NGO slams Nga for undermining animal rights abuses cases

UPDATED 6.16PM | Included additional comments from Nga.

An animal rights NGO accused Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming of trying to undermine animal rights abuses in the country.

This comes after Nga (above) said local councils only put stray animals to sleep as a last resort and any local government which fails to comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2015 would have to face investigation and disciplinary action.

“Such an ignorant statement signals the minister and his department have been living in a cave, completely detached from the ongoing crisis.

“Such a lackadaisical attitude from someone in such a critical position exposes a deep failure in leadership and blatant disregard for animal cruelty in Malaysia,” Global Human Rights Federation president S Sashi Kumar told Malaysiakini.

On Nov 12, about 100 people delivered a memorandum at the Parliament demanding justice for stray animals.

This comes after the New Straits Times reported the Terengganu Veterinary Services Department received multiple public inquiries on Oct 13 about a viral video alleging that a local council representative had shot a dog called Kopi.

The department said the case was being investigated under the Animal Welfare Act.

On Nov 8, NST also reported a former Manjung council member revealing that dozens of dog carcasses, along with live puppies, were left in a pit after allegedly being captured and shot by local authority officers in Sitiawan.

Khairil Azhar Khairuddin uploaded several videos showing shocking images of the dogs, some still wearing collars, left trapped in a roughly four-foot-deep hole at a garbage disposal site.

Nga told Dewan Rakyat on Nov 12 that the Stray Dog Capture and Disposal Guidelines are used by all local authorities to manage stray animals which are implemented alongside the Dog Licensing By-Laws for enforcement by local councils within their respective areas.

When it comes to dealing with stray animals, Nga said the ministry prefers to give them up for adoption or send them to animal shelters run by NGOs.

When it comes to putting them to sleep, Nga stressed that the authorities only use it as a last resort, adding it only involves diseased (such as rabies) and old strays that have become a public nuisance.

As for trap, neuter, and release (TNR) - the Penang City Council, in collaboration with the International Aid For The Protection And Welfare Of Animals since 2019, has managed to catch 5,308 stray animals and released them back into the public.

However, the minister also voiced reservations on suggestions to implement TNR across Malaysia, adding that it has not yet been recognised as an international standard mechanism and poses significant financial and human resource implications for each local council if implemented.

What guidelines?

Unimpressed, Shashi queried Nga whether the killing of Kopi and the case in Sitiawan met guidelines as outlined by the Stray Dog Capture and Disposal Guidelines as mentioned.

“If those cases meet the specifics of the guidelines, then it must be revised as it is not humane.

“But if it’s not part of the guideline, then what action the minister is going to take against these local councils?” he asked.

If Nga was looking for proof of animal abuse cases, Shashi urged the former to study the memorandum sent to Parliament, adding that it has been sent as an attachment.

“Before going to the Parliament, we informed the relevant ministries such as Agriculture and Food Security, Housing and Local Government and Law and Institutional Reforms Department under the Prime Minister’s Department.

“All the ministries sent representatives to receive the memorandum except Housing and Local Government,” Shashi, who also heads the Selangor Furry Future Association, said.

The NGO leader also slammed Nga for citing cost concerns in not implementing TNR across the board.

“It appears the minister is more concerned about the financial cost to the government than adopting humane solutions to address the suffering of innocent animals.

“And Nga’s remarks offer no real solutions apart from perpetuating the cycle of killing and cruelty towards stray animals in the country,” Shashi added.

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