WANITA MCA has urged the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) to intensify efforts to overcome the problem of rodent infestation in the state rather than embark on an RM30-per-dog-hunt exercise.
Tee Hooi Ling, who is the Wanita MCA deputy chairperson, said the defecation and urine or any contact with these pests can lead to serious public health and hygiene issues like food contamination, infection, disease spread and even fatalities.
She pointed out that in 2021, Selangor saw 226 cases of leptospirosis with 10 deaths while from January to April 2022, there were 128 confirmed cases with one death reported.
"These scurrying mammals have various ways to sneak into a building – through drain pipes, loading areas and even the front door if left ajar. The rats are also in the ceilings of various departments and come out when the lights are turned off.
"More attention needs to be given to tackle the rodent menace. All local authorities should aim for a zero-rodent population for cleanliness to lessen the impacts on public health, rather than create an enemy or be dogged by canines," she said.
The Wanita MCA Selangor Chairperson said they fully supported the caution by Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin who urged MBSA to halt its “catch-and-destroy” stray dogs plan scheduled for April 22, 2024.
"Rather than culling four-pawed animals, Her Royal Highness has offered several recommendations such as neutering which can assist in declining the stray population, or requiring housing developers to construct animal shelters.
"Local authorities in Selangor and throughout the nation could also cooperate with existing animal shelters or NGOs to deploy trap-neuter-release-manage programmes to reduce the number of street animals.
"Similarly, they could also collaborate to encourage adoption programmes whereby the venue hosts could be the animal shelters, compound outdoors of local councils or shopping malls," she said.
It is hoped that not only MBSA or other local authorities in Selangor but also in other states too, will adopt the advice of the Tengku Permaisuri Selangor to encourage a more compassionate society, she added.
"Let us not forget how the adage ‘man’s best friend’ proved precise when their sniffing skills were successfully deployed in search and locate operations at the Batang Kali landslide and Turkiye earthquake disaster sites.
"Wanita MCA is also concerned over the possibility of over-zealousness by MBSA and its volunteers whereby its “dog-hunt” operation may morph into a witch-hunt or pseudo-vigilantism to simply nab any dogs, including trespassing private residences to loop any collared pets with a licence,". - The Vibes, April 3, 2024
