By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, Jan 26: With immediate effect, only licensed pig farms with authorisation from the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak will be allowed to transport live pigs from Kuching, Serian and Samarahan to Miri.
In stating this on Wednesday morning after chairing a meeting at Miri Resident office with pig farm and pig sellers representatives in Miri, Minister of Transport Sarawak cum Miri Division Disaster Management Committee minister-in charge (MDDMC) Datuk Sri Lee Kim Shin said such preventive measures were put in place to prevent the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF) to this division.
The meeting was held after Lee received a letter signed by 37 pig farms and pigs sellers in Miri voicing their concern in regards to halting the supply of pigs from Kuching due to ASF outbreak.
He advised licensed pig farms, including those in Miri, to comply with the new requirements.
“We are trying our very best to resolve this problem to ensure a sufficient supply during the Chinese New Year and we also seek the cooperation from all pig farms in Miri to make sure your farms have valid licenses,” he said.
“We also want to make sure that the supply of pigs to Miri is sufficient, especially during this coming festive season because 62 per cent of the pig supply to Miri comes from Kuching, Samarahan and Serian divisions, while the remaining figure comes from our local pig farms here in Miri,” he pointed out.
Lee added that every pig transported to Miri from the Southern Division (Kuching, Serian and Samarahan) will be inspected and issued with a veterinary health certificate (VHC) by veterinary officers.
“A VHC will be issued at a cost of RM2 per pig, while the permit issued for lorries used to transport these pigs will cost RM5 only,” he said.
Lee added that upon arrival in Miri, and before being brought to the City Council’s abattoir house for slaughter, veterinary officers would carry out health inspection procedures on the pigs.
Another requirement is that the pigs can only be slaughtered at the Council’s abattoir.
Also present at the meeting were Miri Resident Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof and Miri Divisional Veterinary officer Dr Sylmie Al-Harir. — DayakDaily
