MALAY MAIL (Malaysia) 30 August 10 No Perhilitan protection for 'Lizard King' - Wildlife Dept couldn't nab 'Lizard King' Wong without proof, until now (Ikram Ismail)

Kuala Lumpur: The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) denies allegations it is protecting Anson Wong Keng Liang after he was arrested and jailed in the United States for 71 months in 2000.

"We are not protecting Wong. We could not detain him before as there was no evidence. However, that changed last Thursday," Perhilitan deputy director-general Misliah Mohamad Basir told The Malay Mail.

Notorious animal smuggler “Lizard King” Wong, who earned the nickname for reportedly being the biggest global animal dealer, was arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Thursday while on transit from Penang to Jakarta.

Checks found his luggage contained 95 snakes, including boa constrictors, two rhinoceros vipers and one matamata turtle.

Misliah said: "We deny the accusation by Malaysian Animal Rights Society president N. Surendran. Perhilitan only approved a 'special licence' to Wong to take care of his own pets."

Surendran had blamed Sarawak's Environment and Public Health Ministry (MOEPH) and Perhilitan for "allowing" Wong to continue his wildlife trade.

"In our procedures for applying for such licences, an applicant must come to our office personally, so it was impossible for Wong to apply because he was jailed in the US at the time," said Misliah.

Wong was remanded for four days after Perhilitan obtained a magistrate's court warrant to detain him.

"Wong will be charged under Appendix II of the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 which carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 for each animal found being smuggled, or imprisoned up to seven years, or both."
Wildlife Dept couldn't nab 'Lizard King' Wong without proof

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