KUALA PENYU: Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities who is also the Beaufort MP, Datuk Siti Aminah Aching, urged the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) to install more traps in village locations densely populated with wild monkeys which pose a threat to folks especially farmers in the area.“The wild monkeys are not only violent but also eat and damage crops. It is more worrying that the animals can sneak into people’s homes to take food and damage property.
“I received many complaints from residents about the threat of monkeys with a large population consuming much of their crops,” she said.
Siti Aminah said the increase in their number the past seven years is worrying and it will be soon out of hand if no drastic action is taken from relevant departments.
She said, a family in Kekapor had filed a complaint by sharing pictures of their car and house which is often the target of groups of wild monkeys.
“It is understood that one or two traps have been installed but it is not able to reduce the money population which is increasing throughout the Kuala Penyu area,” she said.
She also urged the village chiefs and the Village Safety Development Committee (JPKK) to lodge a report at the District Office about the nuisance so that targeted action could be taken.
