Harsher penalty needed

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT) is disappointed with the light sentence meted on a man found with a tiger carcass in Gopeng, Perak.

On Dec 5, the sessions court in Ipoh sentenced Wong Chee Leong, 43, to a fine of RM100,000 (in default a year’s jail) and one month’s imprisonment.

“We commend the Ipoh sessions court for meting out the fine. However, a month’s imprisonment for a serious crime against a totally protected species sends out a misleading message to perpetrators.

“If we do not consider heavier punishments in terms of imprisonment, we will continue to struggle to bring wildlife crime and poaching threats under control,” said WWF-Malaysia executive director/CEO Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma

Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia programme director Dr Melvin Gumal said at a time when various species are on the verge of extinction, the punishment of a month’s jail is difficult to comprehend.

Wong was arrested by Wildlife and National Parks Department rangers on Feb 2 last year. According to his lawyer, he was going to feed the carcass to fishes.

The accused was charged under Section 68(2)(c) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716) which carries a fine of not less than RM100,000 and a jail term not exceeding five years.