Karim not for using Penang example to combat rabies
Penang might only be as big as our municipal council Padawan, whereas Sarawak is as big as the whole of West Malaysia. Penang is an island state and dogs are confined to the island and easy to be managed by the authorities. — Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports
SIBU: Miri MP Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng’s suggestion of using Penang as an example of good management on how Sarawak should address the rabies problem might not be justified.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah was reacting to Dr Teo’s suggestion that Sarawak should emulate measures of mandatory mass-vaccinations, humane capture, quarantine and culling taken by Penang in stopping the spread of rabies in the state two years ago.
The Miri MP had further mentioned that the disease has already claimed 12 lives in Sarawak and mass vaccination did not stop the outbreak which has becoming worrying.
The disease has now spread to three new divisions – Miri, Sibu and Kapit – since the official announcement of the rabies outbreak on July 1 last year when the disease was detected in Serian possibly through cross border infection from Kalimantan and later in Kuching. Only Bintulu, Mukah and Limbang divisions are rabies free at the moment.
Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman said: “It is easy for YB Dr Micheal Teo to suggest Sarawak should emulate how Penang address this rabies outbreak.
“Penang might only be as big as our municipal council Padawan, whereas Sarawak is as big as the whole of West Malaysia. Penang is an island state and dogs are confined to the island and easy to be managed by the authorities.
“Sarawak has a very long porous land border with Indonesia and the rabies outbreak was suspected to have started from the other side of the border.
“The authorities in Sarawak has done its very best to control the spread of rabies. Thousands of dogs have been humanely culled and many thousands have been vaccinated,” he said.
He pointed out that it is easy to comment and give suggestions. Instead he highlighted the size of the state, the problem of logistic and how Federal Health Ministry’s effort and contribution had been wanting.
He added that Dr Teo being a city dweller might not understand the relationship of dogs and humans from the perspective of those in the rural areas.
Dogs are a part of longhouse life where they are kept as pets and brought along when longhouse dwellers go to the farm or hunting.
“It is not the same in a City State like Penang where not every household keep dogs as pets and when they are kept as pets, they don’t roam around freely.
“Thus using Penang as an example of good management to address the rabies problem here in Sarawak might not be justified,” Abdul Karim said.