THE Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) today handed over more than eight tonnes of frozen chicken to Zoo Negara to feed the animals there.

Its director-general, Saiful Yazam Alwi, said the entire eight tonnes were seized by various enforcement agencies at the Kelantan-Thailand border from December 2020 to January this year with an estimated value of RM66,088.

He said all the meat was brought in through ungazetted roads without any documents such as import permits from Maqis, he said after handing over 8,136kg of the meat to Zoo Negara at Maqis’ Rantau Panjang Complex today.

Also present was Zoo Negara zoologist and veterinarian Dr Naim Ramli.

The frozen chicken handed over to the zoo is still fresh and safe to be fed to animals, said Saiful Yazam.

Saiful Yazam said importing frozen chicken without a permit is an offence under Section 11 (1) of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 which can be punished under Section 11 (3) of the same act.

He said for the first two months of this year, six seizures of frozen chicken weighing 16 metric worth RM128,960 were recorded in Kelantan.

He said last year, 53 similar cases involving 176.7 tonnes of chicken worth RM1.4 million were recorded.

“To curb smuggling, Maqis officers in the field were instructed to inspect each container even though it would take longer and cause long queues at checkpoints.

“We have to carry out this task because frozen meat involves the issue of halal which is most sensitive among Muslims and we cannot compromise on this,” he said.

He said enforcement would continue to be tightened at all entry points into the country to ensure that agricultural products entering the country complied with regulations. – Bernama, March 7, 2021.