A cook pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to a charge of possessing a pangolin, a fully protected wildlife species, at a resort in Semporna.
The accused, Mohammad Ali Iqram Thien Abdullah, 45, entered the plea after the charge was read before Judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahaya.
According to the charge, the man was found in possession of a live Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) discovered inside a black plastic container at about 5.35pm on February 23 at the resort.
The animal is a fully protected species as listed under Schedule 1, Part 1, No. 13 of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, and the possession was allegedly without any valid permit under the same enactment.
He was charged under Section 41(1) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, which carries punishment under Section 41(4)(a) of the same enactment.
If convicted, he faces a fine of not less than RM50,000 and not more than RM250,000, and imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than five years.
The accused was allowed bail of RM15,000 with one surety, and his passport was ordered to be surrendered to the court.
He was also instructed not to interfere with prosecution witnesses.
The prosecution was conducted by prosecuting officer Primus Lambut, while the accused was represented by counsel Lim Chun Yuan.
