05/02/2026
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: It's a guilty verdict: Two years jail and MYR 300,000 in fines for a Malaysian businessman accused of illegally keeping a framed tiger skin a luxury condominium, a court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ruled today
However, Ng Sing Huat's jail sentence is on hold until the case is appealed to a higher court, with the appeal expected to be filed today. However, Judge Mohd Zaki Mohd Salleh ordered the fine to be paid, the bail raised and Ng's passport to be withheld.
The framed tiger skin, was seized in August 2022 following a public tip off. The skin was subsequently determined through DNA testing to be genuine - that of a tiger.
The 51-year-old faces one charge under Section 68(1)(b) of the Wildlife Conservation Act and could be fined between MYR100,000 (USD24,000) and MYR500,000 (USD119,000) and up to 5 years in jail if convicted. He had plead not guilty in March 2024.
In mitigation, Ng's lawyer Hasshahari Johari Mawi argued that the offence was one of 'illegally keeping' and not of 'killing, snaring, injuring, caging or catching' the animal. They characterised the offence as a violation of government policy.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Amanina Mohd Anuar meanwhile argued that the tiger was a silent victim, unable to defend itself against poachers nor seek justice in court. She stressed the heightened threat to already Critically Endangered tigers, leading to Malaysia raising both jail and fines allowed under the law.
In delivering his sentence, the judge acknowledged the importance of the government policy to protect wildlife including tigers. He also acknowledged the tiger's circumstance as a silent victim. Mohd Zaki said the sentence should serve as a reminder to others not to do the same. He added that it should serve as a reminder to everyone to extend the sympathy and empathy they have for their pets to wild animals.
Tigers are heavily targeted by poaching and trafficking worldwide, with Malaysia estimating its population of wild tigers to be less than 150 individuals. All parts of tigers are in demand for a wide variety of uses ranging from traditional cures to decoration.
Our previous posts from court: https://tinyurl.com/48p9s34s
// https://tinyurl.com/fyumxzzy and https://tinyurl.com/2tszbnck
More on the case and tigers: https://www.bernama.com/en/news.php?id
Jabatan PERHILITAN Semenanjung Malaysia
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: Bersalah!: BegiItu lah keputusan mahkamah yang mensabitkan seorang ahli perniagaan warga Malaysia di atas kesalahan menyimpan kulit harimau tanpa permit di sebuah kondominium mewah di Kuala Lumpur. Tertuduh dijatuhi hukuman penjara dua tahun dan denda RM300,000.
Bagaimanapun, pelaksanaan hukuman penjara terhadap Datuk Seri Ng Sing Huat ditangguhkan sementara menunggu rayuan ke Mahkamah Tinggi, yang dijangka difailkan hari pada hari yang sama di jatuh hukum. Namun begitu, Hakim Mohd Zaki Mohd Salleh mengarahkan supaya denda dibayar, wang jaminan dinaikkan, serta pasport Ng ditahan oleh mahkamah.
Kulit harimau yang dibingkaikan itu telah dirampas pada Ogos 2022 susulan maklumat awam. Ujian DNA kemudiannya mengesahkan bahawa kulit tersebut adalah tulen dan berasal daripada seekor harimau.
Tertuduh yang kini berusia 51 tahun itu berdepan satu pertuduhan di bawah Seksyen 68(1)(b) Akta Pemuliharaan Hidupan Liar, yang memperuntukkan hukuman denda antara RM100,000 (USD24,000) hingga RM500,000 (USD119,000) dan penjara sehingga lima tahun jika disabitkan kesalahan. Beliau telah mengaku tidak bersalah pada Mac 2024.
Dalam rayuan mitigasi, peguam Ng, Hasshahari Johari Mawi, berhujah bahawa kesalahan tersebut adalah berkaitan dengan āmenyimpan secara haramā dan bukannya melibatkan perbuatan āmembunuh, menjerat, mencederakan, mengurung atau menangkapā haiwan tersebut. Pihak pembelaan turut menyifatkan kesalahan itu sebagai satu pelanggaran terhadap dasar kerajaan.
Sementara itu, Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Amanina Mohd Anuar, berhujah bahawa harimau tersebut merupakan mangsa ābisuā yang tidak berupaya mempertahankan diri daripada pemburuan haram dan tidak mampu menuntut keadilan di mahkamah. Beliau menegaskan bahawa ancaman terhadap harimau yang kini berstatus Sangat Terancam (Critically Endangered) semakin meningkat, justeru mendorong Malaysia menaikkan kadar hukuman penjara dan denda di bawah undang-undang sedia ada.
Dalam penghakimannya, hakim mengakui kepentingan dasar kerajaan dalam melindungi hidupan liar termasuk harimau, serta mengiktiraf keadaan harimau sebagai mangsa bisu. Mohd Zaki berkata hukuman yang dijatuhkan harus menjadi peringatan kepada orang ramai agar tidak melakukan kesalahan yang sama. Beliau turut menambah bahawa masyarakat perlu meluaskan rasa simpati dan empati yang diberikan kepada haiwan peliharaan mereka kepada hidupan liar.
Harimau merupakan antara spesies yang paling kerap menjadi kepada pemburuan haram dan pemerdagangan di seluruh dunia. Di Malaysia, populasi harimau liar dianggarkan kurang daripada 150 ekor. Semua bahagian harimau mempunyai permintaan tinggi untuk pelbagai kegunaan, daripada perubatan tradisional hingga hiasan.
