SHAH ALAM: The Sessions Court here today ordered two Indonesian men to be jailed for six months each for feeding a flock of pigeons with poison.

Judge Rasyihah Ghazali handed down the sentence on Fathur Rosi Arsijo, 22, and Abdul Rahman Sauji, 32, who pleaded guilty to the charge.

The two men, both cleaners, were ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrest which was last July 26.

Meanwhile, the court set Nov 17 for case management of two others, Noor Hazirah Masuan, 32, and Nurul Najwa Shafikah Zukri, 22, who were jointly charged with the two Indonesian men.

The two women, both administrative assistants, had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

They were jointly charged with feeding the pigeons with poison in front of a factory at Batu Tiga here at 3.53 pm last July 21.

The charge was framed under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Animal Welfare Act which provides a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both, upon conviction.

Prosecuting officer from the Veterinary Service Department Mohd Sharif Sabran prosecuted, while lawyer Nur Iwani Izzaty represented Noor Hazirah and Nurul Najwa Shafikah. The two Indonesian men were unrepresented.

According to the facts of the case, acting on information, a team from the Selangor Animal Welfare Office went to a factory in Batu Tiga at 11.10 pm last July 21 and found pigeon carcasses and leftover corn food on the ground.

The team took some of the pigeon carcasses and leftovers of the animal feed for analysis and then lodged a police report.

-- BERNAMA