KUALA LUMPUR: Although much praise has been given to the Malaysia government by animal rights and welfare groups in the country, there are rising concerns that the new regulations will not be enforced by the appropriate bodies. Malaysian Animal Welfare Society president Shenaaz Khan told The Sun newspaper that she believes that without a strong enforcement operation, the laws are meaningless and zoos can continue to treat animals poorly. “Under these new regulations, even forcing animals to ride a bicycle and juggle balls is an act of cruelty to animals because it is not their natural behavior,” she said. But she fears that without proper government enforcement and ending permits for new zoos in order to focus on the existing zoos and their conditions, these acts will persist. The new regulations for zoos in Malaysia are in line with international standards, and have garnered the support from animal rights groups and activists, despite the worry over enforcement. They include minimum cage sizes as well as having quarantine areas and a veterinary clinic or animal hospital with a full-time veterinary on site. Shockingly, some “animal sanctuaries” in the country do not currently have an on-site veterinary to treat animal injuries. Also, zoos and other facilities must deliver vaccinations to all animals, “supply nutritious and adequate food, maintain cleanliness and keep a proper medical record of the animals, perform euthanasia when necessary, conduct wildlife shows involving the animals' natural behavior and submit a deposit to the Wildlife Department for the upkeep of animals in the event of a seizure.” For the country's local activist community, it is all part of new direction for Malaysia on animal issues and anti-cruelty measures. “We have long struggled with these issues in Malaysia and finally there is some movement,” Mahathir Abdul Aziz told Bikyamasr.com. “I have been to these places and documented the poor conditions. Already, though I see places starting to change how they work and treat animals.”
