August 20, 2004

Malaysia Government Decides Against Poultry Export Ban
 

The Malaysian government said on Thursday it had decided against banning exports of poultry goods after its first bird flu outbreak.

Contradicting a statement from a veterinary official in the hours after bird flu was found in a village near the Thai border, it said any trade bans were up to importing countries.

"The onus is on the importing countries, if they still want to buy, they can. But on our part, we will not let any cargo that we think is contaminated to go through," Abi Musa Asa'ari Mohamed Nor, secretary general of the agriculture ministry, told reporters.

Malaysia said it had gone on nationwide alert to watch for more avian influenza cases, after it identified the virulent H5N1 strain in two dead chickens.