Regions near Malaysia put on FMD alert

Regions near Malaysia put on FMD alert

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian government warned provinces and
regencies which border neighboring Malaysia to be more watchful
of the entry of cattle and meat products from Malaysia over fears
of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.

Budi Tri Akoso, director of veterinary health at the Ministry
of Agriculture said on Tuesday that foot-and-mouth disease
was widespread in some parts of Malaysia including in Kelantan,
Kedan and Selangor, citing a report from the Paris-based Office
Internationale des Epizootis (OIE).

OIE is an international body overseeing animal health.

"We've notified all the regional animal husbandry agencies,
especially those in Sumatra, to be more cautious of cattle and
meat products from Malaysia," Budi told reporters.

The ministry banned earlier this month imports of cattle and
meat products from Malaysia and Turkey following the outbreak of
the disease in those countries.

Budi said the ministry also notified regional quarantine
agencies and the laboratory for animal diseases in Medan, Bukit
Tinggi and Lampung.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian consul in Pontianak, West Kalimantan,
Ismail Haji Salam complained that the ban could have an impact on
other products uncontaminated by the disease.

"We accept that the Indonesian government has a right to
impose the ban. But the ban must be implemented carefully and
selectively given that many Malaysian cattle and meat products
are not contaminated by the disease," Ismail was quoted as saying
by Antara news agency.

Ismail recommended the Indonesian government involve the
Malaysian government in the implementation of the policy for the
benefit of both parties.

According to him, the Malaysian government now implemented
tougher requirements for meat exports, he said.

Budi however said that the Indonesian government would remain
firm on the policy to ensure the country was free from the
disease.

"We need to be more cautious as we live bordering Malaysia
which has yet to control the outbreak," he said, adding that
Malaysia was still importing cattle and meat products from
countries which had not eliminated FMD.

Budi said that the ban was not exclusively imposed on
Malaysian cattle and meat products.

The Indonesian government also banned imports of such products
from Argentine, Brazil, Peru, Britain, the Netherlands and France
as they have failed to control the outbreak in their countries,
he said. (03)