SFC raids restaurant serving sun bear dish, other exotic meat

MIRI: One man's exotic meat is a wildlife enforcement agency's taboo.

The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) enforcement unit on Tuesday (Nov 12) raided a restaurant in Selangau Bazaar, a transit point along the Pan Borneo Highway in central Sarawak, and found endangered wildlife on the menu, including a sun bear.

SFC chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton in a press statement on Wednesday (Nov 13) said the raid was carried out by its Sibu enforcement team.

"Acting on tip-off from the public, we raided the restaurant in Selangau and found many types of exotic meat being sold.

"There were meats of sun-bear, pangolin, soft-shell turtle, python, monitor lizard, bats and other wildlife.

"The restaurant owner and cook are being quizzed.

"We will bring them to court and charge them with illegal possession of wildlife meat," said Zolkipli.

The culprits face a jail term of at least one year and fine of at least RM10,000 if convicted, he added.

Zolkipli warned the public to stop eating wildlife.

"Stop the demand, then we can cut off the supply chain and stop the capture or killing of our wildlife," he said.

SFC is serious in wanting to put an end to the abuse and slaughter of wildlife through strict enforcement and education campaigns, he said.

Members of the public who have information on wildlife abuse can call the Sarawak Forestry Corporation hotlines.

These are in Kuching (019-8859996,016-8565564) in Sibu (019-8190140,019-8894474) in Bintulu (019-8223449,019-8332737) and in Miri (019-8224566,019-8290994).