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KUALA LUMPUR, Sun. Poultry owners in the bird flu-infected areas
in Gombak who refuse to hand over their birds to the authorities
can be sent to jail.
This warning was issued by Veterinary Services Department deputy
director-general Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin, who said those who
refused to co-operate in efforts to contain the bird flu
outbreak were breaking the law.
Although no one had been hauled up so far, he said it did not
mean the department would not enforce the law.
"We can take action. Taking action against offenders is not a
problem," he said at a Press conference at the City Hall Health
Department in Setapak today.
Offenders may be charged under Section 90 of the Animal
Ordinance 1953, which carries upon conviction a six-month jail
term or RM500 fine or both.
Dr Aziz was speaking after a house-to-house search for chickens,
with Indonesian workers’ kongsi as the main target, in Gombak.
"Our focus is to locate fighting cocks believed to be hidden by
Indonesian workers in their kongsi and quarters."
He said the operation had been quite successful as to date, some
3,000 chickens had been caught in the area.
Dr Aziz said he was confident the four villages within a 1km
radius of the bird flu-infected area off Jalan Genting Klang —
Kampung Pasir Wardieburn, Taman Danau Kota, Pekan Danau Kota and
Kampung Belakang JPJ — were now relatively free of chickens. |
"Within that zone, the situation is under control. There is no
need to worry. No ducks, no birds. We just need to monitor that
no chickens from outside are brought in. For this, we need the
help of the local authority."
Dr Aziz said a large team would be deployed for a further search
tonight but declined to name the areas involved.
He said other strategies to round up birds in the affected zone
were being devised.
Yesterday, the department introduced the use of blowpipes to
shoot chickens resting in the trees, but the results were not
encouraging.
"Tonight, we are going after the ‘superchickens’. These are the
clever chickens, the ones that fly high and far.
"Now that we understand their behaviour, we can catch them using
a different strategy," said Dr Aziz.
"Also, we may have to conduct checks at daybreak as the
roosters’ crows will give away their position."
On the source of the bird flu, Dr Aziz said it was not as
critical as rounding up all birds from the infected areas. |
