By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 30: Local councils must step up firm enforcement to curb the spread of rabies, as most cases and deaths are concentrated in urban centres such as Kuching, Miri and Bintulu, not the rural interior.
Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom stressed that rabies control cannot rely solely on public awareness campaigns, but must be reinforced with enforcement measures such as mandatory dog licensing, vaccination, and removal of strays when necessary.
“Most of the cases detected so far are in urban settings like Kuching, Miri and Bintulu. Councils and pet owners must realise this.
“It’s not just about dog bites, it’s about being conscious that once bitten, you must seek immediate treatment. And our dogs must be licensed and vaccinated. If we do that, no matter how many bites occur, we can prevent deaths,” he said when addressing the Rabies in Borneo (RIB) 2025 conference at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
He pointed out that complacency and lack of urgency in urban areas demand stricter enforcement.
“Every time I read reports, it’s always Kuching, Bintulu, Miri. That means we are not taking it seriously. Dog lovers sometimes think they can manage their pets without following the law. But the law is law. Councils must be very firm,” he stressed.
Dr Rundi warned that relying on voluntary compliance alone is insufficient. “Responsibility is good when voluntary, but when people fail to act, that’s where law must come in. Public health and safety must come before personal convenience,” he said.
He called on the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS), the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government (MHLG), and the Sarawak Health Department to coordinate closely with local councils in managing hotspots and “red zone” areas for rabies.
While commending Sarawak’s mass vaccination programme in rural areas, which has achieved 80 per cent coverage, Dr Rundi stressed that the real challenge lies in the cities.
“This is not just a local problem, but a global issue. If we can contain it here and our neighbours fail to do so, we still face risks in the future. Everyone must play their part, authorities, councils, communities, through vaccination, licensing, and enforcement. We must be more aggressive in urban areas if we want to eradicate rabies in Sarawak by 2030,” he urged.
RIB 2025 was officiated by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian on behalf of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The two-day conference, themed “Rabies-Free Borneo: Uniting People, Animals and Communities”, gathered global and local experts to advance strategies for rabies elimination. The event is jointly organised by the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS) and Place Borneo Sdn Bhd, with the support of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak).
The conference programme features keynotes, plenaries, forums, and paper presentations on public health crisis management, cross-border collaboration, community education, rabies diagnostics, and policy integration.
More than 400 delegates from 12 countries attended the event. Notably, this year’s conference also welcomes a distinguished speaker from the World Health Organisation (WHO). — DayakDaily
