The department was responding to The Star reports, which claimed that rising antibiotic resistance had been detected in livestock due to the improper use of antimicrobial drugs at farms.

DVS said the reports contained inaccuracies and required clarification to prevent public misunderstanding of the issue.

“DVS wishes to clarify that while antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals is a recognised and actively monitored issue, animal-based food products in Malaysia remain safe for consumption,” it said in a statement.

It said while AMR in food-producing animals was a recognised concern globally, Malaysia had long-standing safeguards, including mandatory veterinary inspection at slaughter houses and annual monitoring for drug residue under the national food safety monitoring programme.

“Food safety oversight is further strengthened through the health ministry under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985,” it added.

DVS also said AMR surveillance findings should be interpreted in context, as they are derived from targeted national monitoring programmes designed to track trends over time rather than indicate immediate public health threats.

It said data on antibiotic resistance rates of E. coli and Salmonella cited in The Star’s reports did not come from DVS.

It also said AMR was a multifactorial issue influenced by disease dynamics, farm biosecurity, animal husbandry practices and environmental pathways, and should not be attributed solely to farm-level antibiotic use.

DVS said that since 2012, Malaysia had banned the use of antimicrobials classified as critically important for growth promotion and disease prevention in livestock.

It said efforts to address AMR continued under the Malaysian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance using a One Health approach involving the human health, animal health, food safety and environmental sectors.