HOME MINISTRY ACTS TO TACKLE 'SWINE INFLUENZA'

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Bernama) -- The Home Ministry, through the Immigration
Department, has taken several measures and has given full cooperation to the
Health Ministry in tackling the swine influenza at all entry points into the
country, said its minister, Hishammuddin Hussein.

Among the measures were to identify the country of origin of the visitors or
whether they had visited countries which were confirmed as being affected by the
influenza by the World Health Organisation (WHO), from time to time, he said.

In addition, he said, cooperation was also being given to health officers in
identifying nationals and visitors who came from or had visited countries which
were confirmed by the WHO as being affected by the pandemic.

In a statement released Friday, Hishammuddin said that a second examination
would also be carried out on nationals using the auto gate and coming from
destinations that had been identified as being affected by the swine influenza.

He said thermal scanners had been installed at the KL International Airport
(KLIA) and Immigration Department personnel would cooperate with health officers
to inspect arriving passengers at the bays and in front of the international
arrival counters.

He said the Immigration Department would also carry out similar inspections
like the ones at the KLIA at other airports such as the Bayan Lepas
International Airport, (Penang), Kuching, Miri and Bintulu (Sarawak), Kota
Kinabalu (Sabah), Senai (Johor), and Langkawi (Kedah).

Hishammuddin said more stringent checks would also be carried out on
nationals and visitors arriving at the entry points on land such as at the
Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (Johor Baharu), Bukit
Kayu Hitam (Kedah), Padang Besar (Perlis), Pengkalan Hulu (Perak) and Rantau
Panjang (Kelantan).

He said the Immigration Department and Marine Department would also identify
and carry more detailed inspection on the health status of shipping crew who had
been on board the ships for less than a month at the ports in the affected
countries.
-- BERNAMA