KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Singapore's decision on re-importing poultry from Johor and Melaka will be known in a day or two, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Tuesday.
He said Singapore was considering resuming the import of poultry from the two states as soon as possible based on its confidence that the products were safe.
"They know the safety measures taken and feel safe. Now they intend to import chickens and ducks from Johor and Melaka," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here.
Muhyiddin said Singapore had asked Malaysia to gazette the two areas as controlled areas so that no poultry from other states were brought into the two states for export to the republic.
The two states were picked because of their proximity to Singapore and their distance from Kelantan which had been hit by the bird flu, he said.
Muhyiddin also said that Malaysia, with cooperation from its northern neighbour, Thailand, would step up border controls to curb the smuggling of poultry to contain the spread of the disease.
"In Malaysia, the marine police and the General Operations Force have stepped up border controls to prevent smuggling," he said.
He said Thailand had also agreed to start an early warning system whereby the two countries would inform each other of any new bird flu cases so that preventive measures could be taken immediately.
On the situation in Kelantan, he said the people were advised not to take their livestock to other states to avoid spreading the disease, in keeping with the quarantine imposed on the state.
So far, 11,849 animals had been culled in the affected villages as a preventive measure.
Earlier, when replying to Baharum Mohamed (BN-Sekijang) in the Dewan Rakyat, Muhyiddin said 194 million live chickens worth RM1,187.38 million and 29 million live ducks worth RM384.97 million had been exported to Singapore since 2000.
Of this, 43.3 million live chickens and 5.5 million live ducks were exported in 2000, 44 million live chickens and 6.8 million live ducks in 2001, 45 million live chickens and 6.9 million live ducks in 2002.
Last year the figure was 43 million live chickens and 6.5 million live ducks while the total up to June this year was 18.8 million live chickens and 3 million live ducks.
Muhyiddin said breeders in Malaysia had sustained roughly RM70 million losses since the bird flu outbreak was detected in Tumpat, Kelantan, on Aug 18 this year.
http://www.jphpk.gov.my/English/Sept04%2029r.htm
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