JITRA, MALAYSIA: The Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry has temporarily frozen the issuance of new permits to import pork to prevent the influenza A (H1N1) virus from spreading to Malaysia, Deputy Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said.

"At the moment, there are several companies with a permit to import pork and we will monitor them closely, he said.

He said the companies imported pork from countries including the United States, China and Vietnam.

Mohd Johari said this to newsmen after officiating the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) seminar for Year Six pupils at Kolej Matrikulasi Changlun, near here.