New Straits Times 23 Aug 10;
SANDAKAN: The "OK" hand sign where the thumb and index finger forms an "O" means different here. It means turtle eggs.
Walk along Jalan Pryer here during the day and groups of people standing on the sidewalk will show the sign indicating they have turtle eggs for sale.
The street touts keep the eggs, priced from RM1.50 to RM2 each, in cars parked in the vicinity, staircases or even in boxes on the sidewalk.
When approached recently, a seller claimed the eggs were from the Philippines and boasted of a regular supply if the demand arises.
"If you intend to re-sell them in KK (Kota Kinabalu) I can supply you about 100 eggs at least twice a week," said the seller, who identified himself as Jan.
On the risk of being caught, Jan pointed to a nearby police beat base at the adjacent Jalan Tiga and bragged: "I am still here. The authorities cannot catch us.
"As for the MPS (Sandakan Municipal Council) enforcement officers, they only check the market," he said of the central market located across the road.
Turtles are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 in Sabah and the Fisheries Act 1985, Customs Act 1967 and Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 at Federal level.
In Sabah, two government bodies that oversee the management of turtles are the Sabah Parks and the Sabah Wildlife Department.
The ban includes consumption and sales of the eggs and those convicted under the enactment can be fined up to RM50,000 or five years' jail or both.
State Wildlife Department director Laurentius Ambu said turtle eggs were still sold discreetly in major towns across the state but most of the supply came from a neighbouring country.
"There is no total ban by our neighbours and that is one reason why the eggs could still be smuggled into the state. Our borders are too 'porous' when it comes to detecting the eggs.
"We do enforcement and patrolling but our numbers are small.
"In Sandakan, for instance, there was one time when an off-duty wildlife personnel was pushed into the sea at the market. Not that we feel threatened, but the fact that the turtle egg sellers do not fear us is what we are more concerned about."
Laurentius, however, believes that with cooperation from the police, the local authorities and even the Customs department, the problem could be curbed.
"Our tourism industry and our eco-system are dependent on the survival of the turtles. We need to be more committed in protecting the species."
