KUALA SEPETANG, July 18 — Villagers here want the Perak government to officially announce the status of the Matang sub-district that was declared a rabies zone last year.

Business and boat operators told Malay Mail that business has been badly affected since the declaration as tourists were afraid to visit the place.

A boat operator who asked to be name only as Chuan, 40, said they have no clue if the declaration remained in force today.

“When one rabies case was spotted here, the authorities vaccinated and euthanised dogs and cats in the area.

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“Then they declared the place as rabies-infected area. But it has been one year now and we don’t know what is the current status,” he told Malay Mail.

Hong Gan Long, 86, a dried fish seller, also said his business suffered as clients began shunning the area as a result.

Patrons were only beginning to return slowly now, he said when urging the government to give the area a clean bill of health.

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“I don’t know why it takes so long for the authorities to de-gazette the area,” Hong lamented.

On July 17 last year, the previous Barisan Nasional government gazetted the sub-district as undergoing a rabies outbreak area under the Rabies Outbreak Area Order, under Sub-section 39(1) of the Animals Act 1953 (Act 647).

This was after two sisters aged 12 and 11 from Kuala Sepetang were vaccinated as a precautionary measure after they were bitten by their rabid pet dog on July 4.  

The dog was euthanised and confirmed to have rabies.

On August 8, the state government then declared the sub-district “rabies controlled area”.

Then state health committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the declaration was made after results of 43 samples taken by the authorities came back negative of the rabies infection.

However, Mah said they did not lift the gazette as a precaution.

“We are following strict procedures, so there are a few steps we have to take before we can de-gazette the place.

“It takes about two years to de-gazette a place. Declaring it a rabies-controlled area is a start,” he said.

Malay Mail could not reach the current state exco of Public Facilities, Infrastructure, Agriculture and Plantation Abdul Yunus Jamahri, who is in-charge of the Veterinary Department, for comments.