KUCHING, Jan 26: A 39-year-old Indonesian woman pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here to smuggling 1,060 white-rumped shama (Burung Murai Batu) and Oriental magpie-robin (Burung Murai Kampung) discovered during a raid conducted along a “jalan tikus” in Tebedu.
Sessions Court Judge Afidah binti Abdul Rahman meted out the sentence after the accused Busidah pleaded guilty to the charges and the prosecution was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Hisyamudin Roslan.
The accused was sentenced to a fine of RM115,600, or in default 18 months’ imprisonment for two charges.
According to Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton in a statement, the raid was conducted based on information received.
“A total of 1,060 white-rumped shama (Burung Murai Batu) and Oriental magpie-robin (Burung Murai Kampung) was seized during the raid and have been sent to Matang Wildlife Centre,” he disclosed.
Busidah was fined RM10,000 or in default six months’ jail for the first charge of possessing a protected animal without permission under section 37(2)(b) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998 on January 6, 2020.
For the second charge, she was also sentenced to a fine of RM105,600 or in default twelve months’ jail for possessing Oriental magpie-robins without a licence under Section 37(2)(c) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998 on the same day and place.
Busidah was arrested in a joint operation conducted by SFC, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Batalion 11 of the General Operations Force (PGA) on Jan 6, 2020. — DayakDaily
