SINGAPOREAN actor Datuk Aaron Aziz denied being an animal abuser following criticisms over a video showing him placing a python above a cage filled with kittens, Berita Harian reported.
Expressing remorse, he said he did this only because he was excited to be recording a snake for the first time.
According to Aaron, he had asked the snake owner several times whether his action would endanger the kittens inside the cage.
He said the snake owner had said this would not put the kittens in any danger because snakes only eat rabbits.
“While the snake was above the cage, the mother cat did not show any reaction of being threatened such as hissing, while the kittens slept soundly,” he was quoted as saying in a four-minute Instagram video.
Aaron said throughout the recording process, the kittens were never out of his sight.
“Besides, we had 11 people responsible for the safety of the cats and snakes in the location,” he said.
In any case, Aaron said he accepted the criticisms, adding that he was a pet lover.
“Anyone wants to insult me or call me stupid, go ahead. I have nine pet cats and it is impossible that I would betray them,” he said.
> Three wild elephants are believed to have destroyed more than 2,000 banana trees in Kampung Air Merah, Kelantan, Sinar Harian reported.
Farm owner Abu Sufian Hasan said the latest incident took place last Saturday after banana trees in a 2.4ha farm were destroyed.
“The banana trees were bearing fruit after having been planted in November last year.
“The bananas should have been picked within two months, but unfortunately, many were destroyed and damaged by elephants,” said the 42-year-old.
The father of three said the elephants damaged the trees to get at the pulp.
“This has caused us to suffer big losses. We notified the Kelantan Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) and the Tanah Merah farming office. Their officers have conducted inspections,” said Abu Sufian.
Another farmer, Rohana Mat Nor, 42, said over 300 of her banana trees had been destroyed.
“This was not the first attack. There were numerous occasions when elephants came and destroyed our crops.
“I myself have seen more than 1,000 banana bunches destroyed by wild elephants. My family’s income depends on the sale of banana chips from these trees,” she said.
Rohana said her husband had withdrawn savings from his retirement fund to start their business two years ago.
● The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.
