PADANG BESAR: Despite making easy money, many ketum leaf mules have chosen to call it quits as they can no longer tolerate with receiving small pay, getting arrested several times, as well as worrying for their family’s safety.
Ketum leaf mule refers to individuals who have been deceived or voluntarily transport the items to the country’s borders before being smuggled out to a neighbouring country by smugglers.
The modus operandi employed by the smugglers is to exploit these mules, who are mostly teenagers, to bring ketum leaves into the state before smuggling out the items.
A former mule who wished to be known as Sony, 25, said he threw in the towel four years ago and decided to go self-employed to support his family.
“To be honest, I am disgusted with ketum leaves and I hope the government will intensify its efforts to destroy these trees that offer no benefit but instead, can ruin the society and the country,” he told Bernama recently.
The father of two said upon finishing his secondary school education, he decided to become a ketum leaf mule to get easy money by transporting ketum leaves from Naka, Kedah to Perlis.
“In order to get RM1,000 for one trip, I have to bring at least 300 kg of ketum leaves using my own vehicle and it was definitely not worth it considering the risks that I have to face.
Arrested several times
“I have been arrested by the police several times and brought to court until I was forced to sell my belongings to pay the fines when I was convicted.
“The amount of money that I get paid was not worth the risk … smugglers get richer but our life remained at the same level,” he added.
According to Section 30 of the Poisons Act 1952, no person shall import, export, manufacture or possess any psychotropic substance, and if convicted, can be sentenced to a fine of not exceeding RM10,000 or four years’ jail or both.
Also sharing his experience was Pak Lah (not his real name), 50, who said that he started to get involved in the smuggling activity 10 years ago following the replanting process at one of the Felcra plantations that caused him to lose his source of income.
“During that time, we the labourers have no job. The rubber trees were all cut down and we have no source of income. So I went for the easy way of getting paid by transporting ketum leaves to the border to be smuggled out to the neighbouring country,” he said.
Pak Lah said he would be paid between RM40 and RM60 per day for transporting 25 kg of ketum leaves.
The modus operandi, he said, was to pass sacks of ketum leaves over the border fence in the forest area to Thai people who had already been waiting on the other side adding that he would be paid based on the current market price of ketum leaves in the neighbouring country
Meanwhile, Perlis Police Chief Datuk Surina Saad urged everyone to avoid from getting involved in ketum leaf smuggling activities as it was illegal.
“What’s the point of working hard for the benefit of other people? They (smugglers) become richer but the mules only get paid a little amount of money besides having to face various risks including being arrested by the police.
“It’s better for these people to find other jobs such as by venturing into crop planting. Although it is not as easy as being a ketum mule, they will surely live peacefully and happily,” she said. – Bernama
