File photo of a pig.

SIBU (Jan 18): The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) abattoir will temporarily stop receiving all pigs from unlicensed farms, starting tomorrow.

SMC chairman Clarence Ting said the decision was made at the meeting of its Public Health Standing Committee yesterday to discuss the Veterinary Department’s recommendation that the abattoir should not receive any pigs from unlicensed farms.

“After deliberating, we decide to temporarily stop receiving all pigs from unlicensed farm starting Wednesday 19th January.

“In the meantime, the Veterinary Department will arrange a meeting with their department for farmers from licensed and unlicensed farms,” he said in his Facebook post yesterday.

In light of the coming festive season, SMC also proposed to ask the Veterinary Department to check the health of pigs at unlicensed farms so they can sell them during this Chinese New Year.

“We ask the cooperation of everyone involved and only through proper control can we stop this disease from overwhelming our pig farming industry by curbing the spread of the disease.

“SMC is committed to ensure the pigs slaughtered at the abattoir are safe for consumption,” he stressed.

The Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS) had earlier assured the public that there was no ban on the sale of pork and pork products in Sarikei district even though African Swine Fever (ASF) was detected among pigs reared in backyards there.

DVSS director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud said the sale of pork was still allowed in the district as the pork sold in the market are from healthy pigs, sourced from an ASF-free area.

“There is also no mass culling of pigs in Sarikei district. Culling only on infected pigs according to the National Animal Disease Control Protocol,” he told The Borneo Post on Sunday.

However, Dr Adrian said farmers were required to tighten their farm biosecurity, hygiene and report to DVSS if there is an abnormal high mortality in pigs.

“No movement of pigs in and out from their farm,” he added.