Nik Nazmi urges federal-state action to stop rising roadkill in key wildlife zones after tragic baby elephant's death

Malay Mail

13-05-2025

The federal government has called for stronger collaboration with states to address human-elephant conflicts, as key habitats fall under state jurisdiction.
Since 2019, over RM800 million has been allocated to support forest conservation, with measures including ecological corridors, elephant sanctuaries, and public awareness campaigns to reduce wildlife road fatalities.
A recent elephant calf's death on the East-West Highway has intensified focus on the issue, with Perhilitan recording eight elephant deaths, nearly 5,000 conflict cases and RM39.4 million in property losses since 2020.
GERIK, May 13 – Long-term solutions to human-elephant conflicts in Malaysia must involve close collaboration between the federal and state governments, as key wildlife habitats fall under state jurisdiction, the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry said today.
The ministry stressed that preserving elephant habitats and ensuring safe movement across fragmented landscapes requires the development of ecological corridors, the creation of sanctuaries, and coordinated land use planning involving all levels of government and stakeholders.
'It is not merely a tragic accident but also highlights the serious challenges in the relationship between humans and nature, particularly in our efforts to preserve the survival of wildlife species in increasingly fragmented landscapes,' minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said in a statement.
'Forests that serve as key elephant habitats fall under state jurisdiction, as outlined in Article 74(2) of the Federal Constitution. Therefore, long-term solutions require strong collaboration between the federal and state governments,' he added.
He said since 2019, RM800 million has been allocated through the Ecological Fiscal Transfer for Biodiversity Conservation to incentivise state governments to protect forest areas, with over 90,000 hectares gazetted as protected land to date.
Nik Nazmi emphasised that elephant conservation efforts require more than just financial and technical support, and called on plantation owners, local communities, road users, and project implementers to play an active role in preserving the nation's ecological balance.
Many Malaysians were emotionally distressed by the death of an elephant calf struck by a 10-tonne lorry transporting chickens along the East-West Highway (JRTB) near the Gerik, Perak–Jeli, Kelantan border on May 11, and the subsequent reaction by its mother.
The accident occurred at approximately 2.41am and was reported to the Gerik District Wildlife Department (Perhilitan) by the Gerik District Police Operations Room.
Nik Nazmi said the highway cuts through critical elephant habitats connecting major forest complexes in Perak and Kelantan, an area identified as a high-risk zone for human-wildlife conflict.
Perhilitan recorded 4,919 human-elephant conflict reports between 2020 and 2024, with property losses estimated at RM39.4 million. In addition, eight elephants have died due to road accidents in the last five years, including three this year.
It has since introduced these steps to tackle this issue:
Regular patrols and monitoring at elephant conflict hotspots along over 100km of winding, low-visibility sections of the JRTB
Construction of three permanent Electric Elephant Fencing Systems in Kg. Bukit Sapi – Kg. Batu Reng, RPS Air Banun, and Bersia
Habitat enrichment through the construction of two artificial salt licks beneath the Central Forest Spine ecological viaduct A-PL1 (Temengor Forest Reserve – Amanjaya Forest Reserve – Belum Forest Reserve) in Gerik
Installation of 19 elephant crossing signboards along the JRTB, including two billboards and one LED Elephant Crossing Monitoring Device
Installation of streetlights at 16 high-risk locations, with an additional eight identified for future lighting and seven new locations for wildlife crossing warning signs
Public awareness campaigns through social media, short videos, and posters about elephant crossings during festive seasons to inform JRTB users on safety measures in the event of encounters with elephants
Public awareness programmes promoting coexistence with stakeholders, including road users, to encourage vigilance regarding elephant presence along the JRTB
Construction of a 200-metre wildlife viaduct at kilometre 157 of the Gerik — Jeli route, completed in 2015 at a cost of RM26 million in collaboration with the Public Works Department under the Central Forest Spine initiative.
Nik Nazmi said the ministry is also proposing these measures: