Yolk blues album: One of the photos downloaded from the Walai Penyu Resort Libaran Facebook page that recently went viral.
THE STAR
KOTA KINABALU: The turtle egg eaters are in for another round of trouble after new photos, this time showing consumed eggs on the plates of a federal minister and Sabah Assemblyman at a dinner recently.
The new photographs went viral again on social media, after the first round early this month where Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob attended a dinner with Beluran Umno chief Datuk James Ratib.
After the first batch of photos went viral, Ismail denied eating turtle eggs offered at the dinner, saying that he was watching his cholesterol levels and Ratib had said he did not know what type of eggs were served.
In one of the earlier photographs taken at an event on Aug 29, Ismail was seen seated at the table near a plate of unconsumed turtle eggs.
Citing evidence based on four new photos posted by "Deadturtle Sabah" in the comments section of the Walai Penyu Resort Libaran Facebook page, several NGOs as well as research organisation Danau Girang Field Centre said the authorities must take necessary action regardless of the positions held by individuals in the photos.
“We are asking the Sabah Wildlife Department if they will charge the guests of the dinner for consuming, and the owner of the restaurant for serving eggs of a Totally Protected species,” they said in a joint statement yesterday.
In Parliament, Ismail Sabri continued to defend himself, saying that during a kenduri (feast), Muslims would serve beef.
“Just because there is beef, one cannot assume that the Hindus attending the kenduri will eat the beef. Hindus in Malaysia will not eat beef as it is against their religious belief.
“So, please do not assume that just because it is served on the table, one has eaten it,” he said before starting his ministry’s winding up speech for debate on the 2016 Budget.
