PUTRAJAYA: The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) today (Jan 23) refuted several inaccuracies in news articles titled ‘Superbug risk grows at farms’ and ‘Superbugs found at farm’ published on Jan 3, stressing that animal-based food products in Malaysia remain safe for consumption.
In a statement, DVS said antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food-producing animals is a recognised issue that is closely monitored through long-established veterinary control measures.
These include mandatory inspections at slaughterhouses and annual testing under the National Food Safety Monitoring Programme for veterinary drug residues.
It added that food safety oversight is further strengthened through the Ministry of Health under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985.
DVS said AMR surveillance findings reported by the department are derived from targeted national monitoring programmes designed to identify trends over time and must be interpreted within an appropriate epidemiological and surveillance context.
“These findings do not indicate compromised food safety or an uncontrolled public health risk. Furthermore, the data presented in the articles, including antibiotic resistance rates of E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from livestock in 2024, did not originate from DVS,” the statement said.
According to the department, antimicrobial resistance is a multifactorial issue influenced by disease patterns, biosecurity levels, farm management practices and environmental factors.
“It should not be attributed solely to farm-level antimicrobial use. Since 2012, Malaysia has implemented a policy prohibiting the use of critically important antimicrobials for growth promotion and prophylactic purposes in the animal health sector as part of sustained national AMR control efforts,” it said.
DVS added that it continues to implement the Malaysian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (MyAP-AMR) under a One Health approach coordinated by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Committee (NARC), involving the human health, animal health, food safety and environmental sectors.
The department also reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and science-based communication, urging the public to rely on verified information from official sources. – BERNAMA
