RM60,000 for bird smuggling

The white-rumped shama or burung murai batu is a protected species in Malaysia. — filepic

JOHOR BARU: Two foreigners were fined RM60,000 by the Sessions Court here after pleading guilty to possessing some 247 white-rumped shama birds known as burung murai batu.

The accused Aat Yudiatno, 49, and Ernawan Hadianto, 25, pleaded guilty to keeping the birds, which are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 in the baggage compartment of an express bus.