1 Dog For RM10 Campaign Cancelled After Mounting Criticism From Malaysians On Social Media
Never underestimate the power of social media!
By Samantha Khor — 03 Jun 2015, 02:16 PM
Social media erupted into a flurry of outrage yesterday (2 June) when a digital poster for a Kempen 1 Anjing 10 Ringgit event became widely circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp
Organised by the Tanjong Malim district council, the campaign sought to have Tanjong Malim and Slim River residents bring in live dogs to the council's Bandar Behrang office in exchange for RM10 per dog
The post quickly became viral, with furious netizens voicing out their disbelief and urging for the campaign to be called off. The post was shared more than a thousand times before it was taken down.
A petition addressed to the Malaysian government, Tanjong Malim district council, and the Malaysian National Animal Welfare Foundation was also raised in protest of the campaign, acquiring more than 400 signatures before it was retracted
The petition, created by Ashley Leow, stated that, "It is appalling enough that a district council has launched this campaign but to actually see that people are supporting this 'initiative' to make quick cash at the expense of the lives of stray dogs is downright disappointing and cruel. Please share this petition to raise awareness of this act of cruelty against our furry friends."
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As the barrage of criticism escalates, the district council had no choice but to announce the cancellation of the campaign, explaining that the initiative was actually meant to curb stray dogs in the area.
The council also added that they will be looking into better alternative ways to tackle the stray dog issue and thanked the people for their feedback on the highly-criticised initiative.
Some thanked the council for their quick action in calling off the campaign...
... Along with some suggestions and recommendations on how they can solve the problem of stray dogs in the district
However, some pointed out that they had only done so due to "public pressure" and commended that the council reflect on their actions before making any decisions in regards to the stray dog issue in the future
So, how did the campaign mechanics get approved in the first place? No word on that yet, but they probably shouldn't take anymore pointers from Pokémon...
