M'sian Minister Assures Imported Cattle For Aidil Adha Safe And Disease-Free

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has given assurance that the supply of imported live cattle for Aidil Adha are safe and disease-free. He said the assurance was given to pacify public concern over the health status of imported cattle, especially concerning the foot-and-mouth disease. "All imported cattle will usually undergo health examination before being brought into the country and quarantined for 10 days," he told reporters after receiving a courtesy call from Brazilian Ambassador to Malaysia Maria Auxiliadora Figueiredo in his office here Wednesday. Ismail Sabri said the ministry had also deployed 361 officers to monitor the health level and the slaughtering of the imported cattle. He said half of the 25,000 cattle prepared for Aidil Adha this year were imported from Myanmar, Thailand and Australia. Meanwhile, the ministry in a statement, said the bilateral cooperation in agriculture between Malaysia and Brazil was encouraging with high potential for growth. -- BERNAMA