Police suggest caning for illegal wildlife trade offenders
Police have suggested to the Home Ministry to include caning into the law against those who involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said that the existing sentence is lenient for the perpetrators.
"The sentence that we have now is quite lenient. So I have discussed with the Department of Wildlife (Perhilitan) and National Parks and the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia on a harsher sentence.
"We will bring this suggestion to the ministry. If it is included, it will be an effective deterrent...
Police have suggested to the Home Ministry to include caning into the law against those who involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said that the existing sentence is lenient for the perpetrators.
"The sentence that we have now is quite lenient. So I have discussed with the Department of Wildlife (Perhilitan) and National Parks and the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia on a harsher sentence.
"We will bring this suggestion to the ministry. If it is included, it will be an effective deterrent.
"Apart from that, I suggest that the fines are doubled and the prison sentence to be extended," he told the media at Bukit Aman police headquarters today.
Earlier, Hamid met with Perhilitan and the Peninsular Forestry Department on a joint operation to catch syndicates involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
Perhilitan deputy director-general Fakhrul Hatta Musa, who was present during the conference, said the current sentence under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 [Act 716] provides for fines up to RM1 million and imprisonment up to 15 years.
Hamid said authorities had also identified about a dozen syndicates involving foreigners which are actively hunting for endangered wildlife and smuggling them abroad.
"I have also received information that there are VVIPs who are involved in illegal wildlife hunting. I am serious about this matter.
"If they are nabbed, I will make sure that they will not be spared from prosecution," Hamid warned.
He added: "My advice to these VVIPs, don't contribute to the extinction of flora and fauna. Why are you so excited to eat the meat of exotic animals [...] why are you competing with tigers and bears?"
Explaining on the intensified operations, Hamid said he has provided Perhilitan and Forestry Department enforcement teams with two battalions of General Operations Force from Senoi Praaq comprising 1,073 officers.
The Senoi Praaq is a police unit made up almost entirely of Orang Asli.
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