[kltower]

Ken,

If you click onto Malesiana Tropicals website, you will see that there is a red text asking whether you have a permit. Now that permit for importation is required for overseas purchasers. Up until two years ago, MT ships to all Malaysian states with phytosanitary certificate and a wildlife permit but NO Cities certification. Cities certification is ONLY required for INTERNATONAL trade.

From 2006, MT just ships without any PC and permit. This works out better for them, because for the issurance of PC, they have to treat the plants with chemicals. Many a time the treatment caused the plants to die.

In countries like America, shipping of plants interstate also required PC so as to prevent the spread of plant disease and pests.

On another issue is the are alot of illegal/protect plants sold in the markets of Sarawak and Sabah. You will be surprise, there are many European and Japanese owning illegally collected rajah, macrophylla, edwardsiana and clipeatas.

In theory, when we go into the Kinabalu NP we have to hire a guide, who not only guide us but also ensure that we don't collect or mess round with the plants. I was told of a Japanese collector who paid the natives living around the park to collect macrophylla seedlings for him.

So if you are caught with illegal plants you are also in hot soup. Even in courier boxes. Don't forget to prevent, illegal trade like pirated CDs and drugs, our custom have installs many hi-tech scanners at major courier and post offices collection centres. But unless you are an expert, all nepenthes looks alike. Which means plants in small parcels would usually go through (this is my opinion).

Choong