Indonesian caught with pangolin, snakeskins jailed in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur - A Malaysian court sentenced an Indonesian fisherman to 32 months in prison after his boat was found to be carrying scales and skins of pangolins, snakes and monitor lizards, a news report said Tuesday. Zulkarnain Ajib, 43, pleaded guilty to possessing six sacks of Sunda Pangolin scales weighing 199.9 kilograms, 137 pieces of python skin and 100 pieces of water monitor lizard skins, the New Straits Times daily said.

Malaysian marine police raided Ajib's boat on June 3 and discovered the goods, believed to be bound for sale in neighbouring countries.

The animals were believed to have been caught in Malaysian jungles, the report said.

Six other Indonesian fishermen onboard the same vessel at the time of the arrest pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Source: http: //www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/211256,indonesian-caught-with-pangolin-snakeskins-jailed-in-malaysia.html

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This is only the tip of a huge iceberg. Massive illegals putting up in forests and jungle fringes hiding away from the authorities, working for farms, factories and construction industries are putting an irreversible lost on our wildlife population. I see nothing being done to overcome this issue.

Here were some of the issues I highlighted before:

1. Between 2001-2003, Indonesians workers in the Penang National Park having an enjoyable feast of bats and birds. Mist nets were seen near their squatters. The fu*king park authority must be lame lazy not to keep an eye on the contractor. I wondered what other animals did they feast on other than the bats and birds.

2. Last year 2007, Myanmar workers working on the illegal road at Penang Hill stayed in huts along the forest edge. Animal traps were seen near the vicinity. Trees were tapped for sap on the heritage trail - Moniot Road. The fu*king forest authority don't seem to know about it. We complained about the illegal road and they tried to intimidate us.

3. Last year 2007 (not sure they are still there), Myanmar farmers working in farms along the Mengkuang Dam catchment area were chopping trees and bamboo to build huts. Fishing spots were found near the dam.

Imagine for a small state in Penang with so many illegal foreigners around - and if we duplicate the same senario (hiding and staying in forests and jungles) all over Malaysia....what do you think the rate of disappearance of our wildlife?