the wiping out of the majestic Malayan tiger

I am working on a follow-up article on tiger conservation in the country. Yesterday an article appeared on the seizure of tiger carcasses seized the previous day from a lorry in Thailand believed to have come from Malaysia. The article carried a picture showing the Thai wildlife authorities holding up two severed tiger heads while the carcasses of two adult tigers lay in front of them. There also appeared to be a carcass of a young tiger cub. It was a shocking picture seeing the majestic beasts that rule the thick equatorial forests of Malaysia lying dead. The seizure of the tiger carcasses was just one of the many cases of wild animal smuggling in Malaysia that had been reported in the media over the past few weeks. Even today there was an article on the seizure of snake skins from smugglers in Malaysia. The growing trade in wild animal parts in the country is indicative of the Government's lack lustre commitment towards the conservation of its rich environment and biodiversity. The general attitude of the Government including the State Governments is that the country is blessed with plentiful jungle areas and biodiversity, that there will be enough to go around despite poaching and any amount of environmental abuse. Also the lust of present day political leaders to enrich themselves, their families and cronies at whatever cost has caused them to be party to the unscrupulous syndicate of poachers and animal part traders. The Government is even sitting on a much needed revision of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 which allows poachers to get away with a mere RM5,000 fine if caught by the authorities and charged. The move to revise this act began about five years ago and nothing has come of it todate. Fed-up with the Government's attitude, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, an international NGO set up by animal conservationists to stop the trade in wild animal parts has started a signature petition calling on the Government to act fast in revising the said Act. My article today is to get to the bottom of this disgraceful stand of the Government in not showing a commitment towards wildlife conservation. Hope this article turns out well and delivers the intended impact.

welcoming 2009

The birth of 2009. A new beginning for me, my family and everyone around us. The indications are there. A lot of changes have occured over the past two months and most telling is the impact on me. My mother's death on Nov 16 was the final chapter of my personal development, having thrust me into the world to fend for the needs, of loved ones and progressively of more and more people in my growing circle.
What I do in the remaining years of my life will have to be a day-to-day charting of progressive movement with never a day to be wasted in idleness as my duties keep growing each other day.
For it is the prerogative of an artist to promptly deliver his contributions to society without fail after his material dues are fulfilled.