Mass death of pigs: Don’t be unduly alarmed, says Tiang

Michael Tiang

SIBU (Jan 9): Assistant Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government II (Local Government), Michael Tiang yesterday urged the people here not to be unduly alarmed over pork consumption, following reports of mass death of pigs.

Tiang said he has been briefed by the relevant department that the pork here are safe for consumption.

He said some of irresponsible press statements by certain parties had caused unnecessary worries in this market.

“I have been briefed by the relevant department that pork we consume is safe.

“Most of the pork that we consume come from commercial pig farms,” he told reporters yesterday, adding the veterinary report on the mass death of pigs had not been released yet.

As such, there is no conclusion yet to the matter and that the public have to wait for the final report, he added.

“Some irresponsible press statements have caused unnecessary worries in this market, when they (the market) are already adversely affected – be it dealers or consumers.

“On top of that, it causes the market price to be unstable. So, there are some negative impacts.

“I just want to urge some parties not to make any comment on the matter before the final report is released by the Veterinary Department,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak will confirm the cause of the mass deaths of pigs belonging to farmers in Durin and Bintangor next week.

Its director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud when contacted yesterday said their ongoing investigations found that all of the pigs had died in December last year.

On Tuesday, The Borneo Post reported that DVS in Sibu was concerned with the mass deaths of pigs belonging to farmers in Durin.

Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Durin Branch chairman Teo Boon Siew said he had called the department for help and was told that it was already informed of the apparent plague.

Teo, who is also SRDC councillor, said officers from the Veterinary Department would visit the farms this week.

Farmers must also properly bury the carcasses and not throw them into rivers.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3JTEqs1
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