AGRICULTURE and Agro-based Industry Minister Salahuddin Ayub welcomes Penang-based civil group Sahabat Alam Malaysia’s (SAM) call for animal abuse to be treated as seriously as crimes against people.

Cruelty against animals cannot be allowed, and the authorities will look into the views of civil society organisations on the matter, he said.

“We will have to look at the existing laws. We will ensure that the laws are followed, so that there will not be cases of animal abuse.

“Civil groups can also come forward to help us,” he told a press conference at the national-level Veterinary Services Department (DVS) convention and Innovation Day in Prai today.

Last week, SAM called on police and DVS, which comes under Salahuddin’s ministry, to treat animal abuse cases as seriously as they would crimes against people, like burglary.

SAM president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the number of animal abuse cases has gone up in the past five years, with 510 complaints recorded last year.

“The clamour to make jail time fit the crime of animal cruelty has never been louder, with ever-increasing demands for abusers to face punitive sentences that recognise the crime as a national scourge, and deter others from taking out their temper on or getting sadistic kicks from harming innocent creatures,” he said in a statement.

He also urged DVS to outlaw the eating of dog and cat meat in Malaysia.

Last month, the killing of a pregnant cat by three men, who tossed the animal into a clothes dryer at a launderette in Kuala Lumpur, caused a nationwide outcry.

Two of the suspects have pleaded not guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animal.

The third suspect was arrested earlier this week, and is under remand until Thursday to assist investigations into the case under Section 428 of the Penal Code for mischief by killing or maiming an animal. – October 9, 2018.