Building institutional and local capacities to reduce wildlife crime and to enhance protection of iconic wildlife in Malaysia To enhance the protection of three  iconic wildlife species and their habitats in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah. Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. As a child project of the Global Wildlife Program, this project focuses on strengthening Malaysia’s national capacity to reduce wildlife crime and tackle the direct threats facing key wildlife species. In combination with coordinated efforts across other countries, this project’s outcomes will contribute towards both immediate and longer term socio-economic benefits for the national economy and international trade. Tackling wildlife crime is necessary to conserve wildlife, while at the same time it curbs the activities of criminal syndicates that are often also engaged in trafficking of arms, drugs and people, and it strengthens national capacity to address corruption issues that contribute towards IWT. These aspects benefit local people disadvantaged by the wide range of corrupt practices that forestall development and progress. Moreover, combating wildlife trafficking reduces insecurity and crime in rural areas and strengthens the infrastructure for effective law enforcement that can address both wildlife crime and other crimes that affect rural communities. Local and national economies benefit in two ways: first, increased revenues from legal trade in natural resources are assured as the risk of contraband entering trade chains is reduced, and legal businesses that benefit from reduced corruption and a better and safer business environment, can provide improved tax revenues. Governments and communities can also legally exploit natural resources in a sustainable way rather than suffer the consequences of foregone opportunity as they are depleted and destroyed.     This project also engages at the protected area landscape level, with three project landscapes under Component 2 in Peninsular Malaysia, one under Component 3 in Sarawak and one under Component 4 in Sabah. All of these landscapes host communities of both local and indigenous peoples, described in Prodoc Annex 7: Stakeholder Engagement Plan. While Component 2 does not seek to provide support for community development or sustainable livelihoods, it will provide direct benefits to local and indigenous communities in each of its three PA landscapes through proactively promoting the engagement of local Orang Asli in ranger and auxiliary police roles, and supporting their training and career development opportunities.     In Component 3, under Output 3.1, the project will support the engagement of additional local and indigenous Iban community members by SFC in conducting the marking of park complex boundaries, monitoring of wildlife, patrolling for wildlife law enforcement and forest habitat management and restoration. Under Output 3.2, the project will support the development of sustainable livelihoods including orangutan-based tourism and a CCA developed in the Ulu Sebuyau, Sedilu and Gunung Lesong National Parks (SSL) complex. The project will support the establishment of a nature-based tourism concession for the CCA and train local tourist guides (including women), as well as provide technical assistance and livelihood support for the development of sustainable livelihoods such as agricultural products and handicrafts.     In Component 4, under Output 4.1, the project will support the engagement of local and indigenous community members in the banteng monitoring programme, while under Output 4.2 it will support the engagement and training of additional staff for anti-poaching roles, including reviewing options for providing remuneration and training for HWW/HFR staff and more secure employment in the security/wildlife sectors in line with RELA and the VETOA programme in Peninsular Malaysia. Under Output 4.3, it will engage with the mainly Murut indigenous villages in the west of the project landscape to promote community-based conservation and sustainable livelihoods including nature-based tourism and CCA development.     The total population in the project areas is estimated at 23,570, with an estimated total number of direct project beneficiaries over the six year project period disaggregated by gender at 4,500, of which 2,020 are women (44.9%). The disaggregated beneficiaries by gender are:  -Government/other trainees: 1,800 of which 720 are women (40%)  -Communities: 3,700, of which 1,300 are women (48.1%)  (See GEF Core Indicator #11)    The increased engagement of local and indigenous communities in wildlife management will contribute towards the achievement of global environmental benefits through providing an alternative to their engagement in poaching and forest encroachment activities, reducing direct threats to the targeted PAs and wildlife, and strengthening local support for PA management. With the true value of wildlife conservation increasingly recognized by local communities as a viable and complementary land use, the project will contribute towards the maintenance of natural habitats and wildlife around the gazetted protected areas. In the case of the SSL park complex in Sarawak, it will also contribute towards increased habitat connectivity between and around the three National Parks, which will be crucial for the survival of this outlying Bornean orangutan population in the long term.