Dogs and cats don't have a place in Malaysia Madani?

ALTHOUGH I would not consider myself as a dog lover like most of my friends are, feeding the strays and rescuing them from the ditches, I see this campaign will be one of the major issues causing the people to vote out the Pakatan Harapan government. 

        My advice has always been to work with the non-governmental organisations, the way how wife of the 10th prime minister, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has done in Bandar Tun Razak. Activists lack the funding, and the government (both political leaders and the public servants) lack the passion for the stray animals. 

        Trust me, it is this kind of partnership that will eventually bring about a 'madani' environment for the animals. My 13-year-old girl has a way to put it when I asked her to write something about life of cats and dogs in Turkiye. Please watch the video in this blogpost about Lunar, a stray, tabby cat that frequently came to our home in the past (and no one knows what happened to Lunar after that): https://lunarancestors.blogspot.com/2024/04/my-visit-to-turkey.html

        Even as the dog lovers and activists are trying to negotiate with Putrajaya, it is disappointing to read a comment by another lawmaker from Perak who belongs to the ruling party. 

        

        What these two messages mean is that this senior lawmaker who has been elected to power in the last general election is saying that the stray dogs issue is your headache, not his. While millions can be spent on BMW toilets, dogs have no place in the heart of the party that we have all voted for. This party has started to go on a quick descent to a new low like never before.

Alternative Views

        As usual, I seek alternative views to see what the dog lovers have to say. 

        I wish to repeat her statement which the senior lawmaker fails to see: "Catch-and-kill has been used for decades, yet the problem persists. Why? Because it doesn't address the root causes. It's reactive, not preventive." 

Street Protest Becomes Inevitable

  It is because of people like him that now street protest becomes inevitable with over 100 people, according to Malaysiakini, assembling in front of the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry and the Minister of Housing & Local Government today, but is it necessary? I agree with her the activists themselves have no choice but to make their voices heard -- for the sake of the stray dogs and cats. 

        This came right after the Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin bin Harun said he wants to cull all the dogs in his state. Aminuddin's statement has, of course, angered many activists that they now have to gather people to voice out for the poor animals. 

        Frankly, I think this street protest is unnecessary if only the lawmakers can develop a more madani attitude towards the poor animals. 

        I have in another blog post said that if Uncle Patrick Khoo's  case goes to court, it is a failure of the Selangor State exco to address the issue before it escalated further. 

       In the past, another state exco intervened at the same local council which wanted to deny people their right to carry out Octoberfest. That matter was resolved and laid to rest without having to drag anyone to court, but not this one involving a senior citizen, who was merely trying to protect the dogs from being dragged with a loop.

        My response to this is simple: Why would Patrick Khoo resist the authorities from MBPJ if the officers had been more civilised in the way they handled the stray dogs. The fact that all these incidents happened during a former mayor appointed during Zuki Ali’s era as chief secretary to the government, tells why selection of a good mayor is important. 

        What if the Public health assistant Azizul Azzim Norehan had told the 71-year-old Khoo, "We are bringing these dogs to the dog shelter to be taken good care of," would Khoo have relented? Instead, at this juncture, I want to know whether this said officer has any drug related offences in his past record? If yes, and we have given him a chance to return to serve the society, why is he now mistreating the dogs. Is it because they do not have a voice?

        I do not wish to interfere with the court case as the facts will be presented in court by both sides, and the good judge will hopefully be able to make a good judgement. However, is this even necessary or just a waste of the court’s time? Why can't our officers be taught to be more madani (civilised) in the way they handle the dogs? What is presented in court shows that this is a systemic issue, as Azizul himself claimed he was following the Standard Operating Procedures.

        Using the loop to drag a stray dog is following SOP. What about a former drug addict being looped with a rope and dragged into custody? What's the difference? God created dogs and cats for humans to show kindness to. You can tell a man’s character from the way he treats the stray animals!

        Why can't our lawmakers just learn from other countries where the stray dogs are being treated well? How shameful it is for Malaysia to claim to be an advanced nation, when the way it treats the stray animals is beyond imagination? 

        

 

        So, now, please tell me what's wrong with our nation? Why can't we be more madani towards the stray animals? Perhaps, this is the reason why -- and I concur with this activist who said this based on my own observation about the Minister of Housing and Local Government that we now have. It is very different when he had to meet the Sultan of Johor over issues with the poor living conditions faced by residents in some low cost apartments. 

      Perhaps it is time for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Kak Wan to intervene, much like the Sultanah of Selangor has done on several occasions. The prolonged dispute has gone on long enough—it's time to put an end to the frenzy. If the dogs cannot solve a small issue like this, let the cats take the lead. I have more confidence in our Prime Minister's wife than most cabinet ministers. 

        My personal experience with Kak Wan has been very positive over the stray cats that someone said had been poisoned by unknown persons....https://come-to-senses.blogspot.com/2024/07/when-angels-come-knockng.html.

            

        Kak Wan could represent Anwar and demonstrate leadership by now personally chairing a special committee, engaging with the activists, setting an example of accessibility and responsiveness on behalf of the Prime Minister—especially since the ministers have remained distant from the people. A direct dialogue could help bridge the gap and restore public confidence in meaningful engagement.

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