Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) commends those vigilant people who were responsible for tipping off officers from the Wildlife Department leading to a whopping haul of 238 pythons.

This shows that public awareness is on the increase and that people should continue to be vigilant and act as eyes and ears of the department. Public support is much needed against wildlife smuggling.

What is baffling to SAM is the general lack of awareness among the authorities in that they are mostly reliant on public tip-offs and information. This weakness is encouraging poachers and smugglers to continue with their illegal activities. Those active in hunting are also circumventing the law and are avoiding any action by the wildlife authorities.

As it is, the laws are too weak to prevent wildlife smuggling. A paltry fine of RM3,000 or three years' jail or both will not deter those involved in the wildlife trade business, which is the second largest illegal trade in the world after drugs.

Precise data on the number of animals caught is difficult to obtain and the very fact that it is illegal means that official numbers are unobtainable. From the many instances of smuggled wildlife intercepted, it is evident that the trade is at a dangerously high level.

In view of the many instances of poaching and smuggling, it is time that the granting of licences for the hunting of snakes and all other wildlife in Malaysia be banned as no population census has been conducted on wildlife species to ensure their viability.

In view of laws being drafted to enhance protection for the country's highly endangered flora and fauna, it is vital that all reptiles, amphibians and insects be included in the protection status of the new laws.

At the same time, the authorities should withdraw licences for the sale of wildlife meat and such shops should be banned from operating. The public too could play a major role in conservation by alerting the authorities to shops involved in the trading and selling of wildlife meat.

The writer is the president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia.