KUALA TERENGGANU, April 2 — With two months left before the ban on the sale of turtle eggs is enforced in Terengganu, most traders in Pasar Besar Kedai Payang are already prepared to comply with the rules.
Despite feeling a bit disappointed because they can no longer meet the demand of regular customers who love the exotic eggs, the traders involved accepted the decision made by the state government so as to ensure that conservation efforts can be carried out at the maximum level.
A trader, Hayati Mad Zain, 54, admitted that many of her customers still hope that she will continue to sell turtle eggs even after the ban is enforced on June 1.
“I don’t want to risk being fined or punished for breaking the rules. As a trader, I will just obey the rules even though turtle eggs are among the best-selling items at my stall,” said Hayati, who has been doing business at the market since she was 11 years old.
Currently, there are seven turtle eggs sellers at Pasar Besar Kedai Payang and Hayati is among the traders who are often sought after by customers for having a large stock besides selling ready-to-eat pickled and boiled eggs.
Another trader, Zainab Mohd Elias, 48, said she had just started selling turtle eggs two years ago as an additional product at her traditional cake stall.
“Apart from batik and silk fabric as well as keropok keping (dried fish crackers), turtle eggs are among the attractions for the public to visit the market because only Terengganu still allows the sale of turtle eggs,” she said.
In November last year, the Terengganu state legislative assembly passed the Turtle Enactment 1951 (Amendment 2021) which aimed at protecting and preventing the extinction of all turtle species.
With the move, higher fines await for offences like disturbing and killing turtles, which range from RM50,000 to RM250,000, compared to only RM3,000 previously.
