KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Polo Association has denied involvement in the alleged cruelty or neglect of animals, specifically the 10 horses in Tuaran that have recently sparked viral outrage.
Its chairman, Johnson Or, spoke out against the public backlash following viral posts and media reports highlighting these horses' emaciated and severely malnourished condition and images displaying visible wounds.
"Since the pictures came to light, the Sabah Polo Association has been inundated with calls accusing us of ill-treating and neglecting the horses.
"The Sabah Polo Association wishes to clear the misunderstanding that these horses neither belong to the association nor have they been neglected or ill-treated by the association," he said, adding that the association had 35 members.
Or also made it clear that the responsibility for the maintenance and care of those horses does not fall under the purview of the Sabah Polo Association but, instead, rests with the specific establishment involved.
Nonetheless, the association took it upon itself to check on the horses involved, and he assured that the officers from the state Veterinary Services Department had tended to the matter.
Or expressed confidence in the department's ability to carry out a professional, diligent, and fair investigation in line with their established standards and regulations.
He also urged patience among the public, requesting that everyone await the findings and actions taken by the Veterinary Department.
It's worth noting that Sabah passed the Sabah Animal Welfare Enactment in 2015. According to Part V of this Enactment, any person found guilty of committing an offence could face a fine not exceeding RM75,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both upon conviction.