August 12, 2004

 

 

Malaysia Presently Free Of Bird Flu

 

The country at present is free of avian flu, commonly known as bird flu, assures Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Datuk Seri Mohd Shariff Omar.

 

"All poultry products in the country are safe for human consumption. We will not hide anything from the public as this disease (bird flu) is very harmful - not only to the chickens and ducks but also to human beings," Shariff told the media after officiating the Special Senior Officers Meeting of the 25th ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry at a hotel here.

 

He added that the government had set up a special committee to monitor the situation in the country.

 

"We have mobilised all relevant authorities like the Police, Customs and the Immigration Departments along the Malaysia-Thailand border to prevent the disease from spreading into the country through the smuggling of affected meat," he said.

 

He assured that poultry products from affected countries would not be imported.

 

"We have banned all chickens and eggs from the affected countries," he said.

 

Shariff disclosed that a duck farm in Perak had been temporary closed, and all the ducks culled by the owner to prevent the spread of the disease.

 

"This is to ensure that our country will always be free from the disease," he said.

 

He also dispelled rumours that migratory birds from affected countries could spread the disease to the country.

 

"All our farms are closed-up, unlike in other ASEAN countries where their farms are located near water catchment areas and thus, attract migratory birds," he said.

 

In the most recent case of bird flu epidemic, 16 people were reported to have died from the disease in Vietnam and Thailand.