KUALA LUMPUR: Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has spoken of the need for a more lasting solution to prevent a repeat of outbreaks such as Covid-19, not only in China but other countries as well.
According to SAM president Meenakshi Raman, this requires a permanent ban on the trade, sale and consumption of wildlife as well as stricter controls over matters pertaining to enforcement and prosecution.
“Much of the trade in wildlife is already illegal, but strict enforcement and prosecution measures remain a challenge in many countries,“ she said in a statement today.
She said SAM fears that once the Covid-19 outbreak fades, countries will slow down their vigilance and continue to allow trade and sale of wild animals due to the relentless demand for exotic delicacies and ingredients for traditional medicine.
Strong action, she said, must be taken to ban wet markets trading in wildlife through constant supervision, inspection and strengthening of law enforcement to ensure that wildlife trade is banned permanently.
“A permanent ban will not only save human lives but contribute to a recovery of wildlife populations worldwide,“ she said.
The virus is thought to have originated from a wildlife wet market in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province of China.
It was reported that the coronavirus disease has killed more than 2,100 people with more than 75,000 confirmed cases, primarily in mainland China. — Bernama
