Pesticides abuse in Malaysia - problems and issues

Abstract

Introduction In Malaysia, pesticides are an integral part of virtually all kinds of agri- cultural practice - rubber estates, palm oil plantations, vegetable farms, paid fields, orchards, forestry and even backyard gardens. They are also widely used in public health programmes, such as the extensive dengue fever fogging, and the malaria and filiarisis eradication programme. It was also recently discovered that the pesticide Gramoxone (BHC) is used by veterinarians to kill ticks on domestic pets and by doctors for human head lice treatment. Further, besides pesticides having become an "accepted" part of our lives, Malaysians are also given their daily dose of pesticides in the form of residues in the fruits, vegetables and the fish that are consumed. According to the Malaysian Chemistry Department, there were 422 cases of pesticide poisoning between 1970 and 1976, with 82 deaths recorded in 1976 alone.¹ However, since many cases of pesticide related poisonings and deaths go unreported, or the connection between the cause and the effect is seldom known, this figure may well be grossly underestimated.