SIBU: An Indonesian man was sentenced to a year in jail and a RM50,850 fine by the Miri Sessions Court on Wednesday (Jan 19) after pleading guilty to possessing 5,058 pangolin scales without a valid licence or permit.

       The Sarawak Forestry Corporation said that the sentence was handed down to 32-year-old Agus Tallasi by Sessions Court Judge Mohd Taufik Mohd, adding that he was originally charged with an offence under Section 29(2) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998.

       "SFC would like to extend our gratitude to the public and the other enforcement agencies for their continuous support in battling wildlife crime in Sarawak," it said.

       It also called on the public who have information on those who are capturing, hunting, trading, or keeping protected wildlife to call the Department's hotlines at 019-8859996 (Kuching), 019-8883561 (Sibu), 019-8332737 (Bintulu), or 019-8290994 (Miri).