KOTA KINABALU: A Sarawakian man was fined RM10,000 in default five months' jail for illegally importing 10 dogs of various breeds into Sabah.
One of the dogs had also tested positive for rabies.
Alex Liaw Wei Siang, 33, pleaded guilty before Session Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat to committing the offence under Section 15(2) of the Animal Enactment 2015.
The punishment provides a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both, upon conviction.
In his judgment, Abu Bakar said although the accused pleaded guilty, the court must send a clear message that the offence is a serious one.
The judge said the accused's claim that he had no knowledge of the illegality could not be accepted as ignorance of the law was no excuse.
Liaw, who worked as a lorry driver, was nabbed on Dec 8, 2020, at 4.30pm in front of the Animal Quarantine Station of the Sabah Veterinary Service Department (DVS) in Sindumin, Sipitang.
The dogs comprised three Schnauzers, four Welsh Corgi, a female Pug, a female Chihuahua and a male poodle.
According to the facts of the case, DVS officials were conducting a routine inspection at the Quarantine Station in Sindumin, Sipitang, when they discovered the dogs hidden in a container truck driven by Liaw.
Liow had failed to produce the necessary documents for the animals. A police report was then lodged.
During mitigation, Liow, who was unrepresented, asked for a lenient sentence as he was a first-time offender.
In reply, Dr Zul Bahar Abdul Rashid from the DVS, who prosecuted, urged for a deterrent sentence.
He said two dogs died at the Animal Detention Centre in Menumbok while one tested positive for rabies. The rest were destroyed for fear of contracting rabies.
"Rabies is a zoonotic disease that kills 99 percent of victims whenever clinical signs are detected.
"Since the rabies outbreak was declared on Sarawak in 2017, the state has recorded 35 cases with 33 deaths.
"The media has also reported that millions of ringgit has been spent on curbing the disease in Sarawak.
"If the accused was not detained at the entrance, Sabah could have suffered the same fate as Sarawak," he said.
The accused paid the fine.