Thursday September 23, 2010
Pakistani fined RM16,000 for having endangered birds
KUALA LUMPUR: A Pakistani textile salesman was fined RM16,000 after he pleaded guilty to possessing two Cenderawasih birds, an endangered species, and two Palm Cockatoo feathers without permit. Abdul Ghaffar Abdul Razzaq, 43, was charged with committing the offences at a rented house in Jalan Metro Perdana 2, Taman Usahawan Kepong, here, at 3.30pm on Aug 12.
Abdul Ghaffar, who faced up to seven years in jail or a RM100,000 fine per animal or both under Section 12(a) of the International Trade of Endangered Species Act, pleaded his guilty when his case was called up for mention yesterday. Pleading for leniency, his lawyer Syed Fadzil Syed Shamsuddin said his client had three young children and a sickly wife to take care of.
He said Abdul Ghaffar’s home in Karachi, Pakistan, had also been affected by floods and that he did not have a fixed salary. However, prosecuting officer Shamsuddin Osman from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, asked for a deterrent sentence, adding that the Government was serious in protecting wildlife.
Shamsuddin said the court should impose a sentence which would serve as lesson because Malaysia had been linked to wildlife smuggling. He said magistrate Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin should also consider that the charges were framed under the provisions of a new law to protect endangered species. Cenderawasih – from the rare Bird of Paradise family – is found in Papua, Indonesia.
