Malaysia is a party to the Convention for International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 18 January 1978. CITES is an international agreement between governments with objective to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
Malaysia has put in place and implemented various legislations, be it on the federal, states and local levels to ensure that the wildlife and our natural resources are adequately and strictly managed to avoid illegal trade or over-exploitations. The International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 [Act 686] was gazetted and came into force on 28 December 2009. The main purpose of the Act is to control the international trade of species listed under CITES and to ensure Malaysia's compliance towards CITES obligation. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA), is the Lead Management Authority of the Act and national focal point pertaining to CITES matters in Malaysia.
There are nine (9) Management Authorities (MA) responsible for the implementation of CITES, each is empowered according to their respective legislations, jurisdiction of species and area. The MAs are:
- Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Peninsular Malaysia);
- Department of Fisheries Malaysia;
- Malaysian Timber Industry Board;
- Department of Agriculture Malaysia;
- Sabah Wildlife Department;
- Sabah Fisheries Department;
- Sarawak Forestry Corporation;
- Sabah Forestry Department; and
- Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia.
Contacts details of MAs:
https://cites.org/eng/parties/country-profiles/my/national-authorities