By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Nov 30: The Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development is considering establishing a Sarawak Quarantine and Inspection Services (SAQIS) agency to enhance biosecurity measures in Sarawak.
Its minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the proposed SAQIS will be an agency similar to the Malaysia Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS) in Peninsular Malaysia.
“The establishment of SAQIS is crucial to safeguard the biosecurity in maintaining Sarawak’s disease-free status,” he said when delivering his ministerial winding-up speech in the august House today.
Meanwhile, giving an update on the rabies situation in Sarawak, Dr Rundi said bite cases have shown a downward trend from over 400 cases per month in 2018 to only 250 cases per month in 2022.
He said the percentages of rabies-positive dog cases recorded over a four-year period also showed improvement from a high 42 per cent in 2018 to 14 per cent in 2022.
“This statistic shows that the rabies situation in Sarawak is under control,” he asserted. — DayakDaily
