Kuala Lumpur: Visitors to the Melinsung ranch of a former senior State Government official have lodged a complaint over the 50-odd horses which have not been given food and veterinary care for some time.

Briton Chris Jones, who was recently on holiday there, was shocked to see their condition and when he complained, he was told that the horses were hired from the ranch in Papar.

In an e-mail, on June 19 to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, he wrote:

"I visited the ranch and was disgusted at what I saw. I complained to the hotel, the turf club, the tourism office and a veterinary surgeon."

He wrote that everyone was well aware of it and was told nothing could be done as the horses were owned by a VIP.

"I then detailed the horrific conditions to the World Society for the Protection of Animals in Britain which got the same response from their counterpart in Malaysia."

Appealing for something to be done to help these animals, Jones wrote:

"No food apart from poor grazing when they are allowed out, no access to water. Horses held in barbed wire

protected stalls to prevent escape."

Melinsung Ranch is near the Melinsung beach on the Kota Kinabalu-Papar Coastal Highway. It used to provide riding lessons and hold equestrian events like the Endurance Race and Plantation Ride.

Jones also sought the help of his friend who managed to get in touch with the owner "who gave me excuses."

The matter was also highlighted by the Royal Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals which sent a letter to several authorities, including the Malaysian Equine Council, via e-mail, which was later forwarded to Weekend MAIL.

Its head of external affairs, David Bowles, wrote: "I've received a complaint on the condition of these horses which are not being fed or kept properly. They have no water, no feed and seem to have no veterinary care."

The Council's Executive secretary, Malik Jeremiah, said they had forwarded the e-mail to the Veterinary Services Department. "We don't have the power to take action," he said.

The Veterinary Services and Animal Industry Department in Sabah said a team of officers visited the ranch on June 26, soon after getting the information.

Its Deputy Director, Dr Amat Kasim, said the horses were in deprived condition due to lack of food.

"Most of them were thin but healthy. Only 10 of the 53 horses were in deplorable condition and they were old."

He said the horses were used for polo before the club was shut down.

"Since then, they have not been properly taken care of.”Due to financial constraints, the owner told me he couldn't afford to feed the horses or treat the sick ones as he was not getting any revenue after the shut-down.

"We visited the ranch daily to provide feed and hay, besides multivitamins for the horses. Some have lost their appetite but we are trying to help them by feeding multivitamins."

Asked if the two weeks of care had made a difference to the horses' condition, he said"

"It's too soon to tell. We'd need at least three months to notice any difference. "The horses are not sick, just thin due to lack of food and starvation."