KUALA LUMPUR – The lack of justice for animals in Malaysia remains a pressing issue, according to Paws Care president Siti Fauziah Abdul Jabbar, following a recent hit-and-run involving a dog and a lorry at a factory in Kepong.
Speaking with Scoop, Siti Fauziah described the case as yet another example of how animal cruelty cases are often disregarded or left unresolved by the authorities.
“I have dealt with numerous cases, all of which had substantial evidence, but almost all were dismissed by the courts. Only one case resulted in a verdict,” she said.
The dog, which was injured in the accident, died on January 31 at 10:30 am despite being rescued and receiving treatment at a veterinary clinic near Batu Caves.
Siti Fauziah explained that CCTV footage from the scene showed the dog being struck by the lorry.
“The footage clearly shows the dog being run over by the lorry, which caused the severe injuries,” she stated in a Facebook post.
Both a police report and a report to the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) were filed after the incident. The police report was lodged at IPD Sentul, and authorities are in the process of identifying the driver of the lorry.
However, Siti Fauziah expressed concern over the lack of updates from the authorities.
“DVS has not contacted us, and there has been no progress report on the case,” she said.
She emphasised the need for prompt and decisive action in this case, calling for a thorough criminal investigation.
“Where applicable, charges must be brought under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, and those responsible must be held accountable,” she said.
“We demand public disclosure, not secretive reports. The investigation timeline should be measured in weeks, not months or years,” she added, pointing out that delays only perpetuate the belief that animal cruelty is tolerated.
Drawing from her experience in animal welfare, Siti Fauziah noted that such cases are all too common in Malaysia.
“This is not an isolated incident. Alleged mistreatment, poisoning, shooting, or the ‘quiet removal’ of stray animals occurs far too frequently across the country,” she said.
She also criticised the weak enforcement and lack of transparency, stating that accountability remains absent.
“This isn’t just a problem of resources. It’s an issue of attitude, accountability, and political will,” she explained.
Siti Fauziah warned that continued inaction on animal cruelty cases has eroded public trust in institutions such as DVS and the police.
“When people lose faith in animal management, they lose faith in governance altogether,” she said.
Among the reforms she called for are the adoption of humane, evidence-based stray management approaches, such as trap-neuter-return (TNR) programmes, independent oversight of local councils, and mandatory public reporting on the handling of stray animals.
She also criticised the Animal Welfare Act 2015, calling it “a dead law” that has failed in both its design and implementation.
“After nearly a decade, the Act has proven to be obsolete, ineffective, and toothless, especially when alleged offenders are linked to authorities,” she concluded. – February 2, 2026