THE Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is in the second phase of collecting signatures for its petition to the Prime Minister to raise the penalty for cruelty to animals which at present is a RM200 fine and/or six months' imprisonment, based on the Animal Ordinance 1953.

The first phase of the petition collected 20,000 signatures. This was insufficient and the second phase aims to raise the number to 100,000 signatures.

Perhaps what is most disturbing about this petition is not that only 20,000 people bothered to sign it, but that a petition is required in the first place to draw attention to the need to raise the penalty for animal cruelty.

When pure-bred puppies are sold for no less than RM1,000, a fine of up to RM200 is an inadequate amount. Malaysians as a nation are accustomed to paying their way out. The only way     to      truly     reflect     the

heinousness of cruelty to animals is a jail term.

"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated," said Mohandas Gandhi.

In the recent case of Lien Chong San, 46, who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was fined RM100, Lien said that the dog in question, Sheena, "was old already" - as though this justified his neglect of her.

LISA KUOK Petaling Jaya