orangutan smuggling continued

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Malaysian sought in smuggling of wildlife Any Chew

Reporting from Jakarta May 28:

A MALAYSIAN is wanted by Indonesian authorities for

involvement in the smuggling of endangered wildlife,

including orang utan, to China and Thailand. The man

is believed to be working in collusion with Forestry

Ministry officials and forest police to smuggle the

animals out of the country. " We are looking for a

Malaysian with the initials AL for smuggling

endangered species from Kalimantan to China and

Thailand. We believe he is somewhere in Jakarta, "

Transtoto Handhari, head of the Illegal Logging

Eradication Centre of the ministry, told the New

Straits Times yesterday. " We will be putting his name

down on the police wanted list very soon. " Indonesia,

home to one of the world’s richest diversity of

animals, has seen many of its wildlife like the orang

utan and Sumatran tiger threatened with extinction

because of smuggling and rapid deforestation. The

25,000 orang utans in the country three years ago have

dwindled to 15,000. " They (orang utans) are in danger

of becoming extinct, " Transtoto said. The Malaysian

has been involved in smuggling wildlife for at least

five years, but escaped detection due to help from

government officials. " We only found out about him

about two weeks ago, " he said. The Malaysian is also

believed to have dealt in snakes and rare exotic

birds. Transtoto said the orang utans and birds were

usually sold as pets while the snakes were meant for

the table.The Malaysian is believed to own a large

house in Jakarta where he rears endangered animals for

his own leisure. He is also believed to be involved in

illegal logging which has accelerated deforestation in

many parts of the country. Several Malaysians are

wanted by Indonesian authorities for illegal logging

which has raised public anger.

 

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20050528085000/Article/\

indexb_html

 

 

Michelle Desilets

BOS UK

www.savetheorangutan.org.uk

www.savetheorangutan.info

" Primates Helping Primates "

 

Please sign our petition to rescue over 100 smuggled orangutans in Thailand:

http://www.thePetitionSite.com/takeaction/822035733

 

 

 

 

 

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