Ismail
TAWAU: Tawau Municipal Council (TMC) will call for a meeting with all the relevant enforcement agencies here to discuss the need to monitor the import of live chickens, ducks and other aves species from Indonesia to ensure no bird flu carriers are brought into the district.
TMC President Datuk Ismail Mayakub said he was informed by the Agriculture Department that they have been busy collecting blood samples from chickens and ducks from 34 villages and all farms to ensure none are carriers of bird flu.
Birds, especially chickens, are being brought in from Sebatik Island through the Batu-Batu jetty and are being sold in town, which is worrying as Sebatik Island is part Malaysia and part Indonesia, he said.
Ismail said he was informed that chickens are also being brought in from Sungai Nyamuk, Indonesia through barter trading and are being sold in Tawau.
He said it is necessary to stop the import of birds from this area, as Nunukan, Indonesia has been experiencing a bird flu outbreak since July this year.
During the TMC full board meeting yesterday, it was revealed that chickens, including fighting cocks, from the neighbouring country are being brought to Simpang Tiga and Serudong, and the practice must be stopped.
Ismail said he was informed that blood samples collected from July until September tested negative for bird flu, but still the practice must be stopped to ensure no bird flu carriers are brought into Sabah.