Ministry to apply RM19 million allocation to contain damage caused by elephants

The natural resource and environment ministry will request for a RM19 million allocation under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), to contain damage to property caused by elephants.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said of the total, RM12 million was for the Community-Based Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation Programme and Elephant Electric Fencing System Community Programme (Spegkom).

Spegkom involves 10 locations in Johor, Kedah, Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu and the portable electric fencing system would be supplied to the villagers and monitored by them.

"The maintenance works on Spegkom will be carried out by the community and will be documented to ensure the accountability of parties involved," he told reporters after launching the World Elephant Day celebration at the National Elephant Conservation Centre, Kuala Gandah, near here, today.

Also present were the ministry secretary-general Datuk Azizan Ahmad, Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Abdul Rasid Samsudin and state Dakwah Islamiah and Special Tasks Committee chairman Datuk Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad.

Wan Junaidi said the remaining RM7 million was for the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan (NECAP).

The plan includes mainstreaming elephant conservation programme, studying elephant population, monitoring illegal killing of elephants and establishing early warning system, he said.

He said the elephant population in Peninsular Malaysia was estimated at between 1,220 and 1,680 while more than 2,000 could be found in Sabah.