KUCHING: Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Stephen Rundi Utom has called for urgent and sustained efforts to address the ongoing rabies outbreak in the region.
Since the outbreak began in 2017, he lamented that there have been 74 fatalities, highlighting the alarming persistence of the disease.
He said while administrative measures, such as vaccination campaigns, are essential, these alone may not suffice.
“We must work together to tackle this issue seriously. We cannot just act ad hoc or in a hit-and-run manner; we need to implement continuous improvements.
“We are all against cruelty to animals, but I love my wife more than I love a dog. We must be reasonable and find a way to protect our animals while also ensuring the safety of our people.
“We must enforce the law. However, we need to be patient and passionate towards both the dogs and the communities so that everyone can appreciate and understand why we are taking these actions,” he said.
He said this during the Rabies in Borneo (RIB) Conference 2024 at the Imperial Hotel today (Sept 30).
The conference gathered 350 participants and speakers from various countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Australia, Luxembourg, Thailand and Philippines, providing a platform for sharing experiences and strategies.
As such, Rundi called on participants to evaluate their achievements thus far and discuss how government support can facilitate further progress.
“We need to establish a network so that everyone can come on board — animal lovers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government authorities, and others.
“Some of the actions we take may not be pleasant. I also want to see the outcomes of this conference so that we can develop our policies and determine the next steps.
“Whatever we do, we must gradually reduce rabies cases, and by the end of 2030, we should aim to achieve zero rabies in Borneo,” he added.
