Pangolin need to be protected — Masidi

KOTA KINABALU: Culture, Tourism and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun has issued a strong message that all citizens need to work together in protecting the status of pangolin as a protected animal.

Masidi said this when asked about the recent seizure of RM100 million worth of pangolin scales that were bound for China via Sepanggar Bay Container Port by the Sabah Customs Department.

“The Sabah Wildlife Department is currently preparing a Cabinet paper, seeking the Cabinet approval to upgrade the status of pangolins as totally protected animal.

“They have always been planning to do this but now enough is enough.

“While it is impossible for a complete stop of pangolin or wildlife trade, but what is important is that we send a strong message to all citizens on the need for all of us to work together in protecting them,” he said.

In Sabah, the trade of pangolins was banned under appendix 1 of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species.

Masidi hoped that the stronger legislation via the status upgrading would help cut off illegal wildlife trade.

The seizure of the pangolin scales estimated to have come from about 16,000 pangolins and smuggled into the state for export is under investigation.

The Customs Department revealed that the case on July 29 was one of the biggest involving protected animals after the seizure of 1,068 frozen pangolins weighing some five tonnes in Sandakan on December 7, 2011.