COMMENT A post-mortem has revealed that a 10 to 15 years old tigress that was killed on the East Coast Expressway Phase 2 (LPT2) on Friday morning was two months pregnant with two dead foetuses.

The tigress died as result of massive internal injuries.

The driver and his family who escaped from injuries could only express sadness as to what happened. We are not sure whether he will be prosecuted for speeding or ignoring road signs.

In Malaysia, this so-called Bolehland of ours, even if there are laws to prosecute the driver, such a law would never be enforced simply because the lives of animals are not accorded importance at all.

Just imagine the number of gun licences that have been issued to landowners to protect their property from animals. Those with gun licences all in the name of property protection kill probably more animals.

The death of the tigress and its two babies cannot be dismissed as a mere tragic accident by the Terengganu Wildlife and Natural Parks Department (Perhilitan).

It is plainly obvious that the department has done nothing to address the problem of animal crossing in this particular area or other places.

Given the shrinkage of wild animal population, it is clear that this department does little or nothing to protect wild animals.

How many wild lives have to be sacrificed in the name of development, before the wildlife department can do something useful?

The shrinkage of wildlife population, especially the protected species like the tigers, goes to show that the federal and state governments merely pay lip service to the protection of wild animals.

While we don’t expect miracles from the department, surely the department could do something about the problem of animal crossing, a problem that has been addressed successfully by other countries.

There is no point shedding crocodile tears, the public needs to know, quite urgently, how the department is going to address to the problem of animal crossing not just in Terengganu but in other states.

Surely, even if cannot avoid development, the building of roads and clearing of forests, there is great responsibility that has been thrust on the government of the day and the various departments to protect animals that are fast facing extinction.

We don’t want to reach a point in history where the protected species are only found in zoos or preserved as carcasses in museums.

We have to avoid the situation where our grandchildren or great grandchildren have to travel to zoos in the developed countries to see how tigers looked when they used to roam the jungles of Malaysia.

Not one, but three tigers were killed

Let us correct some basic facts of the tragic accident. It was not one tiger but three that were tragically killed - the mother with her two unborn babies.

If there had been fencing erected and animal crossings made available, just imagine that in only a matter of months, we would have one proud mother roaming the jungle with her two wonderful and vibrant kids.

The Malaysian public, especially those who are concerned about animal welfare and well-being, are expecting the wildlife department to come out with plans and strategies to seriously protect animal sanctuaries and ensure that proper safety measures are in place ensure the survival and growth of animal population, especially the protected ones.

Let us not live in the past where we considered that nature provided infinite possibilities for development.

We have to move away from the old and archaic argument that animal lives are secondary to humans.

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.