Courts should be tough with them

Courts should be tough with them
15 Jun 2006
LORETTA ANN SOOSAYRAJ Petaling Jaya

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I REFER to the report where two men pleaded guilty to possessing 137 pangolins in Tanah Merah, Kelantan ("Pangolin tra- ders plead guilty" — NST, June 13).

Pangolins are totally protected under the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972.

Sentencing has been fixed for July 14 and the two men risk a maximum jail term of three years, a fine of RM3,000 or both on one charge, a jail term of up to six years, a RM6,000 fine or both on another charge, as well as a separate charge which carries a jail term of 10 years, a fine of RM10,000 or both.

This means that if the court decides to impose the maximum sentences for these two wildlife criminals, they could be behind bars for a total of 19 years each and be poorer by RM19,000.

The laws provide adequate penalties for these criminals. Now it is up to the courts to impose these penalties. For illegal wildlife dealers, even the maximum fines are usually not sufficient punishment.

But long custodial sentences could mean the difference. This will ensure they are physically unable to go back to the business of illegal wildlife trading and they can spend their time behind bars repenting.

And, hopefully, the memory of imprisonment will induce them to never return to their shady dealings once released.

Cruel trade

I REFER to the NST report on the pangolin smugglers. I hope that the two who pleaded guilty to possessing 137 pangolins in Tanah Merah are given the maximum sentence.

Not only did they break the law, they were cruel to animals and upset the balance of nature.

There have been many seizures of pangolins and turtles from Malaysia in Thailand. The animals are always in a terrible state. This cruel trade must stop.

LEONIE VEJJAJIVA

for Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand