Group cries foul over killing of nine dogs at poultry farm

Saturday 25 September 2010

Group cries foul over killing of nine dogs at poultry farm
THASHA JAYAMANOGARAN

BANTING: Yet another group has come forward to express their dissatisfaction over the actions of Kuala Langat District Council officers, who last Sunday had put nine dogs, belonging to the main lawyer suspect in the quadruple murder of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and her three aids.

Committee members of the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) today held a protest in front of Majilis Kuala Langat building to address their dissatisfaction against the council for euthanising the nine dogs, comprising six Rottweilers, two Dalmatians and one Bulldog, at the poultry farm at Gadong during investigations into the murders.

During the protest, members assembled outside the building carried several signs condemning the killing of the dogs and questioned the council's authority in taking such measures.

Following the protest, a meeting was held between ILTC and Kuala Langat district council president Abdul Razak Jaafar on the matter.

During the meeting, ILTC committee members wanted to know why the council did not consult with the Department of Vetirinary Services (DVS) or other animal welfare groups such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to take the dogs away instead of putting them to sleep.

They also wanted serious action to be taken against those involved in putting the dogs down and an assurance this incident would not be repeated in future.

“We want to know why they killed the nine dogs just like that. This is an unacceptable and a cruel act," ILTC president Francis Siva said when met with reporters after the meeting.

“I feel the council needs education on this. Dogs are important to us, as they help us disabled in terms of security and they make our lives easier as the dogs are trained to help us in our daily activities," he added.

Francis stated the Centre was upset with the council's seeming lack of understanding and again called for the Selangor Government to take action against those responsible for the dog's death.

He questioned why the killing of the dogs was carried out on a quiet Saturday, without anyone's knowledge, stating that such action can be deemed as suspicious.

Francis's call was echoed by ILTC secratary Gurdip Kaur.

Stressing on the importance of dogs, Guldip spoke of a previous incident when her home was almost robbed.

She said, “one day, there was an attempted robbery at my house and my dog came to lick my leg to indicate that someone was at the window . I take care of my dogs like they are my children and they do listen to their owners when they are trained."

ILTC committee member Hajjah Khairozy also related a similar experience three years ago when she told The Paper That Cares that if it was not for a dog she would not be alive today.

She said the dog barked constantly in front of her house to alert her to the fact her house was on fire and said, "even my neighbors were not aware that my house was on fire. I am blessed to be alive today because of a dog," she said.

ILTC were advised to lodge a police report on the matter by Kuala Langat district ASP Nor Imran Abd Rahman.

Meanwhile, Abdul Razak told reporters the reason why the dogs were put to sleep was because they were found to be a danger to police carrying out the murder investigations, and so he said the dogs were given lethal injections.

“The dogs tried attacking the police, and it was too dangerous so we had no choice. We tried contacting DVS to transfer the dogs, but we could not get hold of them at that point," he explained, adding council officers thus had no choice but to take immediate action.

OKU bantah MDKL bunuh anjing

Sabtu 25-9-2010

OKU bantah MDKL bunuh anjing

BANTING – Badan Latihan dan Hidup Berdikari (ILTC) yang terdiri daripada golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU) membantah tindakan Majlis Daerah Kuala Langat (MDKL) membunuh sembilan anjing liar dengan ubat pelali berdos tinggi.

Tindakan itu dibuat berikutan anjing berkenaan cuba bertindak agresif terhadap kakitangan MDKL serta membaham ayam, kambing dan menyerang mereka di lokasi kes pembunuhan Pengasas Kosmetik terkenal, Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya di Ladang Gadong, Tanjung Sepat.

Presiden ILTC, Francis Siva berkata, beliau kecewa apabila MDKL mengambil keputusan membunuh anjing liar berkenaan tanpa memikirkan kehidupan tersebut dapat diselamatkan.

Menurutnya, bantahan yang bermula jam 10 pagi itu bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti mengapa pihak terbabit tidak berbincang dengan jabatan terlibat terutamanya jabatan haiwan bagi mengelakkan kehidupan liar itu pupus.

“Selain itu, ILTC yang berperanan meningkatkan kebajikan dari setiap sudut meminta Kerajaan Negeri Selangor memberi maklum balas terhadap tindakan pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) berkenaan membunuh kehidupan liar berkenaan.

“Sebagai manusia ahli ILTC tidak boleh menerima hakikat mengapa haiwan liar berkenaan dibunuh sedangkan haiwan lain yang terdapat di Ladang Gadong berkenaan dipelihara semula,” katanya yang mengetuai bantahan berkaitan sembilan anjing liar dibunuh di perkarangan MDKL semalam.

Sementara itu Yang Dipertua MDKL, Abdul Razak Jaafar berkata, beliau mendapat arahan daripada polis untuk menangkap anjing liar berkenaan kerana dipercayai mengganggu kerja siasatan polis di lokasi berkenaan.

Menurutnya, semasa tangkapan dilakukan, anjing berkenaan bertindak agresif ke atas kakitangan MDKL sehingga memaksa MDKL memberi suntikan pelali.

“Pihaknya hanya menerima arahan polis bagi membantu melancarkan perjalanan siasatan di lokasi ladang berkenaan tanpa niat,” katanya.

Sementara itu, sedikit kekecohan berlaku apabila beberapa orang awam tidak berpuas hati dengan tindakan kumpulan OKU terbabit yang mengadakan bantahan terhadap anggota MDKL membunuh anjing liar berkenaan sehingga mencetuskan kekecohan tetapi dapat diselesaikan kakitangan MDKL dan anggota polis yang tiba.

Dalam pada itu, kelihatan kakitangan MDKL meminta kumpulan OKU bersurai tetapi mendapat tentangan daripada mereka kerana tidak berpuas hati dengan layanan yang diberikan MDKL.

Ahli ILTC kemudiannya ke balai polis untuk membuat laporan.

We were protested at Kuala Langat Local Council

12 disabled members from the Independent Living and Training centre (ILTC) and The Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) we staged a strong protest in front of the Kuala Langat Local Council on Friday and led by ILTC President, G. Francis Siva, and secretary P. Rina Kaur. We (Disabled Groups) Were Protested Against The Killing And Murder Of Innocent Dogs By Kuala Langat Local Council (Majlis Daerah Kuala Langat) Who Acted In Haste And Unprofessionally. We were shocked and disappointed to hear about the nine dogs that were put to sleep by authorities last Sunday. We urge the Selangor Government and State Local Government Committee Chairman Ronnie Liu call for full investigation and want those responsible to be punished. During the meeting YDP Abdul Razak Jaafar from District Council said that, the dogs could not be controlled. Due to that, they had to put them down for the saftey of their staff.

The explaination were unacceptable and a case of murder. We demanded an explanation and expressed dissatisfaction over the action. We know that, Rottweilers are one of the best breeds in the world for the disabled person and loyalty

We also raised question that, why local council did not request help from the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) when it carried out its exercise to handle the dog problem.

Finally, we went to met Kuala Langat Police Cheif Assistant Commissinoner Nordin Manan to verify the Local Council YDP Razak statement towards the blames Police issuing order to kill.

Nordin denies the statement.

Now we know that, who is the culprit !!!!!!!

It’s a very disappointed day for us at MDKL situation became worse after the press conference has been brought under some degree of pressure by unknown people and also the same thing happened in front of at the Kuala Langat Police Cheif Assistant Commissinoner Nordin Manan.

These shows no proper protection for the disabled in Malaysia.

CANINE CULLING: Local Council Blames Police But Police Denies Issuing Order To Kill

Courtesy from PETPOSITIVE

CANINE CULLING: Local Council Blames Police But Police Denies Issuing Order To Kill
Outraged by dog killing

LATEST UPDATE ON DISABLED PROTEST ON BANTING DOG KILLING:

(Pictures courtesy from ILTC)

A press conference held by Petpositive and the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) at the Kuala Langat District Council (MPKL) at ten this morning ended at 11am. A dozen members from both societies met the YDP Abdul Razak bin Jaafar to express their outrage at the killing of nine pedigree dogs belonging to two lawyers who are presently under criminal investigation in Banting, Selangor.

According to Francis Siva, the adviser of Petpositive and the president of ILTC the event was a huge success.

He said YDP had apologised to the group for the "mistakes made by the local council in the handling of the culling of the dogs."

Francis said that the YDP claimed that he had called the Department of Veterinary Services for help but their calls fell on deaf ears.

The YDP also told the group that it was the OCPD in the area who instructed that the dogs be killed.

However, Francis met the OCPD shortly after the press conference in the local police station and was told by the OCPD himself that he did no such thing and clarified that the police had no right to order the killing of the canines.

The press conference was covered by nearly a dozen news agencies including Bernama TV.

For more updates, stick with us. You can also visit www.iltcmalaysia.blogspot.com

Sharing and caring

Thursday September 16, 2010

Sharing and caring

Hari Raya open house is a wonderful way to celebrate the country’s cultural diversity.

OPEN house invitations to celebrate Aidilfitri proved to be an excellent opportunity for Malaysians to get to know each other better and rejoice in our cultural diversity.

Many of my friends took advantage of the holidays to go out with their families and friends to the many Hari Raya open houses around town. Others went by themselves.

Some Raya celebrants even offered transport for the disabled to attend their open houses.

At public events, the better prepared organisers made it a point to reserve disabled parking lots for handicapped drivers. They went so far as to meet the disabled at their cars and help them into their wheelchairs.

Effort was also made to ensure that the venues had disabled-friendly facilities in the restrooms as well as ramps into the building.

At the Selangor Mentri Besar’s do which I attended, the organisers provided special tables for disabled and elderly visitors. A waiter was on hand to help serve food to the special guests.

Well done to those who took the trouble to cater to special groups.

On another note, the nation’s 53rd birthday celebrations last month did not go down well with my friend Chong Tuck Meng from Bentong, Pahang.

This year was the first time the 49-year-old did not catch any live telecast of the parade from his home.

Chong has been using a wheelchair since a motor accident in 1982 left him paralysed from the neck down.

He recalled his very first Merdeka parade about 10 years ago in Kuala Lumpur.

He described it as one of his most memorable experiences, even though the crowd blocked his view and gave little consideration for his condition.

“Although our nation is now more than half a century old, there is still much to do in raising public awareness on the needs and rights of people with disabilities,” said Chong who serves as adviser for Perwira K9, an organisation for the physically disabled. “Whilst things are changing for the better for the disabled community in other countries, Malaysia has a lot of catching up to do in this area,” said Chong.

“Even in my hometown Bentong, I hardly see any changes for the disabled.”

Chong went on to say that he feels like a prisoner confined to his house. This is because the nearby shops and buildings are mostly inaccessible to wheelchairs.

“The Government, both at the local and Federal levels, should do everything in its power to correct these injustices so that people like me can lead a normal life.

“Because of the gross inaccessibility, the disabled community in Malaysia is among the most backward groups in society.”

“Remembering the disabled during festivities has its plus points as well as negative side,” cautioned Chong. “Festivities can inadvertently turn us into ‘victims’ of charity events, especially when they are over and we are forgotten for the rest of the year.

“People with disabilities should be remembered as often as possible and not only during special occasions.”

Chong also called for a change in mindset regarding the handicapped.

“TV programmes like the popular comedy drama series, Glee, and the blockbuster movie Avatar, feature characters with disabilities who carry a powerful message.

“When will our local TV shows and movies start portraying disabled characters positively? The only time we see disabled people now is during a tragedy, a disaster or in a tear-jerker.

We need to start viewing disability in a better light so that the rest of society will follow suit,” Chong concluded.