Kelat didakwa makin kurus, NRES digesa hantar veterinar ke Jepun

Tiga Malaysian elephants - Dara, Amoi, and Kelat - are currently residing at Tennoji Zoo in Japan. The Majlis Perbandaran Taiping (MPT) and the Ministry of Rural and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) have agreed to send a team of Malaysian veterinarians to the zoo for a 14-day inspection to assess the health of the three elephants, with a focus on Kelat, whose condition appears to be deteriorating.

Neow Choo Seong, a youth spokesperson for MCA, stated that a continuous physical examination is necessary to evaluate Kelat's weight, body condition, skin, eyes, legs, and claws. Additional tests such as complete blood count, cortisol hormone levels, parasite counts, and musth assessment should also be conducted, as Neow explained, to clarify whether Kelat's alleged musth is a true musth or a symptom of chronic stress and illness.

Earlier reports claimed Kelat might have been isolated multiple times due to musth; however, animal rights activist Noraini Abd Khalil Saferi noted that healthy male Asian elephants typically experience periodic musth, rather than repeated episodes in a short span. Neow, who is also the Pemuda Barisan Nasional (BN) youth communication chief, emphasized the importance of considering Kelat's welfare, including enclosure size, flooring, daily diet, and isolation periods.

The outcome of the inspection should be made public, including a report, video, and autopsy findings, as well as reviewed by an independent international elephant expert. If the examination reveals a decline in health or negligence in care, Neow stated that NRES must activate the process of returning Kelat to its native habitat, as previously promised on April 29.