Malaysia: Man nabbed for selling pangolin on social media

Olivia Miwil New Straits Times 4 Jan 19;

The 20-year-old man from Kota Belud was caught red-handed by the personnel for possessing a live pangolin at the back bonnet of a car at 11am yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: A man who had used social media to sell a protected animal was arrested by Sabah Wildlife Department.

The 20-year-old man from Kota Belud was caught red-handed by the personnel for possessing a live pangolin at the back bonnet of a car at 11am yesterday.

“Acting on a tip-off from public, a team of four enforcement personnel was despatched to track and inspect a grey Proton Persona near a petrol station in Kota Belud town.

“Upon inspection, the team found a live pangolin in the back bonnet of the sedan car,” the department director Augustine Tuuga said in a statement, adding that the pangolin and the car were seized.

Possession of any animal under this schedule without any valid permits from the Sabah Wildlife Department is an offence under section 41 (1).

It is punishable under section 41 (4) (a) of the same Enactment which is a fine of not less than RM50,000 but not exceeding RM250,000 and imprisonment of not less than one year but not exceeding five years.

Augustine also stressed that the selling or offering of protected wildlife through social media such as WhatsApp and Facebook is widespread and active but the department will constantly monitor these activity.

“The department will constantly monitor these activities and strives to do the best possible even though the department has very limited capacity.”