Having wildlife meat: 2 penalised
Published on: Thursday, November 20, 2014
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TAWAU: Wildlife officers have vowed to step up efforts to check illegal hunting and trading in protected wildlife in the State."The Wildlife Department's Enforcement Unit will be working harder and conducting more roadblocks and surprise checks on all the illegal hunting hotspots in Sabah, including Kinabatangan, Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu and even in the Sipitang area," warned Deputy Director Augustine Tuuga."We will also be doubling our efforts in monitoring the restaurants serving exotic meats. Mini zoos caught flouting their permits will not be spared as well," he said.
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His warning came on the heels of two court cases in which a foreigner and a local were penalised for having protected wildlife meat.In the first case, a foreigner was fined RM15,000 in default 18 months' jail for having 72.4kg of marine turtle meat and skin in four gunny sacks.Magistrate Harith Mazlan ordered Gabson Pindatun to pay the fine after he pleaded guilty to having the items at Siamil Island, here.Gabson committed the offence under Section 41(4) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
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The court heard that during a routine patrol carried out by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) near the island, a pump boat operated by Gabson was stopped and the marine turtle skin and meat were found stashed in his boat. The MMEA then referred Gabson to the Immigration Department and also sent the seized items to the Sabah Wildlife Department.
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Gabson was ordered to serve the 18 months' jail after he failed to pay the fine.In another case, a local, Fedly Jinpin, was fined RM12,000 in default five months' jail by Magistrate Farhan Shah Fareme Mohd Firaus for having three red leaf monkeys, one civet cat and 37.5kg of wild boar meat. Fedley was caught with the items in his car during a routine roadblock conducted by the Sabah Wildlife Department's enforcement unit here. He paid the fine.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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