KUCHING: Proactive and holistic measures should be taken by the relevant authorities to prevent further crocodile attacks in Sarawak.
Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who said this, was responding to two recent incidents in which a five-year-old boy and a 56-year-old man were attacked in Kampung Nyabut, Telaga Air and Sungai Ahong, Kampung Kangka, Lundu near here respectively.
“I want the relevant parties to take proper action so that incidents of these reptiles attacking the local populace do not occur anymore,” the Santubong MP said.
“Looking back, I remember when I was able to remove Sarawak from Schedule One to Two of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) following concerns of the overpopulated crocodiles at the time.
“These reptiles begin to breed and were found all over Sarawak just like how it was before the 1960s.
“When the state was in Schedule Two, the authorities could capture and kill the reptiles systematically to decrease their numbers and without causing extinction.
“Still, we weren’t able to control the population of these reptiles to the point that multiple attacks are happening in the cities and rural areas.
“This matter concerns me because when no action is taken to decrease the population, it could have some effects to what was decided by CITES during a meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2016.”
He would like to know if there was a law or system related to the control of crocodiles in enabling it to be traded by the local populace to provide revenue, as required by CITES.
“Everyone knows the profits in the crocodile skin industry in the global stage that reaches billions annually and clearly in high demand while its meat also receives demand from foreign countries.”
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department encouraged the stakeholders to engage in the industry with proper control and guidance from the authorities so that no laws would be broken.
