KUALA LUMPUR, August 8 — African swine fever (ASF) is currently in endemic status in Malaysia, with an ongoing outbreak in Penang, according to Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu.
He told Rasah MP Cha Kee Chin in a written parliamentary reply last Wednesday that so far, the ASF outbreak in Penang reported on July 9 has infected three pig farms in Kampung Selamat in the North Seberang Perai district.
“These three farms have a population of 2,799 pigs. So far, 578 pigs have been culled and disposed of, while 124 have died. Culling operations are still ongoing in the three farms,” said Mohamad.
Earlier this year, an ASF outbreak in Selangor saw the culling of a whopping 76,000 pigs in 57 farms around Kuala Langat and Sepang in March.
To ensure sufficient pork supply, the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has approved the import of pork from nine countries with 130 pig abattoirs.
DVS has also conducted a risk analysis on importing pork from Brazil and Thailand. The department is considering reimporting pork slices from Thailand based on an ASF risk analysis, subject to full compliance with import requirements agreed upon with Thai veterinary authorities and audit inspections and approvals from DVS.
DVS has also simplified the export of live pigs from Sarawak to Selangor for slaughter purposes to fill the need for fresh pork in the peninsula.
“The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM) understands the situation in the market of rising retail pork prices. However, the control of retail pork prices is under the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry’s jurisdiction,” said Mohamad.
In a separate written Dewan Rakyat reply to Pasir Salak MP Jamaludin Yahya, Mohamad said DVS has identified 23 livestock farms that contributed to water and air pollution: nine pig farms in Penang; six poultry farms in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor; and eight cattle farms in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, and Melaka.
“At this time, a consolidated monitoring system based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology has yet to be introduced to monitor compliance with standards on pollutant control in livestock farms,” he said.
Instead, DVS will continue to ensure that livestock farms comply with pollution control before they can receive operating licenses from state DVS and to improve farming methods towards modern farming for poultry and pigs by 2030.
In a July 31 written parliamentary reply to Tenom MP Riduan Rubin, Mohamad listed several measures by DVS for mitigation of zoonotic outbreaks and cross-border livestock disease control.
These include permitting imports of live farm animals and livestock products from countries, regions, or compartments that are free of animal disease, ensuring sufficient laboratory capacity and technical expertise to diagnose animal diseases, and strategic vaccination as the main method of animal disease prevention, control, and eradication.
DVS also conducts annual national animal disease surveillance programmes for early detection, emphasises strict and effective biosecurity practices in all livestock farms, and mandates immediate reporting to the DVS of unusual animal symptoms, whether locally or at the borders of the country.
DVS has a rapid action team to respond to animal disease outbreaks, besides quarantine and inspection protocols on livestock brought into the country.
DVS also monitors the status of animal disease at the regional and global levels.
