The Star, Malaysia : Movement of birds via KLIA suspended

Thursday February 12, 2004

Movement of birds via KLIA suspended

BY SUSAN TAM

KUALA LUMPUR: The use of the KL International Airport as a transit point for the trading of birds has been suspended with immediate effect in a move to prevent the bird flu from being brought into the country.

Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Law Hieng Ding said the temporary ban would also cover the import and export of all birds.

He said the decision was made at the Cabinet meeting yesterday following the advice of the Veterinary Services Department to the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to temporarily ban the use of KLIA as a transit point for bird-trading.

“Before the ban, 26 parts of the world used the KLIA for this purpose,” Law told a press conference at the sidelines of the 7th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP7).

Asked how long the temporary ban would be in force, he said the ministry would monitor the worldwide situation and would only lift the suspension when it considered the situation as safe.

Law also said Perhilitan would also temporarily stop issuing permits allowing exotic birds to be kept as household pets.

Permits are required for certain species of birds before they can be owned.

On the movements of migratory birds, he said Perhilitan had reported that there were 18 areas in Malaysia which were “stop-over” for such birds.

Six are in Sabah, four in Sarawak and Selangor, three in Perak and one in Johor, he said.

Law said his officers were still taking bird droppings, saliva and blood samples to test for any traces of the bird flu.