| Another blot on Penang's wildlife record |
| Sunday, 27 February 2011 20:18 |
|
PENANG, which has earned some notoriety over illegal wildlife trade, has hit the headlines again -- this time over an attempt to smuggle over 135 pangolins into Thailand. Two men, believed to be part of an illegal wildlife trade syndicate, were arrested last Friday (Feb 25, 2011). The pangolins, listed as a protected species, are estimated to worth more than RM100,000. Officials say the smugglers' activities have been monitored for three to four months and they face up to RM350,000 in fines or 14-year prison sentences. Pangolins are highly demanded for their gastronomical and medicinal values. Read here. A magistrate's court in Butterworth has issued an order to release the pangolins into the wild. Jamalun Nasir Ibrahim, director of the Penang Wildlife and National Parks Department, said that tracking chips would be placed on some of the animals. Read here. Their DNA samples were also taken for record purposes before they were released at an undisclosed location. Read here.Back to the drawing board for FOI Bill? The MCA added its voice to the growing dissent over the Penang state government's proposed Freedom of Information Bill, saying that the people have the right to know the government's plans. Penang MCA Secretary Datuk Lau Chek Tuan claimed that the Bill is contrary to its intended spirit, and called upon the Penang Chinese Assembly Hall and Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerse to protest the Bill. Read here. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng admitted in public for the first time that the FOI Bill is faulty, but insists that its problems can be fixed. He added that the Bill was tabled in spite of the objections of the state legal adviser, Faiza Zulkifli. "All we have done was to table the first reading of the same Selangor bill and then we referred it to a select committee where we have invited the public to give feedback," he said. Further backing for state non-Islamic affairs portfolio The Penang state government received support for its non-Islamic affairs portfolio from the Anglican church, which urged the government to "act now". “We just want to say that, with this portfolio, we can push for our issues to be looked into,” said West Malaysia Anglican Diocese assistant bishop Andrew Phang. Read here. The federal government has been urged by an interfaith council to follow Penang's example and form a similar portfolio on a national level, echoing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's inaugural UN assembly address on choosing "moderation over extremism". “It is our fervent hope that all state governments will walk the talk of our Prime Minister and emulate the positive efforts of the Penang state government,” said Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hindusim, Sikhism and Taoism president Rev Thomas Philips. Read here. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is considering legal action against newspapers that have accused the state government of attempting to undermine the Muslim community via the portfolio. "I have explained many times the portfolio has been established by the Perak government under its Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir," he said. "Why is it when BN does it, it is right, but when Pakatan Rakyat does it, it is wrong?" Read here. Other news
For more news on Penang, please click through to iGT NetBuzz Feb 21 to 27, 2011 here. For daily updates, "like" iGeorgeTown on Facebook or join us on Twitter. Comments (0)
 Write comment
|
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
About us | Related Info | Copyright © Sympologic Sdn Bhd. All Rights Reserved. |
 |