancient and majestic creatures.