Global Courant
A 47-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to seven days in prison and a fine of RM80,000 (S$23,100) by Malaysian authorities earlier in June for attempting to smuggle 11 wild birds, including figs and macaws, into the country.
On May 31, the man drove a multi-purpose vehicle into Johor Bahru via the Causeway, where he was stopped, according to the Malay Mail.
The Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department, known as Perhilitan, received information about the case at around 7:30 p.m. that day.
“Checks on the passenger seat of the vehicle revealed that the wild birds included four figs, three blue and gold macaws, one yellow-headed amazon and three red macaws,” Perhilitan director Aminuddin Jamin said in a statement on Wednesday.
Perhilitan officers also found 10 wooden boxes, bird cages, cell phones and a perching bird when they inspected the man’s vehicle.
The man, who has not been identified, had no valid documents for the birds.
He was detained by the police after Perhiitan reported him.
The 11 birds were seized and the vehicle seized, Mr Aminuddin said.
On June 7, the man was charged in Sessions Court of Johor under sections 60 and 68 of the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation (Amendment) Act for hunting or keeping protected wildlife and pleaded guilty.
Mr Aminuddin said Johor wildlife department is committed to preserving Malaysia’s biodiversity and eradicating wildlife crime.
In recent years, Malaysia has become a popular destination and transit point for the illegal wildlife trade, particularly wild birds, according to the Malay Mail. Other countries in the region that have emerged as smuggling hubs include the Philippines and Vietnam, it added.
In Malaysia, protected wildlife is often seized at the international airports in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, as well as at both land border crossings in Johor.
Law enforcement officials have stepped up inspections and this has led to the seizure of a number of animals, the Malay Mail said, without providing figures.
In Malaysia, hunting or keeping protected wildlife is an offense under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716).
Under Section 60 of the Act, those caught keeping or possessing wildlife without a license could be fined up to RM50,000, imprisoned for up to two years, or both.
Those caught hunting protected wildlife without a special permit can be charged under Section 68 of the Act. If convicted, they could be fined up to RM100,000, imprisoned for up to three years, or both.
