Activists file court request to obtain documents on Malaysian elephants sent to Japan
Animal rights lawyers have lodged a pre-action discovery application in Kuala Lumpur to force the government to reveal paperwork on the transfer of three elephants to Osaka's Tennoji Zoo.
Lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal submitted a pre-action discovery application on behalf of Datin Shereen Begum Abdul Yunos and three other activists, aiming to compel the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to release documents about the relocation of three Malaysian elephants to Japan's Tennoji Zoo. Their earlier requests were denied on the grounds of the Official Secrets Act 1972, with written refusals dated Sept 14 and 15.
The activists seek full disclosure of agreements, payment records, veterinary health certificates, import-export permits and the elephants' registration history. The ministries claim the case is being examined by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, restricting access. The filing, scheduled for the Kuala Lumpur High Court, is intended to gather essential evidence before any full lawsuit, with the ultimate goal of securing the elephants' return and prompting government intervention.
Why it matters
The case tests how secrecy laws are applied to wildlife transfers and could set a precedent for transparency in government decisions.
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