Wee: One rabies case recorded in Bintulu last week

KUCHING (Aug 25): One rabies case was recorded at Jalan Asap in Bintulu over the last week, said Kuching South mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng.

He said this case involved a pet dog that had strayed from home and ended up attacking a victim at Jalan Asap.

“To better protect ourselves and our loved ones, pet owners must uphold their responsibility by bringing their dogs for rabies vaccination,” he said during his Facebook live session ‘Shall WEE Talk’ yesterday.

According to Wee, a mass rabies vaccination campaign will be held here next month to curb the spread of the disease.

He appealed to pet owners to support the upcoming campaign to play their part in combating rabies.

“Pet owners must act by making sure their dogs are vaccinated against rabies on a regular basis to eventually achieve the target of zero rabies case,” he said.

Meanwhile, Wee said there must be a mutually beneficial solution to address environmental concerns raised by some regarding Hungry Ghost Festival practices.

It is understood that some netizens were concerned about air pollution resulting from the burning of joss papers and gigantic joss sticks in conjunction with the traditional Chinese festival.

He said the Hungry Ghost Festival is observed and practised by the Chinese community on an annual basis and that a timeframe would be required if such traditional practices were to be changed.

For a start, Wee said dialogues may need to be held with those involved in order to pave way for a win-win solution.

“As far as the city council is concerned, we are more than willing to hear out opinions from the ground. However, we will need effective communication with the parties involved so that we can seek a win-win solution,” he said.

He hoped that the Chinese traditional culture can be preserved while efforts can also be made to protect the environment.

“Whatever it is, I am glad to see more people becoming more aware of environmental preservation, which should do good for our future generations,” he added.