KUALA LUMPUR: The dog was chained to a electricity post. He was howling and jumping all over the place, demanding he be released from his three meter area of movement. Razan Aziza came to the rescue, asking the dog's human companion to allow the animal to move more freely. “It was just something I like to do because seeing an animal suffering is very depressing and I can't stand it,” she told Bikyamasr.com in Melaka recently. For her, the government should do more to help boost the quality of life for animals living in the country. And she might be getting her wish, as the Malaysia government is looking at passing the Animal Welfare Bill 2012 in an effort to bolster the treatment of animals in the country after activists questioned the government's commitment to animal welfare. The bill, according to a study conducted by the Veterinary Services Department, is garnering widespread public support, and not only from animal rights groups and activists. The Department said the government can pass the new legislation without fear of any public backlash. Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Chua Tee Yong said of the 2,421 online comments received on the draft, some 90.9 percent expressed support for the bill. “After this feedback is tabulated, we will put up the revised (if any) Bill online next month for another round of public feedback,” Chua said in a press conference on Thursday. It is still unclear exactly what the new bill will entail, and while the animal rights community is on the fence until the complete details are revealed, for those like Aziza, it can only be a step in the right direction. “We have pushed a long time for the government to boost its presence on animal rights issues and I hope this will be something to look forward to,” she said. The wait will likely be frustrating, but in the end, for Aziza and others, if the bill provides greater protection and support for animals in Malaysia, she will be happy.
