KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — In its commitment to ensure the Malayan Tiger or Harimau Malaya does not become extinct, the government has declared war on poachers as its national agenda.

Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar said a task force patrolling on the ground is being created under the Tiger Protection and Patrolling Programme (TP3).

The establishment of a task force comprising 2,000 personnel, from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM), Malaysian Armed Forces and Royal Malaysian Police, is seen as crucial due to the increasing number of snares and intrusions of foreign and local residents into tiger habitats.

"The time has come to stop the killings of Malayan Tigers and other wildlife by these ruthless poachers! Today on the World Wildlife Day, I am declaring war against poachers!,” he said at the pre-launch of Save our Malayan Tiger Campaign in conjunction with World Wildlife Day 2019, here today.

Dr Xavier said the two-year campaign begins today with the Prime Minister’s wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali and Perhilitan as the patron of the campaign.

Dr Xavier said he was informed that from more than 1,000 operations carried out from 2013 till 2018, an alarming number of 3,500 snares were destroyed and 162 intruders consisting of 98 local citizens and 64 foreigners were arrested for wildlife offences.

He further said under the two-year campaign launched today, the ministry has established the Biodiversity Conservation Trust Fund where companies and other agencies were welcomed to contribute to this fund for the enforcement, conservation and awareness activities. — Bernama