Import ban on Sabah poultry, products still on

0

Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail

SIBU: The Sarawak government’s ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from Sabah is still on, says Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail.

“It (the ban) has not been lifted. The government is monitoring the situation closely,” he said when contacted via whatsapp yesterday.

“Sarawak Veterinary Services Department is tasked to make sure the outbreak is fully contained in Sabah before allowing poultry and its product to be allowed into Sarawak,” Dr Abdul Rahman said.

He was asked on the status of the ban imposed on the import of poultry and poultry products from Sabah as a preventive measure against
the spread of bird flu to Sarawak.

He added that the department conducted regular check on chickens and eggs, and told members of the public not to worry about consuming local chickens and chicken
products as they were sourced locally.

It was recently reported that the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department has imposed a ban on the import of chicken products from Sabah since Aug 1 following the bird flu epidemic in Tuaran, Sabah.

The department has cancelled all import permits of chicken products from Sabah.

Sabah recorded its first-ever case of Avian Influenza (bird flu) after a farm in the Tamparuli-Tuaran area tested positive for the virus.