KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) said its antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance findings in food-producing animals do not indicate compromised food safety nor uncontrolled public health risk, following a media report that raised concern over “superbugs” in farms.
In a statement today, DVS referred to The Star’s January 3 articles titled “Superbug Risk Grows At Farms” and “Superbugs Found At Farm”, and said it wanted to provide feedback regarding “several inaccurate matters” in the news report.
DVS acknowledged that antimicrobial resistance in livestock is a recognised issue that is actively monitored, but stressed that animal-based food products in Malaysia remain safe for consumption.
“DVS wishes to clarify that while antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals is a recognised and actively monitored issue, animal-based food products in Malaysia remain safe for consumption,” it said.
DVS said this assurance is supported by “robust and long-standing control measures”, including mandatory veterinary inspection at slaughter and annual monitoring under the National Food Safety Monitoring Programme for veterinary drug residues.
The department added that food safety oversight is further strengthened through the Ministry of Health (MOH) under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985.
DVS said its AMR surveillance findings are derived from targeted national monitoring programmes meant to detect trends over time, and that increases observed involve specific bacteria and antibiotic combinations that should be interpreted in context.
“Observed increases involve specific bacteria-antibiotic combinations and should be interpreted within their epidemiological and surveillance context,” it said.
DVS also clarified that the report included findings that did not come from DVS, specifically antibiotic resistance rates of E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from livestock in 2024.
“In addition, the findings data (antibiotic resistance rates of E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from livestock in 2024) presented in the article is not sourced from the DVS,” it said.
Beyond surveillance findings, DVS stressed that antimicrobial resistance is multifactorial and influenced by disease dynamics, biosecurity standards, animal husbandry practices, and environmental pathways.
It said AMR “should not be attributed solely to farm-level antimicrobial use”.
DVS pointed to existing national controls on antibiotics in livestock, noting that Malaysia has, since 2012, implemented a policy prohibiting the use of critically important antimicrobials for growth promotion and prophylactic purposes in the animal health sector.
The department said it continues to address AMR through the Malaysian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance under a One Health approach coordinated by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Committee.
