Animal cruelty in Malaysia is common due to poor enforcement of related laws, according to Paws Animal Welfare Society. Its public relations officer Jonathan Yeoh said the Animal Welfare Act 2015 serves to hold animal abusers accountable and is an update over the previous law enacted in 1953. In one incident he related, a teenager was caught on camera hitting and setting a stray dog on fire, but he got off with a one-year good behaviour bond and was granted bail of RM10,000. Yeoh said under the Act, an individual could be fined up to RM100,000, a maximum imprisonment of three years, or both. (Pic) Yeoh said the Selangor government is looking into more humane ways of catching strays. ADIB RAWI YAHYA THESUN
