Boars, monitor lizards, buffalos – now it's marauding monkeys in Melaka

MELAKA: Marauding macaques are causing fear in locals, the Melaka state assembly was told.

Allex Seah Shoo Chin (DAP-Kesidang) in his supplementary question to the house on Tuesday (Nov 19) said the primates were boldly stealing food and even setting upon children at Cheng Ria housing estate here.

"They (macaques) even smashed registration plates of vehicles parked in the housing estate," he told the assembly.

Seah said the primates seemed to be aggressive and could even be considered "professional thieves" as they trespassed homes only when there were no occupants during working hours.

According to him, troops of macaque would often be sighted at the housing estate situated in a suburban area.

Earlier, Mohd Rawi Mahmud (BN-Tanjung Bidara) asked the house on the measures taken by the state government in addressing the risks posed by wild animals.

State Agriculture, Agro-Based, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Committee chairman Norhizam Hassan Baktee replied that a number of primates had been trapped from January to October of this year.

Cages were also placed in various locations with a high population of the primates.

A brief exchange of barbs ensued between Norhizam and Opposition lawmakers when he took a question on efforts to reduce the population of wild boars in the state.