Malaysia’s anti-graft agency launches probe into elephants’ transfer to Japan zoo
In March, three elephants – Dara, Amoi and Kelat – were relocated from Taiping Zoo in Perak to Tennoji Zoo in Osaka under a 25-year conservation and research agreement between the two institutions.
A memorandum calling for the return of three elephants transferred from Malaysia to Japan is handed to MCA president Wee Ka Siong following a 290km awareness run from Taiping to Parliament in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: Facebook/Wee Ka Siong)
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KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has launched a probe into allegations that payments linked to the transfer of three elephants from a zoo in Perak to Japan did not reach the government, amid claims involving transactions worth about RM53 million (US$12 million).
In March, three elephants – Dara, Amoi and Kelat – were relocated from Taiping Zoo to Tennoji Zoo in Osaka under a 25-year conservation and research agreement between the two institutions, reported local news outlet Malay Mail.
“The investigation is focused on the national resources and environmental sustainability ministry, the wildlife and national parks department (Perhilitan) and the agents involved in the elephants’ transfer,” said the anti-graft agency in a statement on Monday (Jun 22), as quoted by Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
The probe follows allegations raised by wildlife rights group Hak Asasi Hidupan Liar Malaysia (Hidup) on Jun 18, which claimed that several payments in the matter had not reached the Malaysian government as intended and linked several people to transactions worth about RM53 million.
It is unclear what the purported payments to the Malaysian government are meant for.
“MACC is investigating allegations of leakage and looking into the possibility of bribery, misappropriation, or abuse of power,” the anti-graft agency said.
It urged the public not to speculate on the matter to avoid jeopardising investigations, which are still at an early stage.
On Jun 18, environmental group Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) also called on MACC to investigate the transfer, claiming that about RM50 million had been paid to several individuals instead of the Malaysian government.
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The organisation’s president Rajesh Nagarajan said that it was tipped off by a purported whistleblower and gave MACC a list of eight people to be investigated.
Neither MACC nor the non-governmental organisations have identified the individuals allegedly linked to the transactions.
Nagarajan also claimed that the three elephants were captured from the wild, not raised in captivity, and called for greater scrutiny over how the transfer was approved.
Peka had also urged the authorities to establish a taskforce to investigate the transfer of the three elephants and determine if it was carried out in compliance with Malaysian wildlife laws and the country’s obligations under international conservation agreements, FMT reported.
In a memorandum submitted to Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail, Peka said it had identified what it described as significant discrepancies involving export permits, animal health certificates issued by the department of veterinary services, invoices linked to the transaction and the airway bill used to transport the elephants.
According to Peka, the inconsistencies raise questions about whether the transfer was executed in accordance with the relevant legal provisions and whether there had been any procedural irregularities, abuse of power, or misconduct by the parties involved.
“Public confidence in the integrity of the country’s wildlife management depends on the transparency and accountability of the authorities in addressing issues such as these,” said Nagarajan in the memorandum, as quoted by FMT.
Earlier on Monday, another memorandum was handed to Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president Wee Ka Siong following a 290km awareness run from Taiping to Parliament in Kuala Lumpur.
The awareness run was led by Barisan Nasional’s Youth community affairs bureau chief Neow Choo Seong. Among those who joined the final leg of the run to Parliament and attended the memorandum handover were former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former member of parliament Ong Kian Ming, reported The Star.
The memorandum had called for the return of the three elephants back to Malaysia.
Source: Agencies/ia(as)
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