Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah government is offering a RM10,000 reward for individuals who can come forward as witnesses to the recent elephant killings.
The announcement was made last night by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Christina Liew.
Yesterday, Sabah recorded its third case this year of a decapitated elephant in Tawau.
Sabah Wildlife director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar said the third elephant could have been killed a few days ago or even two to three weeks ago.
“How can we stop these senseless killings? We cannot sit by and watch as one killing follows another. Some people know who is responsible, but they refuse to come forward as witnesses.
“We have decided to offer a reward of RM10,000 to anyone who witnessed the incident or has evidence identifying those behind the killings.
“If we have solid evidence, we can bring them to court, where they could face up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to RM250,000,” he told the media after the Jiangsu TV Music and Travel Live concert at a hotel here last night.
The first and second headless elephants were reported in Tawau in January and last week, respectively.
He said the perpetrators, likely from nearby villages, were targeting the elephants for their tusks.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said that each time a killing occurred, investigations by both the Wildlife Department and the police reached a dead end due to a lack of evidence and witnesses.
The Borneo pygmy elephant, which is endemic to Sabah, has a population of between 1,000 and 1,500.
The world’s smallest elephant species also faces other threats, including habitat loss, snaring, and poisoning.