R.AGE report on pangolin trade triggers corruption probe

Innocent victim: A pangolin is transported to the forest for release by Perhilitan officers, after being rescued from wildlife traders. Pangolins are widely considered the world’s most trafficked mammal, prized for its meat and purported medicinal benefits of its scales.

PETALING JAYA: R.AGE’s expose on the involvement of Malaysian police in the smuggling of endangered pangolins has triggered an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

“We have conducted undercover work and exposed corruption practices at our border (in the past), but we never looked into corruption in wildlife smuggling specifically,” said MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki when contacted yesterday.