Smuggling of singing shamas rising

Bird rescue: Authorities with cages of white-rumped shama (pic, below) found at a premises in Kota Tinggi, believed to be used to store the birds before they are smuggled into Indonesia. — Perhilitan

PETALING JAYA: The number of white-rumped shama (murai batu) confiscated by the authorities before they could be smuggled into Indonesia has increased by about 185% last year.

This was despite much of last year being marked by restrictions under the movement control order since March.