Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is both shocked and disappointed to hear about the mystery of a pair of bears missing from the Tawau Hot Springs Recreational Park in Sabah.

News of their suffering only came to light when it was highlighted by Nature Alert and another Malaysian NGO sometime in October 2015.

Video shots of the bears were appalling as they were seen pacing back and forth in their barren metal prisons, a sign of severe psychotic behaviour.

This went on for days on end, and what’s worst they were dehydrated with only water from a hose given by a warden. The situation was so bad that rescuers called for the bears to be moved to a conservation centre.

Despite the torturous life of the bears being highlighted in the local media, through letters to editors by NGOs, SAM is appalled at the lack of action and attention from both the Sabah Wildlife Department and the Sabah’s tourism minister.

Such an irresponsible act is not to be condoned by a society like ours, which shows Malaysia to be the 10th most generous country, but Malaysians are totally lacking in compassion for sentient beings.

To have the bears incarcerated for such long period, without any action or attention from the authorities and the public, is sheer callousness.

Lately SAM learnt that the bears have been released into the wild by the Tawau Hot Springs (THS) management, just to evade criticism from the public and NGOs, without any thought of the bears’ survival needs.

THS should be held accountable for simply releasing the two bears into the wild, without their rehabilitation, or seeking the advice from Sabah Wildlife prior to release.

The Sabah Wildlife Department should also be held accountable for not taking seriously the welfare of captive bears despite numerous complaints, and for allowing THS to take matters into its own hands.

THS is only interested in keeping the bears to draw in the crowds to its centre, while neglecting the needs and welfare of the two animals in all respects. When it could not withstand criticisms anymore, its best option has been to release them to die at their own pace.

SAM is highly disappointed to learn that among the future plans for the park will be a mini zoo featuring exotic animals.

Enough is enough! No resort, hotel or places of public interest should be allowed to keep captive wildlife as a tourist draw.

SAM demands answers from the Sabah Wildlife Department as to where and how the bears were released and what effort it made to contact the Tawau Hot Springs management on this matter.

SM MOHAMED IDRIS is the president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM).