JUDICIARY WORKSHOP ON WILDLIFE CRIME

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Bernama) -- To counter illegal trade in wildlife, a two-day judiciary workshop, 'Wildlife Crime and Prosecution', will be held for magistrates and prosecutors, beginning Tuesday.

It is the fifth in a series of workshops sponsored by the United States
Agency for International Development, and supported by the Federal Courts
of Malaysia.

The workshop is organised by the Asean Wildlife Enforcement Network Support
(Asean-Wen) Program.

According to a statement issued by Asean-Wen here Monday, the workshop is
aimed at developing awareness and interest within the judiciary, on the
importance of prosecution of wildlife crimes in Malaysia.

It said this was because, illegal trade in wildlife had become a major
threat to the biodiversity of Southeast Asia.

"With Malaysia's central location within the region, it is not only a source
country supplying local and overseas markets, but also a major transit country,"
it added.

The statement said the workshop did not include magistrates and prosecutors
from Sabah and Sarawak as both states followed different laws pertaining to
wildlife crime and prosecution.

Besides magistrates and prosecutors from areas identified as wildlife
trade hotspots, representatives from key government agencies, including the
Department and National Parks (Perhilitan), will attend the workshop, it said.
-- BERNAMA