LAWAS: Durians, moringa plants, mango plants and black pepper were among agricultural items seized by Sarawak and Sabah’s Department of Agriculture after they were found to have been brought in without complying with plant quarantine regulations.
The seizures were carried out by enforcement officers stationed at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Merapok early this month.
ICQS Merapok head TPPK Safariy Suhaimi said the plant materials and agricultural produce were intercepted for failing to meet quarantine requirements under existing laws.
“Under Malaysia’s plant quarantine regulations, the movement of plants, planting materials and certain agricultural produce into Sarawak and Sabah is prohibited without a valid import permit and a phytosanitary certificate.
“These controls are enforced under the Plant Quarantine Act 1976 (Act 167) and the Plant Quarantine Regulations 1981, with administrative authority exercised by the agriculture departments in Sarawak and Sabah.
“Items such as durians (Durio zibethinus), mangoes (Mangifera spp.) and various tropical plants require permits as they pose risks of introducing pests and diseases that could threaten the agricultural industries in both states,” he said.
Safairy said the regulations applied not only to large-scale commercial trade but also to individuals transporting fresh fruits or live plant materials across state borders, including movements between Sarawak and Sabah, without proper declaration.
The enforcement effort at ICQS Merapok also involved close collaboration with other agencies, including the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) and the General Operations Force (GOF), reflecting a coordinated approach to border control and biosecurity.
He added that enforcement operations would continue from time to time to ensure that all laws under various agencies operating at ICQS Merapok were fully enforced.
