KUALA LUMPUR: There are fewer than 150 of the highly endangered Malayan tigers left in the country, says Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.

       The tiger is a priority conservation target for the government, with the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) spearheading extraordinary actions for the conservation of the animal and its habitat from 2021 to 2030, he said in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 24).

       He said the National Tiger Conservation Task Force (MyTTF), launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Jan 10, outlined several initiatives to preserve the Malayan tiger population.

       This included increasing “boots on the ground” enforcement and patrolling by Perhilitan together with the police, army and the Orang Asli community.

       “The task force has also agreed to strengthen and maintain (the tiger's) habitat through sustainable land use management and stopping any encroachment and poaching.

       “The government will also increase forestry areas in the peninsula from 43.41% to 50% by 2040 in line with the Fourth National Physical Plan,” he said during Minister’s Question Time.

       He said a Malayan Tiger Conservation Unit will also be set up under Perhilitan for effective governance and to make the National Wildlife Forensic Laboratory a centre of excellence for the ex-situ (offsite) conservation of the Malayan tiger.

       The task force also agreed on using innovative financial instruments in addition to existing Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT) for Biodiversity Conservation financial incentives and the Malayan tiger habitat accreditation scheme, Takiyuddin added.

       Earlier, Muhammad Bakthiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) had asked Takiyuddin about actions being taken to conserve the critically declining Malayan tiger population.