Article: Report lodged against wildlife smuggler

Saturday August 22, 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of non-governmental organisations has lodged a police report against convicted wildlife smuggler Anson Wong.

The group included the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and the Customs Department in the report.

Speaking to reporters after lodging the report at the Brickfields Police Station, Malaysian Animal Rights Society president R. Surendran said:

"The reason we are lodging the police report is because, over the years Perhilitan has failed to take any action against Wong for smuggling and has even given Wong special permits to catch and keep animals.

"We know that one of the modus operandi of wildlife traffickers is to get permits to keep animals and later declare them dead, when in actual fact, it has been smuggled out of the country."

Last Friday, Surendran lodged a report

with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on possible corruption involving Perhilitan.

Also present with Surendran yesterday were representatives from the Malaysian Animal Welfare Society, Pet Positive and the Indepen-dent Living and Training Centre.

Two MPs – S. Manikavasagam (Kapar) and M. Manogaran (Teluk Intan) – accompanied the group. Manikavasagam said he would raise the issue in Parliament during the October meeting.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 22 August 2009