By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Feb 7: A 51-year-old woman was fined RM12,000 in default 14 months jail by the Sessions Court for trespassing, removing soil, and constructing an unauthorised structure within the Dered Krian National Park in Bau.
The accused, an Indonesian national who is a permanent resident of Malaysia, pleaded guilty to three charges before Judge Iris Awen Jon.
She faced charges under the National Parks and Nature Reserves Ordinance 1998 (Chapter 27).
The first charge, under Section 26(a), was for unlawfully entering Gunung Tabai within the national park without permission from the park authority.
The second charge, under Section 26(g), was for extracting soil with scientific value from the protected area without approval from the forestry officer.
The third charge, under Section 26(i), was for illegally constructing a hut within the national park without authorisation.
All three offenses were committed at approximately 9.30am on August 24, 2024.
According to case facts, officers from the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) were conducting a routine patrol within Gunung Tabai when they encountered the accused at the site.
She was found in a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle carrying 31 sacks of soil, and a makeshift hut was also discovered nearby.
Further investigation revealed that the vehicle belonged to her son. The accused failed to provide any valid permits allowing her to enter the national park, extract soil, or construct a structure within the protected area.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Aiman Nabila Alwi led the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyer Tiong Ing Neng. — DayakDaily
