Claims of animals starving at Lok Kawi not true – Liew
PENAMPANG: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew has refuted claims that the animals in the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park ‘are dying of starvation’.
Following a visit to the park on Thursday, Christina, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, instead found out that the animals seemed to be overfed.
“The visit here today (Thursday) is an eye-opening experience for me. After days and weeks of the commotion about the status and stand of the wildlife park, my ministry officers and I decided to take a personal tour of this place.
“Overall, I think that that we are quite happy with the condition. The allegation that the animals were dying of starvation did not seem to arise because on the contrary some of the animals looked like they are oversized. They are too fat,” she said, adding that the park had been kept quite clean.
Last week an NGO had called on Christina’s ministry to look into the poor conditions endured by the animals in the said park.
She had also encouraged the public to take the time to visit the wildlife park since the school holiday is still ongoing.
In this regard, she suggested that tour operators of the state should include the Lok Lawi Wildlife Park as one of the state’s main tourism hotspots as the many of the animals featured could only be found in Sabah.
In the event of challenges faced by the park, Christina said that her ministry would be ready to spearhead deeper planning to address such matters.
“I encourage the ministry and the department (the Wildlife Department) to submit what (ideas) you think is best to expand it (the wildlife park). Give the proposals to the senior officers for them to table,” she said.
She asserted that there would always be challenges in maintaining a wildlife park, as new animals would always be coming in and that would require the park to readjust itself.
When asked to comment on the proposal of establishing a second wildlife park in Sugud, Christina opined that there was no need to build yet another park as the current park could still accommodate all the animals.
However, she agreed that there was a need to improve the current park’s facilities.
She further opined that the current park’s location is very strategic (as it is near to the city centre) and therefore is easily accessible.
It is understood that wildlife park is given RM4.2 million for food and RM2.5 million on maintenance per year. On average, it can generate RM1.5 million per year.
During the visit, Christina was accompanied by her ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai, State Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga and Lok Kawi Wildlife Park veterinarian cum officerin-charge Dr Rosa Sipangkui.