(MY) - jail for man with tiger parts in fridge

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Wednesday November 23, 2005 - The Star

 

Perhilitan wants jail for man with tiger parts in fridge

 

PETALING JAYA: Wildlife officials, not satisfied with the RM7,000 fine

imposed on a man for illegal possession of the carcass of a tiger, are

seeking a more deterrent penalty.

 

The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) is working

with the Kelantan deputy public prosecutor to file an appeal against

the sentence.

 

" We want to push for a higher sentence, which will include a jail

term, " Natural Resources and Environment Ministry parliamentary

secretary Datuk Sazmi Miah said.

 

He was referring to the case of Ang Chun Tan, 22, who was convicted of

the offence in Kelantan last month.

 

Forest rangers and policemen raided Ang's house in Kampung Mentua,

Pengkalan Kubor, and found the carcass of the endangered Malayan tiger

in a refrigerator.

 

The tiger, weighing 156kg and about five to six years old, was

believed to have been killed in Jeli or Gua Musang.

 

The head, body and internal organs of the animal had been preserved to

convince prospective buyers.

 

Under the Wildlife Protection Act 76/72, a poacher faces a maximum

fine of RM15,000 or five years' jail.

 

Sazmi also said the ministry was in the final stages of revamping the

existing law and replacing it with the Wildlife Protection and

Conservation Act.

 

Under the new Act, poachers would face mandatory jail sentences of up

to 10 years and fines of up to 30 times the current amount.