Malaysian history is rich with concepts pertaining to the Malayan tiger as an animal that encapsulates defining qualities. Our country’s coat of arms exemplified this with two rampant tigers depicted as the supporters for the escutcheon, symbolising strength and courage. The founding of the Federation of Malaya in 1948 has since taken on several changes to the coat of arms, with the Malayan tigers remaining representative to our country that regards them as one of the most important national elements.

Our Malayan tigers, scientifically known as Panthera Tigris Jacksoni, have along the way become the symbol of national pride, depicted in logos in various government and nongovernment bodies including the Royal Malaysia Police, Maybank, and Proton, to name a few. It has been personified and nicknamed Pak Belang simply due to its immense influence on our culture including sports, films and literature. The infamous Sitora Harimau Jadian, a 1964 horror film directed by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee attested to the animal’s relevance in local folklore and legends of the macabre kind. At the time it was shown, it was criticised as something of an unusual genre. The consensus today would describe the film as ahead of its time, describing an original idea of a mash-up of Malay drama and the Western concept of horror comedy. Unfortunately, the film no longer exists, believed to be destroyed in a flood or regrettably was not carefully taken care of. It was then novelised on January 1st 1965 and republished four decades later in 2013 with the same name under the publisher Buku Fixi. The rejuvenation of this popular culture does not stop there as another feature-length film, Sitora produced under FANGORIA Studios, will grace the cinemas in the near future. Admittedly, there is an inherent obsession with our Malayan tigers as a creature that possess all-encompassing cultural, spiritual and mystical values. This emblematic animal is even recognised in excess on ordinary objects such as matches, post stamps, or medicine balms.

Majestic
Medium density fibreboard, aluminium composite, granular texture epoxy & paint on blackboard, coated by 2K clear matte epoxy
61 x 61 cm
2023

Yet, with all these popular references, the Malayan tigers are ironically protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act, 2010 (act. no 716) under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, when a survey done between 2016 – 2018 recorded the species with a critical number of less than 200 alive. RIMAU, an NGO established in 2018, made it a point to dedicate its organisation to ensuring the survival of this revered animal. To the best of their intention, the Malayan tigers should be protected at all costs. It is important to acknowledge that to achieve this feat, working closely with local communities is crucial in addressing the declining population. Through its anti-poaching activities and stakeholder engagement, RIMAU runs a specialised patrol unit – the Menrag team, made up of members of the Jahai tribe who have lived in the Belum-Temengor forest for centuries; tapping into their intimate knowledge of the forest, whilst providing them with a sustainable livelihood. In March 2022, an article was written to emphasise the state of our Malayan tigers which have been placed at a critical juncture between survival and extinction. Due to its scarcity, our forest ecosystem is simultaneously in danger of being severely destabilised which essentially, could destroy it. In line with RIMAU’s vision, the Malayan tigers should prosper in well-managed forests with ample prey species for them to feed on, where the threat of poaching has been eliminated, snares have been cleared and no longer represent a dire threat to the well-being of tigers and other forests animal. Habitat loss due to illegal forest conversions has also undeniably played a role in the extinction of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in 2019.

Frolicsome
Medium density fibreboard, aluminium composite, granular texture epoxy & paint on blackboard, coated by 2K clear matte epoxy
61 x 61 cm
2023

In the same year in an interview with Al-Jazeera, Malaysian conversationist Mark Rayan Darmaraj warned about the Malayan tigers’ imminent extinction if efforts of not saving it are not reinforced. This exhibition stages the year of a new approach to incorporate this issue in the creative industry. TAKSU’s selection of artists for the exhibition represents the idea of bringing awareness to the general public by reassessing this heavy context in a different light. The various interpretations of this animal in the artworks are deemed eclectic in a conventional sense, yet pervasive in visual ideation. It is necessary to view this animal throughout the exhibition as a redefinition of its enveloping existence. Some artists have approached abstractions with astute observations of the tiger’s characteristics and some are inclined to insert them as a subtle reference in the norm of their daily lives. In a noteworthy collaboration between TAKSU and RIMAU, Malaysia’s Last Tigers – Charity Group Exhibition, takes center stage, coinciding with CIMB Artober. This collective effort seeks to raise awareness and where part of profits are channelled to help support the preservation of Malaysia’s dwindling tiger population. Let us hope to not have a repeat of a tragedy such as our Sumatran Rhinoceros. If no drastic measures are taken, we will lose our ultimate national pride in less than a decade.

Vigilant

Medium density fibreboard, aluminium composite, granular texture epoxy & paint on blackboard, coated by 2K clear matte epoxy, 61 x 61 cm

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