Despite the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak suspending the import of fresh milk, including flavoured ones, into Sarawak, these milk products continue to be sold at supermarkets in Kuching. – AFP file photo
KUCHING: Despite the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak suspending the import of fresh milk, including flavoured ones, into Sarawak, these milk products continue to be sold at supermarkets here.
This was revealed by Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Chong Chieng Jen who pointed out that fresh milk from Peninsular Malaysia was still being imported to the state.
“Earlier this year, DVS Sarawak issued a circular prohibiting the import of fresh milk even from Peninsular Malaysia to Sarawak.
“This is a measure to protect our state particularly our cattle and pigs from being contaminated with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD),” he told a press conference at RTM Sarawak today.
According to him, Sarawak is free from FMD whereas Peninsular Malaysia is not.
“As Sarawak is a region which is FMD-free, therefore our pork, milk and cattle produce can be exported to many countries all over the world.
“This is not the case for Peninsular Malaysia as it is listed as infected with FMD,” he claimed.
He thus called on Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas to look into this matter seriously.
“If the Sarawak government does not take this issue seriously and if any of our pigs and so on are found to have contracted FMD, then our state’s status as a region free from FMD will be destroyed.
“I call on (Datuk Amar Douglas) Uggah as the minister in charge to seriously look into this problem and not allow our FMD-free status to be adversely affected.”