Migratory Bird Stopover Sites Under Close Watch
Bernama, 23 Feb 2006

SHAH ALAM, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- The eleven main stopover sites for migratory birds in Selangor are being closely watched following the discovery of 40 "kampung" (free range) chickens who died of the deadly H5N1 strain of flu virus in Jalan Genting Klang, Kuala Lumpur.

The sites are in Pantai Morib (Kuala Langat), Jugra (Banting), Bagan Lalang (Sepang), Bagan Sungai Burong (Sabak Bernam), Sungai Haji Dorani (Sabak Bernam), Ban Pecah Bagan Nakhoda Omar (Sabak Bernam), Pantai Jeram and Pantai Sembilang (Kuala Selangor), Kapar Power Station, and Pantai Tanjong Karang and Pantai Rasa Sayang (Sekinchan).

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said the places, which were on the migratory routes, had to be monitored as birds from other countries which stopped there might be infected with the H5N1 virus.

"We are worried because many reports carried by foreign newspapers said the disease has been detected in the Netherlands and so on and we fear that birds from these countries migrate here," he told a news conference after the weekly State Exco meeting Wednesday.

On the decision by Singapore to suspend import of chickens and eggs from Selangor, Dr Mohamad Khir said

it would not affect the state's poultry industry because Selangor did not supply chickens to the republic and only a "small quantity" of chicken eggs.

He said chickens reared in the state were for the local market.-- BERNAMA