March 3, 2022

Pork in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia, declared free from ASF and safe for consumption

All pork on sale at markets in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia, is safe for consumption as it is free from African swine fever (ASF), said Sibu assistant veterinary officer Anthony Janggu.

He said on March 3 that the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department has been conducting stringent checks on all four pig farms in the area following reported ASF cases in January.

Janggu said during a visit to pork stalls at a central market that ASF was found at one of the farms, adding that it was then closed and 1,457 pigs were culled.

He added that the department would inspect the animals before they are slaughtered.

"When they are certified free from ASF, they would be sent to the Sibu Municipal Council's abattoirs for slaughtering. After that, the pork is dispersed to the sellers," he said.

Janggu added that in January, over 4,000 pigs were slaughtered and said that the number dropped to half that in February.

Meanwhile, Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng said he would be assisting the affected pork sellers and pig farmers to apply for financial relief from the state government.

Chieng said that, since ASF was reported in Sibu, most sellers had experienced a 50% drop in business.

- The Star