Folly of Dept is exposed

Published on: Sunday, August 08, 2021

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Brahman cattle: Only those from Australia and New Zealand allowed to be imported due to colonial-era policy.

IT is strange that even after 60 years, Independent Sabah (Malaysia) still maintain colonial policies and Laws. The Veterinary Department of Sabah, whose officers mostly graduated from Bogor University in Indonesia, maintain the policy which only allows the importation of live cattle or livestock from Australia or New Zealand.

Reason given is that both countries are islands and the cattle and also perhaps managed by white man.

The Department made it quite clear that it will not allow importation of live cattle or goats from other countries, such as China, Indo China, Indonesia or South Africa.

This monopolistic policy maintained by the Veterinary Department allows Australia and New Zealand to command prices that are at least 40pc higher than those from disallowed countries.

And yet the disallowed countries offer much better looking and healthier livestock than those from Australia or New Zealand.

In Indonesia there are cattle farmers producing crossbreeds of Brahmans and Angus (Brangus) with herds exceeding 12,000 heads. This cattle breed is larger and bigger compared to the Australian Angus or New Zealand Brahman.

Unfortunately, Sabah cattle farmers are unable to import such cattle from Indonesia because of restrictions imposed by the Veterinary Department.

Strictly speaking, Sabah is a part of Borneo island along with Sarawak and Brunei occupying just 27pc of the Borneo land mass. 73pc of Borneo Island is occupied by Kalimantan, Indonesia.

It is a fact that on a daily basis, hundreds of cattle and Kerabau (Buffaloes) cross the border of Sabah and Sarawak. These are bought by Sabahans and Sarawakians for their respective markets.

The Veterinary Department appear to ignore this practice which has been going on for hundreds of years. This is contrary to the department’s claim that Australia and New Zealand are islands but somehow Borneo is not.

In any case, this colonial legacy must be removed once and for all, for the benefit of Sabah (Malaysia), and the obvious economic benefit of close cooperation among the Malay archipelago, China and others.

Surely the day will come when the disallowed or forbidden countries will obtain “clean certificates” from the World Veterinary Association.

This will override Sabah Veterinary Department’s “Keras Kepala”.

Lastly, everybody no matter how stupid, will and want to maintain “cleanliness” and be free from any disease, but should not do so for the sake of maintaining the Colonial legacy.

Veterinarian, Tenom