SIBU: Two men were fined a total of RM19,000 by the Session’s Court here Monday after they pleaded guilty to having in their possession the body parts of protected animals.
Uweng Ding, 51, was fined RM6,000 in default six months’ jail while Robin Njuk, 40, was fined RM13,000 in default 17 months’ jail.
According to the facts of the case, Uweng was caught with 47 argus pheasant feathers while Robin had 22 of the same type of feathers along with a bear’s skull, seven sambar deer antlers, and three barking deer antlers.
They were arrested during an operation conducted by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the Teresang market in Kapit on Oct 5, 2019.
DPPs Khairul Kabir Abdul Kadir and Hisyamudin Roslan prosecuted the case before Judge Stella Augustine Druce.
Meanwhile, SFC CEO Zolkipli Mohamad Aton in a statement said the corporation is making concerted efforts to protect wildlife in the state.
“We will continuously monitor and carry out enforcement operations from time to time with the help of other enforcement agencies to fight illegal wildlife trade,” he said.
He said the argus pheasant is classified as a totally protected species while sun bears and the two deer are listed as protected under Section 37 of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998.
“Any person who hunts, kills, captures, sells, offers for sale or claims to be offering for sale, imports, exports or is in possession of any totally protected animal or any recognisable part shall be guilty and can be jailed up to two years and fined RM25,000,” he said.