Source : Sunday Mail, Malaysia, 20 Apr 2005
By : Malay Mail
  

The call came after a 42-page report – Against The Grain: Trade in Musk Deer Products in Singapore and Malaysia.

The findings by two Traffic Southeast Asia field officers in the report revealed that two countries, a hub for the trade in traditional medicines, were importers and re-exporters of the musk deer products.

It also singled out Singapore as the biggest re-exporter of the products in Southeast Asia.

The report, which was released on Monday, investigated the demand for musk in Singapore and Malaysia, documented the trends in musk consumption, identified the sources of musk and analysed the role played by both countries in the international trade of musk.

James Compton, Kuala Lumpur-based Traffic Southeast Asia director, said musk products could be easily found in Chinese medical shops in both the countries.

He said the findings also revealed that traditional Chinese medicine preparations, containing musk from Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)-listed Musk Deer countries, are not being properly controlled.

He said while CITES statistics showed that raw musk was exported from China to Singapore and Malaysia, there were no records of the items being imported by the two countries.

Compton said: “Even if musk products have been imported illegally, the legislation in Malaysia and Singapore does not allow enforcement officers to act once the products are in the country.”

He said inadequate legislation in the two countries prevent them from curbing the illegal trade.

He said musk made into traditional medicines in the form of powder or capsules and other forms, are not covered by the existing laws as the authorities in the two countries could only act on “animals and their ‘readily recognisable’ parts.”

He said there is a need to review and improve the existing legislation to help control the musk trade effectively.

“We hope the report will serve as a wake-up call to improve the legislation, trade monitoring and law enforcement effectiveness in the two countries,” he said.

Singapore and Malaysia are among 150 signatories to CITES treaties, which regulate the cross boundaries trade of some 30,000 plants and animal species.