KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) arrested nine foreigners and two locals for trespassing into Taman Negara and storing various wildlife parts last month.

Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar said arrests were conducted at the Terengganu National Park, Sungai Yu Forest Reserve, Pahang, Ladang Kim Sam, Gua Musang, Kelantan, and at the Lesong Forest Reserve, Rompin, Pahang, where the two locals were arrested.

He said they were all investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716).

"Perhilitan will carry out deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing on the seized items to verify the wildlife species involved. It will conduct the forensic tests at its National Wildlife Forensic Laboratory,” he said in a statement here today.

Commenting on the arrests at the Terengganu National Park on May 29, Dr Xavier said three Cambodians were arrested and several wildlife parts and forest products were confiscated.

Among the seized items were 105 units of pangolin scales, nine packets of meat believed to be wildlife meat, a pair of wildlife jaws, three units of wildlife fangs, four units of hedgehog spines and various types of hunting equipment.

Meanwhile, Dr Xavier reiterated his ministry’s seriousness in the conservation of wildlife particularly Malaysian tigers.

There were now less than 200 Malaysian tigers in the Peninsula, he added.

"The activities of poachers and wildlife criminals are inhumane... the ministry is very serious and will intensify operations to track and capture the culprits.

"The ministry is issuing a stern warning to all parties to obey the law,” Dr Xavier said. — Bernama