Government ready to amend wildlife conservation act 2010: Wan Junaidi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment hope to plug loopholes involved in the illicit wildlife trade by amending the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 said its minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
Wan Junaidi said the ministry's jurisdiction to seek legal redress against illicit wildlife trade transacted online was limited because there was no special provision in the legislation to charge or take legal action against online wildlife trade.
"We have come across numerous online illicit wildlife trade transactions done online because these is the digital era. The information and data that we collect from such online transactions cannot be used in court," he said at the Dewan Rakyat when answering a question from Datuk Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Tasek Gelugor) who wanted to know action taken by the government to curb illicit
wildlife trade carried out online.
Wan Junaidi said he had directed the ministry's legal advisers to discuss the proposed amendments with the Attorney General's Chamber.
He said the proposal includes heavier punishment and penalties for illicit wildlife traders. — Bernama