Traders sold ornaments made of big cats’ claws, fangs or skin

Found in Translation logo 2014

SEVERAL businessmen have been fooled into buying ornaments made of tiger parts that were touted to contain magical powers to make their owners invincible.

The victims parted with hundreds of thousands of ringgit to own the gold-plated lockets and other ornaments made of tiger claws, fangs or skin, Metro Ahad reported.

A source said some businessmen were obsessed with tiger claws, which supposedly bring good luck and protection.

“There are some jewellery and antique stores that sell tiger claw ornaments, exclusively to fight health problems such as insomnia and to make buyers invincible.

“Other beliefs are that tiger whiskers and tails have magical properties to protect persons from black magic,” said the source.

The skin on a tiger’s forehead is considered the most expensive part as it is believed to bring a positive change to the fate of its owner.

A number of traditional healers also believe that tiger’s testicles and gall bladder could cure bone-related diseases, along with seizures, skin and joint problems.

Some believe the animal’s faeces, if eaten, could cure tumours, hae­morrhoids and alcohol addiction.

Perhilitan (Peninsular Malaysia) enforcement division chief Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said there were also syndicates that sold fake tiger parts made from plastic and cow skin that were merely painted over.

> A senior citizen and his foreign partner-in-crime swindled millions of ringgit from several businessmen on the pretext of nominating them to manage an “Islamic fund” for the poor.

Metro Ahad reported that the 71-year-old man worked with an African accomplice in his 30s.

A source was quoted as saying the senior citizen met potential “clients” at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur where he introduced his partner. Apparently, the African introduced himself as a sheikh or imam.

During their meeting, the conman would ask the victim to check piles of US dollars kept in a bag on a table, saying that the money was for an Islamic fund to help the poor.

In the latest incident, a 75-year-old company director was tricked into paying the suspects RM18mil in stages, with each transaction done at different parking lots.

Once he realised that he had been cheated, the director lodged a report with Bukit Aman on Aug 21. At least four other victims had lodged similar police reports.

A businessman, known only as Ali, 45, said the duo offered US$7mil (RM30.1mil) for him to manage the fund but he had to pay RM3mil to them as a “fee”.

“I paid RM200,000 initially but I got suspicious two weeks later because they were pressuring me to settle the remainder. I pulled out of the deal and demanded that they return the money I had paid to them. They could not be contacted after that,” he said.

?  Found in Translation is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.