By Zaki Salleh
IPOH: The DAK Solidarity Secretariat has renewed its call for the government to disclose the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the transfer of three elephants — Dara, Amoi and Kelat (DAK) — to Tennoji Zoo in Japan.
The Secretariat’s coordinator, Neow Choo Seong, said the public has the right to know the contents of the agreement to ensure the transfer process is carried out transparently.
He also welcomed the action taken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which is currently investigating allegations related to the transfer of the three elephants.
According to him, the investigation is crucial to uncover allegations of irregularities involving millions of ringgit.
He said that, to date, the MoU, which forms the basis of the transfer, has yet to be made public.
“The claim that the document is confidential should not prevent the disclosure of the facts and the benefits Malaysia stands to gain from the transaction.
“We question how three wild elephants could be transferred to Japan under the guise of conservation, as this is alleged to be inconsistent with the standards of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),” he said in a statement.
He therefore urged that the MoU between the Taiping Municipal Council and Tennoji Zoo be released to the public.
He also called on all Perak state assembly members to table a special motion during the State Legislative Assembly sitting in September to seek clarification on the matter.
He said the relevant State Executive Councillor, Sandrea Ng Shy Ching, should explain the contents of the MoU and the role of each party involved.
“At the federal level, we want this issue to be raised in Parliament, with particular attention given to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
“The public will continue demanding transparency until all documents related to the transfer of Dara, Amoi and Kelat are fully disclosed,” he stressed.
