Politicians, State Officials Urged to Surrender Endangered Animal
21 November 2017 12:40 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Environment and Forestry Ministry official Wiratno has urged politicians and state officials to voluntarily surrender endangered animals kept in their homes to authorities. “They ought to set good examples to the people,” Wiratno was quoted as saying by Tempo magazine in this week edition’s investigative report.
Tempo learned that the endangered animals were found in villas belong to the People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Zulkifli Hasan, the House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon and House’s Legal Commission Speaker Bambang Soesatyo. Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya also had an endangered bird from an obscured source. But the politicians and state officials have claimed that they have a permit to own endangered animals.
Wiratno said that some state officials have already secured such a permit. Some have already filed for one.
The Ministry has promised to examine the endangered animals’ health. Wiratno has also sent a team to inspect the animal cage quality. “If needed be, the animals can be confiscated,” he stated.
TEMPO TEAM