PADANG BESAR: More than 27,000 cattle have been imported to meet the supply for the upcoming Aidiladha celebration. These livestock have undergone strict screening and quarantine procedures by the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department.
The department’s deputy director-general, Dr Azhari Sharidan Abu Bakar, said the department guarantees that all the cattle, most of which come from Thailand, are free of disease and safe for sale and slaughter for the Qurban ritual.
He said they have been monitored during a 14-day quarantine period for any signs of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).
"These two are among the main diseases we monitor throughout the quarantine," he told Bernama at the MAQIS Animal Quarantine Station in Padang Besar on Saturday (May 23).
Dr Azhari Sharidan also noted that the department has recorded the import of approximately 1,000 buffaloes so far, in preparation for the upcoming Hari Raya Haji celebrations.
Meanwhile, he stressed that all livestock must pass the department’s screening to control animal diseases and protect public health and safety, and urged importers to comply strictly with regulations.
He explained that some importers house their cattle in private quarantine premises approved by the department rather than at government stations, though the department’s officers regularly monitor the livestock.
If government quarantine stations are full, cattle may be quarantined on private premises or even at the importer's own location, but this requires prior application to the department for approval, provided all procedures and conditions are met.
He admitted that non-compliance occurs, particularly when cattle are removed and sold before completing the full 14-day quarantine period.
The department recorded one such case last year and two the year before, and the department can take action under the Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011.
Finally, he noted that livestock enter the country through three Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security Complexes: Padang Besar ICQS, Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQS (Kedah), and Rantau Panjang ICQS (Kelantan). – Bernama
