The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) seized 150kg of processed bird’s nest worth about RM250,000 for export to Vietnam at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Thursday (Sept 22).
Maqis Selangor director Mohd Sobri Md Hashim in a statement today said an inspection at 1pm conducted by officers from Maqis in collaboration with the Malaysia Airports Auxiliary Police, on a Vietnamese national found 15 boxes he was carrying did not have valid documents such as export permits and health certificates.
“Following that, the processed bird’s nest weighing 150kg were detained for further action,” he said.
Export of animal products without a valid permit is an offence. Offenders are liable to be fined not more than RM100,000 or jailed not more than six months or both if convicted.
Nostalgia for past delicacies, and the vanity that comes with craving their increasing rarity on the part of ignorant people who know no better how to spend their money, is raping the earth of every living species.
It is now, thanks to the learning of a few civilised people, possible for greedy and ignorant, unthinking people to obtain tools that can destroy any plant or animal on the planet.
Instead of using the tools made by others wisely (or being forced to do so by society and good governance) we see greedy criminals setting to work to extract every last piece of “value” from what they can kill. No thought to conserve life for the next generation, just cash for now.
These simple minded criminals have wreaked the planet and they sell their products to those who know no better: simple minded criminals like themselves who are happy to sit down at smart restaurants to guzzle turtle eggs, birds nest soup or satellite hunted tuna, all on the brink of extinction thanks to their base appetite.
The same sort of pampered idiots then go home to treat themselves with tiger penises, rhino horns and voodoo medicines until carried to hospital for wiser care.
Malaysia’s people and their government, which is presently full of politicians and officials who merely require the accepted backhanders (before eating such products themselves) must stand up for the native people who know how to husband these resources and protect them from such pillage.
They need to wake up fast and far more effectively to this trade in plants and creatures, for which Malaysia is a world famous hub. It is a trade far far far worse and more catastrophic than drug taking which punishes of itself and yet is treated in Malaysia as if it matters more.
Otherwise, it is Malaysia’s children who will be left with nothing to eat in a boiling desert.