A stray management machinery should be put in place for local authorities and State Veterinary Department to carry out strict enforcement measures to ensure that strays are kept off the streets, said Bukit Assek state assemblywoman Irene Mary Chong Oi Ling.
Speaking during her debate speech on the State Budget 2019 during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here yesterday, she added that the stray management machinery should be made a way of life without waiting for a rabies outbreak.
“The Sarawak State Government has lost control of the battle against rabies. In July 2015, when Kedah, Perlis and Penang were faced with the disease, the responses from the three states had one thing in common.
“The response was quick, decisive and with no expenses being spared for logistics and to mobilise the necessary manpower,” said Irene.
She added that the three states never lost their focus in saving human lives. “As a result, the outbreak which started in late July 2015 was stemmed out by November 2015, a mere three months later, with not a human life lost.
“In Sarawak, we have a different story. Since July 2017 when the first human case was reported, 12 human lives have since been lost. These lives could have been saved if our state government had acted swiftly, decisively and without fear of any backlash, political or otherwise, upon the first hint of trouble – like Kedah, Perlis and Penang where rapid mass vaccinations were immediately carried out,” stressed Irene.
She also said that roadblocks at the state’s borders were set up by state Veterinary Services Department.
“Drastic measures like culling of stray dogs were fearlessly given the green light. Sufficient manpower was put in place with no expenses being spared,” she added.
Irene reiterated that it was well understood as Sarawak has a much larger and different geographical land mass.
“The state government should not fall back on that as the reason for their loss of control against the spread of disease.
“If the state does not step up their effort, it would only be a matter of time before these two divisions are also affected.
“Rightly, the fight against the outbreak had started out as localised. But because, right from the very beginning, the State Disaster Management Committee was anxious to play down the severity of the matter, this had led to a complacent attitude by the people and hence the lack of cooperation and unchecked early spread of rabies,” she added.
She also said that most people have the mentality that they would be untouchable until they have been struck down, much like a prisoner on the death row not realising the finality of the sentence until he is staring at the gallows.
“Therefore, I am compelled to say that the laidback approach by the state government is causing more harm than good in the handling this deadly disease.
“This, on top of insufficient manpower and human resources had led to the inability to carry out mass vaccination of at least 70 per cent of the dog population, as is the recommended guideline.
“I understand that in Sibu alone, the mass vaccination has only reached about 30 per cent because there is only one team from the State Veterinary Department to cover the whole of Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit. No matter how tirelessly this team may have worked, it is humanly impossible to expect them to cover the land mass that they are told to cover,” said Irene.
She added that the dog catchers were at their wits’ end as there were only two teams and it would be unrealistic to expect the teams to work 24/7.
“This is why I am baffled as to why the Budget presented by the CM did not even touch on any funds being allocated to fight this disease at our doorstep.
“The Budget focuses on physical development, especially in rural areas. That is not wrong but physical development should not override human development.
“What is the good of all these physical developments if one by one of our people are struck down by this disease which has already gone out of hand? Is the State Government therefore serious in eradicating and removing rabies from our midst?” questioned Irene.
She added that with only Mukah and Limbang left, more urgent and aggressive actions were required.
“More teams need to be formed and tasked for humane capture and quarantine of stray dogs. And where those dogs are found to be infected while under quarantine, they should be put to sleep humanely and where found to be healthy, to be given vaccination to be released thereafter.
“A lot more need to be done to ensure that the immunity of the animal population is sufficient to prevent circulation of the rabies virus.
“And all these need financial allocations for the relevant authorities to ensure that they would be implemented and enforced efficiently,” she said.
