MALAYSIAN PORK IMPORT FREEZE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000363 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR CA/OCS/EAP STATE FOR M/PRI FOR RMORRITZ STATE FOR S/ES-O/CMS FOR EPARRA STATE FOR EAP/MTS FOR DBISCHOF STATE FOR OES/AIAG FOR AMBASSSADOR LOFTIS, DWINN AND CPATTERSON STATE FOR REO/BKK FOR HHOWARD STATE FOR OES/IHB, AAIT, MED STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT ANN RYAN AND EAP/MTS STATE PASS TO USTR JANE DOHERTY HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER AND HICKEY CDC ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COGH USDA FOR APHIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN PORK IMPORT FREEZE REF: A. 2009 State 44254 ¶B. 2009 Kuala Lumpur 347 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: FAS Attache met with Ministry of Agriculture Deputy Secretary General Ibrahim Muhammad and Dr. Mohammad Azmie Zakaria of the Department of Veterinary Services to discuss the current import freeze on pork products and to deliver the ref A demarche. They admitted that the decision to freeze pork imports was not based on a sound scientific rationale, but was implemented as a necessary and temporary step to allay fears in society and stave off calls for more drastic measures. Indications from MOA are that the freeze is unlikely to end before a complete surveillance of all the local pig farms is finished, which will take at least one to two more weeks. Post will continue to actively follow-up on this issue with the Malaysian Government. END SUMMARY. Pork Freeze Background -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Malaysia stopped issuing import permits for all pork products on April 29. The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries (MOA) took this action despite continued public statements from Dr. Ismail Merican, Director-General of the Ministry of Health, and Dr. Abd Aziz Jamaluddin, Director-General of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS),that "there was no risk of being infected with the influenza A(H1N1) virus by consuming pork and pork products if they were prepared and cooked properly." ¶3. (SBU) Post has protested the import freeze on multiple occasions emphasizing that WHO, FAO, and OIE have all stated that, "Pork and pork products, handled in accordance with good hygienic practices... will not be a source of infection." FAS Attache and Econcouns delivered reftel A demarche to the Department of Veterinary Services, the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry on May 5 requesting a reconsideration of the current "freeze" on pork imports from the U.S. Last year, the United States exported about $390,000 of pork products to Malaysia, with about $27,000 more so far in the first two months of 2009. GOM Responds to Post -------------- ¶4. (SBU) FAS Attache met with Ibrahim Muhammad, Deputy Secretary General of MOA and Dr. Mohammad Azmie Zakaria, the MOA's Director of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Management and Biosecurity of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) on May 11 to discuss the non-issuance of import permits for pork and pork products due to H1NI fears. Agricultural attaches from the Netherlands and Canadian Embassies joined the meeting. ¶5. (SBU) The DVS official told FAS Attache that it had halted the issuance of pork import permits despite being aware of guidance from WHO, OIE, CDC, and FAO stating that properly cooked pork is safe to consume. He said he was aware that there were no known risks of H1N1 infection from pork products, but indicated that a temporary freeze on imports was necessary to address the perceived anxiety from members of society. For instance, the local Federation of Livestock Farmers' Association of Malaysia urged the GOM to stop all pork imports on April 28. DVS has asked Post on several occasions to not use the term "ban" in referring to its actions, preferring terms with more temporary connotations like "freeze." ¶6. (SBU) Pork is primarily produced and consumed by Malaysia's ethnic Chinese minority. Dr. Mohammad Azmie Zakaria attempted to justify the temporary freeze by arguing that some action had to be taken in order to appease anti-pork groups, which might push for even more drastic measures like the closure of all pig farms and culling. ¶7. (SBU) DVS has stepped up surveillance of domestic pig farms to KUALA LUMP 00000363 002 OF 002 test for pigs possibly infected by the H1N1 virus. Half of the 800 farms in the country have been visited. DVS indicated it would take at least one to two more weeks to finish the checks, and would begin issuing import permits again only after the public anxiety decreases and the Government can make an official announcement that no H1N1 cases turned up during the pig farm surveillance. ¶8. (SBU) Both FAS Attache and the representative from the Netherlands urged DVS to immediately remove the freeze and to base any future SPS decisions on scientific grounds. In addition, it was pointed out that Malaysia had not notified the WTO or its trading partners about the ban. DVS replied that politicians are under pressure from the community necessitating this temporary measure. DVS did not think it necessary to notify WTO of temporary measures. FAS Attache suggested that more WTO training for MOA officials might be in order and that political decisions banning imports without any scientific justification is a serious trade impediment contrary to WTO principles. ¶9. (SBU) We have asked for an official response to our May 5 demarche to MOA (reftel B). The MOA Deputy Secretary General said there was a high level meeting on May 13, to address the H1N1 issues and that he would try to convey our concerns and he agreed to provide a response after the meeting. KEITH