KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — An pet shop owner pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today with unlawful possession of wildlife, comprising two oriental-white-eye birds and two magpies.

Khoo Soo Hah, 68, made the plea after the charges were read out to him in Mandarin before judge Wan Mohd Norhisham Wan Yaakob.

He was charged with unlawful possession of the four birds, with the scientific name Zosterops Palpebrosan and Copsychus Malabaricus, respectively, and are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, at a house in Jalan Jinjang Damai 3, Jinjang Utara, here at 9.50am on August 31, 2014.

The charge, under Section 60(1)(a) of the Wildlife Conservation Act, provides a fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both, if found guilty.

The court set August 20 for mention.

Prosecuting officer from the Kuala Lumpur Wildlife Department, Nazarudin Kamarudin prosecuted, while Khoo was unrepresented. — Bernama