Seafood ban: We face 'significant' loss

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai today disclosed that the country was facing “significant” losses in the wake of a six-month-long ban on Malaysian seafood by European Union.

Speaking at a press conference in Petaling Jaya after launching the national World AIDS Day 2008, the minister however was unable to reveal the extent of the losses as he did not have the figure with him.

“We are looking at a big drop in this huge market since Malaysia has been exporting about RM600 million worth of seafood annually.

“So if we do not export anything within six months, we are definitely facing significant losses,” he added.

On June 19, 46 companies had been temporarily barred from exporting seafood items to the EU because of “unhygienic handling”. The ban would only be lifted once they comply with the EU standards.

This ban came after EU health representatives, upon inspection, found Malaysia was lagging in meeting its stringent health standards. Six out of the nine seafood companies they had randomly visited failed to pass the EU test.

EU reps to come in March

Liow also said today that his ministry and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry led by Mustapa Mohamed agreed to invite EU health representatives to inspect five farms and six processing factories in early March.

The government was pushing for an earlier inspection date as it would take another six weeks before the companies can resume their seafood export to the EU.

“We are prepared to have the FVO (Food and the Veterinary Office) officials to inspect these companies between March 2 and March 13,” he said.

The two ministries have also agreed to give out a soft loan to the companies affected with the ban.

According to Liow, all 46 companies would be given a soft loan amounting to RM100 million for the losses they have faced during the temporary ban.

Jump in HIV cases among women

In an unrelated development, Liow also expressed his concern over the increasing number of female patients that are infected with HIV in the country.

The special task force, which is coordinated by the minister himself would discuss how to handle HIV among the female patients and “the findings of the discussion should be tabled to me not later than April next year”.

According to him, there has been a ‘big jump’ - from 5.02 percent in 1997 to 16.3 percent in 2007 - among Malaysian women infected by HIV/AIDs.

Of the 16.3 percent of 83,527 HIV cases reported so far, Liow said 75 percent of the sufferers are aged between 20 and 39 years, and 40 percent of them are housewives.

“There are many factors that could contribute to this as this involves even married women. (In the special task force) we will come up with measures as many women do not have knowledge about this (HIV),” he said.