From Statutes to Survival: Regulating Endangered Wildlife Conservation in Malaysia

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)’s Living Planet Report 2024, there is an average decline of 73% in wildlife species populations between 1970 and 2020. While conservation efforts aid in saving some wildlife species, urgent action is required if these losses are to be reversed. The impact of the decline in wildlife goes far beyond the potential cultural loss. In fact, countries losing wildlife species are set to suffer from ecological problems that result in loss of biodiversity, which can lead to economic crisis. Wildlife around the world, including Malaysia, is constantly facing numerous threats, such as poaching and trafficking, which leave devastating effects on biodiversity and cause climate change. In Malaysia, the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (WCA 2010) was enacted to regulate, protect, conserve, and manage wildlife in Malaysia. This article scrutinises the application of the WCA 2010 to determine the extent of its application in Malaysia. Aside from that, the article also examines decided cases that deal with various types of offences mentioned in the WCA 2010. Such analysis has allowed the detection of certain weaknesses in the legislation, wherein suggestions for reform are thereby made. This study primarily utilises a doctrinal legal research method through a critical analysis of the WCA 2010 and related cases. The article finds that a comprehensive understanding of the existing policies and laws relating to wildlife conservation in Malaysia is needed. This understanding will enable policymakers, stakeholders and the public to appreciate the overall legal and policy framework of wildlife conservation in Malaysia and promote effective as well as efficient enforcement of the law.