20 Dec 2011, Kuala Lumpur -- Malaysian short film on wildlife protection and conservation, "On Borrowed Time" bagged its first national film festival title at the recent 2011 4th Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival, held at University Malaya this year.
"On Borrowed Time" was jointly produced by WWF-Malaysia and TRAFFIC SEA , and directed by renowned Malaysian film makers Lara Ariffin and Harun Rahman from Novista Sdn Bhd, in conjunction with this year’s (2011) World Tiger Day. The short film highlights the poaching crisis in Belum-Temengor and calls for the problem to be put on the national agenda.
These forests in northern Perak are of critical importance for the conservation of tigers and other endangered species, yet research and monitoring by WWF-Malaysia and TRAFFIC Southeast Asia since 2008 have documented decimation of the wildlife by relentless illegal hunting, with little standing in poachers’ way.
In the last three years, 142 snares were discovered and de-activated. Over 400 wild animals, such as Sambar deer (rusa), gaur (seladang), pangolins (tenggiling), serow (kambing gurun), elephants and tigers, were poached in the forest complex. Numerous foreign poacher camps were also found inside a protected area.
“We promote places like these as Malaysia’s green gems but when biodiversity is truly under threat, where are her champions? If the silence and inaction continues, it is only a matter of time before the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex is emptied of wildlife. There’ll be little to shout about then,” said Dato’ Dr. Dionysius Sharma, Executive Director/CEO of WWF-Malaysia.
A district-wide multi-agency enforcement taskforce established to combat poaching and encroachment in the area has taken some steps since its establishment in 2010. However, efforts have been piecemeal at best and ground checks show the problem persists.
Limited resources within enforcement agencies, nearly nonexistent joint patrols and a lack of intelligence-led investigations have left this forest complex littered with snares and foreign poacher camps, while locals hunt at will.
“The bottom line is, if enforcement is not taken seriously, we will lose tigers and myriad other species. There is no excuse for any agency not doing the job. Sharing a treasure means sharing the responsibility to protect it,” said Dr. William Schaedla, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia’s Regional Director.
Dr. Schaedla added, “If Malaysia is to save tigers and other endangered species, the time to act is now. Zero tolerance towards poachers and illegal wildlife traders is essential.”
"On Borrowed Time" calls for a revitalisation of the Belum-Temengor Joint Enforcement Taskforce, the pursuit of poachers and encroachers to the full extent of the law and for all agencies working in the area to show equal effort and commitment towards enforcement.
Representatives from WWF Malaysia (Surin Suksuwan, Scientific Officer) and TRAFFIC SEA (Elizabeth John, Communications Officer) received the award for the "Best Malaysian Film" from the the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Profesor Dr. Hamzah A. Rahman (see picture bel0w).
EcoKnights and the Eco Film Fest Secretariat congratulate WWF Malaysia and TRAFFIC SEA for their amazing production that touched the hearts of this year's audience.
