Wildlife and Forests: Malaysia

	Collection of fatwa-based educational materials including a book written by the Mufti of Terengganu (top middle)

In 2015, inspired by the fatwa passed by Indonesia’s National Islamic Council the previous year, conservationists in Malaysia helped facilitate Malaysia’s first wildlife trade fatwa in Terengganu State.

The Malaysian NGO, Rimba had been working to stem biodiversity loss in Taman Negara National Park, a Class 1 Tiger Conservation Landscape. When they read about the passage of the fatwa in Indonesia, they felt Islam also had a role to play in reducing the hunting of tigers and their prey in Taman Negara.

ARC, the Centre for Islamic Studies in Indonesia’s National University, Rimba and local stakeholders began working together in 2016 to share our experiences, resources and training programme from Indonesia. Since then over 60 Muslim leaders have been trained in the guidelines of the fatwa and preaching the fatwa’s directives against illegal poaching and trade through local mosques has helped raise awareness about Malaysia’s laws prohibiting participation in the illegal wildlife trade.

	Participants of the first conservation cleric seminar

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