Rintos Mail, The Star 21 Mar 10;
KUCHING: The trade in wild game meat in the state is not rampant, Forest Director and Wildlife Controller Datuk Len Talif Salleh said.
He said the authorities realised there were still people, especially in the rural areas, who hunted and sold wild game meat to their fellow villagers and friends.
However, he said that was allowed as consumption of wild game meat was part and parcel of rural life but it was not widespread.
He pointed out that the authorities were more concerned about poaching and the commercial trade of such meat, especially of totally protected animals.
“Overall, commercial wild game meat trading in town centres is under control. Unlike before, you hardly see people selling wild animals or wild game meat in markets or restaurants these days,” he told The Star yesterday.
When told that there were people serving those meat in rural restaurants and food outlets, he warned that enforcement officers from the Forest Department and Sarawak Forestry Corporation were on the look out for them.
“Although it is not that rampant, our enforcement officers will continue to monitor and patrol the market areas and food outlets, including in the rural areas, to prevent the situation from getting worse.”
On the possibility that the wild game meat sold in rural restaurants and food outlets could have been smuggled from a neighbouring country, he said: “It has yet to be proven. We will monitor the activity and stern action will be taken against the culprits.”
Len said the situation in the towns had improved with more people now aware of the law to protect wildlife.
Apart from that, he said volunteers from the Kuching City South Council (MBKS), who had undergone courses with Sarawak Forestry, were also helping to monitor the situation in town markets.
Len hoped other local authorities would take the same initiative as MBKS by sending their volunteers for the courses.
In Sarawak, those who are found guilty of violating the Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1998, can be fined between RM10,000 and RM50,000, and sentenced to one to five years imprisonment.
