The police will recommend mandatory whipping for criminals involved in smuggling of wildlife.

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said he would send the recommendation to the Legal Affairs Division for tougher penalties against such offenders as an initiative to combat the issue of poaching and wildlife trafficking in the country.

“The police will also mobilise elements under the Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA), including the air branch and marine police through the Ops Bersepadu Khazanah to assist the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to combat wildlife crime in the jungle, air and sea.

“The operations, previously coordinated by the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK), is also boosted by the expertise of the Elite Senoi Praaq Team of Battalion 3 and the General Operations Force, from Battalion 18, which is under KDNKA, comprising the Orang Asli who are highly skilled and capable of tracking down enemies in the forest," he said.

Hamid said this at a press conference at the opening of Ops Bersepadu Khazanah at the 3rd Battalion, General Operations Force in Bidor today.

Also present was Perhilitan director-general Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim.

Hamid said 13 routes believed to be often used by smugglers of wildlife and forest resources throughout the country have been identified, including in Sabah and Sarawak, Padang Besar, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Pengkalan Hulu, Rantau Panjang, Bukit Bunga, Sungai Besi Southern Integrated Terminal and KLIA.

He said the first phase of Ops Bersepadu Khazanah, involving 57 personnel comprising the Senoi Praaq, marine police and 22 Perhilitan personnel, would focus on the northern zone, involving areas in Ulu Muda, Bintang Hijau, Tasik Banding, Temenggor, Belum and Bintang Hijau Belum.

Meanwhile,  Hamid said the police would tighten conditions for the issuance of firearms licences and hunting permits to protect endangered wildlife, as there were also locals among the illegal hunters who were caught.

“A total of 7,400 of the nearly 30,000 who obtained firearms licences were given hunting permits, so we will tighten the terms and conditions by revoking the permits of those who are no longer relevant to prevent the permits from being used to hunt animals in the forest.

“The hunting permit is issued not to give freedom to the people to carry out hunting activities freely in the jungle, but it has to meet the conditions set by Wildlife Department,” he said.

Hamid said since 2017, 154 arrests have been made for cases involving exotic animals and flora involving locals and foreigners, who included from China, Indonesia and the Philippines.

He said the total value of the seizures during the same period was over RM51 million, and the seizures included sea sand, timber, mangrove logs, orang utan, civet, white-rumped shama and turtle shells, as well as vehicles used in the smuggling activities.

- Bernama