MIRI, Oct 4: Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon lodged a police report this morning after discovering a number of dog carcasses in the drain at the Miri Kuala Baram Waste Disposal site.
Dr Ting said he was alerted by a member of the public at about 2pm on Tuesday (Oct 2) that dead dogs were being dumped into the drain, and he personally went to the site to verify the claim at about 3pm yesterday.
“I was also informed that many dogs in the pound were given inadequate food and water,” he told reporters here today.
He claimed that when he visited the site, which is near the Truck Weighing Station, he saw 32 dogs being kept in the pound, and two women who claimed to be Miri City Council (MCC) workers were manning the place.
Upon seeing dog carcasses in the drain across the pound, he talked to several nearby residents and the two MCC workers. From the feedback gathered, Dr Ting suspected that the carcasses were dumped into the drain by council workers.
“From the state of decomposition of the remains, I believe these dogs were disposed into the drain from a few weeks ago to as recent as a day ago,” he said.
Dr Ting asserted that it was unlawful for any person or authority to cast dead or infected animals into any drain, stream, river, street or open space (Laws of Sarawak, Chapter 32, Veterinary Public Health Ordinance, 1999).
He urged the police to probe this case as the city was recently declared a rabies infected area.
“In view of the press statement by the Miri city mayor yesterday that 1,470 dogs have been caught since July 2017 by the Miri City Council, I would like the police to investigate whether these 1,470 dogs have been disposed in accordance with the law and that all appropriate documentation were carried out,”said Dr Ting.
He added that such an investigation was crucial to determine whether the council or its representatives had been cruel to animals or otherwise.
Meanwhile, when approached later this morning at a press conference for the 1st Miri International Tourism photography competition, Miri Mayor Adam Yii declined to comment on Dr Ting’s police report.
“Wait until I receive the full report over the issues; once received (internal investigation) then I’ll let you (media) know,” Yii said. — DayakDaily
