There was a time when the Malayan tiger’s roar echoed across Malaysia’s forests. Those roars have slowly diminished, silenced by snares. Fewer than 150 Malayan tigers now remain in the wild. A stark reminder that our national icon could vanish within our lifetime.

But there is still hope. The Belum-Temengor Forest Complex in northern Peninsular Malaysia, one of the last remaining strongholds for the species, continues to show signs of life. Camera traps have captured images of several individual tigers, rangers report tiger footprints, and evidence of cubs has been documented in recent years. These fragments of hope remind us that the Malayan tiger can recover—if the right actions are sustained and scaled.

Over the past decade, unprecedented collaboration between conservationists, government agencies, indigenous communities and the private sector have helped protect this landscape. Thousands of snares have been removed, patrols have multiplied covering tens of thousands of kilometres, and Orang Asli communities have become effective stewards of the forest. These combined efforts have not only supported tigers, but also safeguarded elephants, hornbills, tapirs and countless other species that share their habitat.

One of the clearest lessons from the past decade is that no single organisation or sector can save the Malayan tiger alone. Conservation is inherently collaborative and requires the whole-of-society approach.

“Collaboration is key, and we must all work together even more strongly to ensure that the Malayan tiger not only survives but thrives in its natural habitat. The support from PERHILITAN, Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC), the Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department and other NGOs – RIMAU, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), PELINDUNG and TRAFFIC, Panthera, MYCAT, and all our donors, has been invaluable in these efforts. Together, we have made significant strides, but there is still much to be done,” said Sophia Lim, WWF-Malaysia Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Government agencies such as PERHILITAN, the Royal Malaysia Police and the military provide the backbone of enforcement. NGOs bring scientific expertise, field presence, and the ability to mobilise civil society. Orang Asli communities act as stewards of their ancestral forests, contributing invaluable knowledge of the land. And the private sector, through sustained corporate partnerships, has provided critical resources that make long-term field efforts possible.

This collaborative model has allowed conservationists to go beyond firefighting. It has made it possible to invest in systems: ranger training programmes, patrol data management, community livelihood initiatives, and conservation education. Such investments take years to yield results, but they form the bedrock of tiger recovery.

Conservation cannot run on goodwill alone. It requires sustained investment, technical expertise, and a framework that links biodiversity protection with national prosperity.

Corporate involvement has not always been part of Malaysia’s conservation story, but the last decade has shown how vital it can be. Long-term corporate partnerships have enabled sustained patrol coverage, capacity-building for rangers, and community-based initiatives that align conservation with local wellbeing. Over the past decade, the WWF-Malaysia and Maybank partnership has contributed to key milestones.

• Zero active snares recorded in 2022 and 2023

• 130 rangers deployed on the ground

• A decade of community empowerment and awareness, including the community-led Sambutan Hari Orang Asal — recently organised for the third time

• Establishment of the National Tiger Task Force and Wildlife Crime Bureau after years of advocacy

• In 2022, camera traps recorded a tigress with four cubs—a strong indicator of successful breeding

• Royal Belum State Park awarded Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS) in 2023

These contributions may not always be visible to the public, but their impact on the ground is profound. A ranger unit that can stay in the forest an extra week, a patrol that can cover an additional 20 kilometres, or a community project that reduces dependence on forest extraction - these small, practical outcomes collectively tip the scales for the Malayan tiger.

What matters most is the consistency of support. Short-term donations can create bursts of activity, but when it is sustained, multi-year or long-term commitment allows conservation teams to plan, adapt, and stay the course. This is where corporate responsibility has proven most valuable, quietly powering the day-to-day grind of conservation.

Among these partners are financial institutions, consumer brands, and regional corporations that recognise their responsibility to natural capital. Their role is not to lead the conservation agenda, but to enable those on the frontlines - rangers, scientists, and communities - to carry out the work that must be done.

Looking forward, Malaysia is at a crossroads. The next 10 years will decide whether we can bring back the roar of the Malayan tiger. The framework exists - through stronger enforcement, community empowerment, and sustained cross-sector investment. What is needed now is urgency and scale: more corporates recognising their role, more communities empowered, and more resources directed to the ground.

While enforcement successes are commendable, poaching and trafficking remain persistent threats. What’s needed now is a whole-of-society approach where government agencies, civil society, local communities, corporates, media and the public work hand in hand. This means stronger regional collaboration to dismantle syndicates, enhanced technology and intelligence-sharing to anticipate rather than just react, and sustained funding to keep rangers on the ground.

What’s lacking is not commitment, but capacity - more boots on the ground, better equipment, and sustainable long-term funding. To overcome this, Malaysia must pair strong enforcement with demand reduction campaigns that curb consumer appetite for wildlife products through awareness, behaviour change, and promoting alternatives alongside community engagement and corporate support for conservation. 

“Through our collaboration with WWF-Malaysia, we are not only safeguarding wildlife but also fostering safer environments for people living near forests. By investing in anti-poaching patrols, ecological monitoring, and community engagement, we are demonstrating how responsible corporate partnerships can help address long-term conservation challenges,” said Izlyn Ramli, Head of Group Corporate Affairs Maybank and CEO of Maybank Foundation.

The partnership has invested significantly in tiger conservation since 2016, supporting ranger training, new technologies, and community development. Orang Asli rangers have become frontline guardians and spokespersons for the forest, combining indigenous knowledge with modern conservation practices.

The Malayan tiger is now at a tipping point. Three priorities stand out:

Poaching remains the single largest threat. Expanding the size, frequency, and sophistication of patrols is essential. New technologies - drones, advanced camera traps, and real-time monitoring systems - must be integrated into enforcement.

Orang Asli communities are not only stakeholders but custodians. Supporting their rights, wellbeing, and participation in conservation ensures that protection of the forest goes hand in hand with human dignity.

Conservation is not a cost; it is an investment in Malaysia’s future resilience - supporting water security, climate stability, and biodiversity. Corporates, alongside government and civil society, must see conservation as integral to long-term prosperity.

“Corporates can be part of the solution, not just funders. Partnerships between corporates and NGOs can change the trajectory of conservation. We hope this inspires others to come on board,” said Dr. Henry Chan, Senior Conservation Director of WWF-Malaysia.

Such partnerships are not about charity; they are about recognising natural capital as a foundation of long-term resilience. In an ESG-driven economy, protecting biodiversity is as much a business imperative as it is a moral one.

Ultimately, the survival of the Malayan tiger is not only a conservation issue. It is a test of Malaysia’s ability to protect what is uniquely ours. The tiger is woven into our identity - on our coat of arms, our national football team, our collective imagination. Allowing it to vanish would mean losing a part of us as a nation.

But the lessons of the past decade show that decline is not inevitable. If the tiger vanishes, it will not be for lack of effort, but for lack of collective will. And that is where Malaysia’s broader society must step in. Public support, political commitment, corporate accountability, and community engagement are all threads of the same fabric.

As Malaysia celebrates its Merdeka month, the fate of the Malayan tiger should weigh on us as heavily as the Jalur Gemilang we raise. Both are symbols of identity, pride, and endurance. One is guaranteed by law; the other can only be guaranteed by action.

If we succeed in bringing back the roar, we succeed not only in saving our beloved species but also proving that Malaysia can steward its natural heritage while advancing national prosperity.

That is the legacy worth striving for.

A Malayan tiger in the wild © Emmanuel Rondeau / WWF-Malaysia

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