Three Indonesians arrested for breaking and entering the Matang Natural Reserve

KUCHING, Sept. 21: Three Indonesians were arrested by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) on suspicion of breaching Matang Nature Reserve without a permit yesterday.

The arrest was made by the SFC ranger in a law enforcement operation after all three suspects were spotted inside the reserve.

According to SFC, the operation also resulted in the seizure of one unit of mist net (mist net), two blades, a bird cage and a plastic jar containing fish.

"All suspects were then taken to Kuching Central Police Station for further action.

"This morning, a four-day restraining order was filed in Kuching District Court to allow further investigation", according to the statement.

The court granted the application and all three suspects were remanded in custody until 25 September 2026.

The SFC maintains that any trespass, unauthorized entry or illegal activity in a fully protected area (TPAs) is a serious offense and should not be taken lightly.

SFC will also continue to activate patrols, monitoring and enforcement actions to protect nature reserves, wildlife habitats and biodiversity of Sarawak from illegal activities.