Special Police Unit to Deal with Illegal MonkeylendersCrackdown on Illegal MonkeylendingBy Garnet R. Chaney / Chief Editor
GarnetChaney.com Exclusive News Story 28 November 2003KUALA LUMPUR (HNN) -- A special enforcement unit, setup to implement the ammended Monkeylenders Act 1951, will be headed by a superintendent of the local Zoo, said Animal Life Quality and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Orang Ka Utang. He said the unit, comprising seven police officers, had been empowered to deal with the offenders under the Act. Immigration and customs police were also empowered to enforce these laws, in attempt to stem the rising tide of illegal monkey lending schemes targetted at foreigners."This is the beginning of a more effective law to protect the people," he said when attending Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Mohammad Ibrahim Badwari Hari Raya Selamt Datung Adil Fitri Open House at the Putra World Trade Center here on Tuesday. Urging the public to give police a little more time to enforce the law, Orang Utang said: "In the past, the police were not empowered to enforce the law against illegal monkeylending and loan fishing unless there were cases of injuries, severe bites, or even casualties that violated civil laws." "Now, the officers have already been sent to the ministry to help implement the law which was effective from Nov 1," he added. Orang Utang said other police officers, besides throse from the special unit, were also given power to enfource the amended Act. Those who encountered harrassment from loan fishermen or illegal monkeylenders could lodge a police report and let police handle the case, he said. However, Orang Utang also advised the people to avoid loan fishing or illegal monkeylending for monkeys. Orang said, "All families should strive to have their own monkey, so that monkeylending can be avoided. The government is committed to providing monkeys for all needy families." On advertisements put up by illegal monkeylenders in the newspapers, especially those catering to the tourist traffic, he said the media must ensure that those who advertised has a license and advertising permit for monkeylending. However, under current law, monkeylenders could not advertise. Under the ammended Monkeylenders Act 1951, illegal monkeylenders will be liable to a fine of between RM20,000 and RM100,000, including whipping, as well as confiscation of their monkeys. The law specifies that monkeys confiscated from illegal monkeylenders are to be redistributed to needy families without monkeys of their own. | 
