The Star 9 Sep 10;
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government wants a probe on why convicted wildlife trafficker Anson Wong’s two Bengal tigers were transferred to another location without any proper documentation.
State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said there were “no documents” on the transfer of the tigers to a private location near the Teluk Bahang Forest Reserve on July 29 last year.
“Last year, we asked the state Wildlife and National Park Department (Perhilitan) to reveal details of the special permit and licences it issued to Wong but so far we have not seen the official documents of transfer,’’ he said.
The endangered tigers, previously kept at the Bukit Jambul Hibiscus, Orchids and Reptile Farm in Bukit Jambul, will eventually be housed in a reptile garden at the forest reserve.
Current Perhilitan director Noor Alif Wira Osman, who has gone on leave, will be transferred to another state effective Oct 1.
Phee said the state would arrange for a meeting with the new director to get to the bottom of things and stressed that it had never dealt with Wong.
Ninety-five boa constrictors, two rhinoceros vipers and a matamata turtle were found by baggage handlers in Wong’s check-in suitcase during his transit through KLIA from Penang on a flight bound for Jakarta.
Chua criticises mild penalties for smuggler
The Star 9 Sep 10;
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has criticised the mild punishment given to “Lizard King” Anson Wong.
Through his Twitter account yesterday, Dr Chua said Wong should have been given a heftier fine and jail sentence, and that most Malaysians were not sensitive enough about protecting the country’s flora and fauna.
In another update about 15 minutes later, he said: “Perhilitan Department is grossly understaffed, enforcement is weak.”
Perhilitan detained Wong for smuggling 95 endangered boa constrictors without a permit at KL International Airport on Aug 26.
Wong, who was on transit from Penang to Jakarta when he was caught, was sentenced to six months’ jail and fined RM190,000 by the Sepang Sessions Court on Monday.
The International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 for each animal smuggled, and provides for a maximum sentence of seven years’ jail for illegal wildlife trafficking.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers has filed an appeal against the sentence.
Penang airport probes into inside job in snake fiasco
New Straits Times 9 Sep 10;
GEORGE TOWN: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) yesterday defended its security at the airport here after a wildlife trafficker slipped nearly 100 boa constrictors into a plane.
Authorities at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport arrested Anson Wong Keng Liang on Aug 26 when they found 95 boa constrictors, together with other snakes and a turtle, in his bag.
The bag had broken open on a conveyer belt at the KLIA while on transit to Indonesia.
MAHB senior general manager of operations Datuk Azmi Murad said the airport's security was of international standards and comparable with that of all airports in the world.
He said it had launched an investigation into the incident, but had yet to lodge a police report.
It is understood that MAHB is looking into the possibility of an inside job as no security officer had detected the snakes despite them going through scanners at the airport.
"We fulfil all international requirements.
"We have never compromised the safety of our passengers and aircraft," Azmi said.
"We will investigate the matter and get to the bottom of things."
Wong, 52, had served time in the United States nine years ago for animal trafficking. He was on Monday fined RM190,000 and sentenced to six months in jail for trying to smuggle the endangered species without a permit.
However, some people said his sentence was too light.
State police chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob said police would not investigate the matter as no one had lodged a report.
