Malaysia is scaling up its measures to prevent the swine flu from spreading into the country after the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its alert against the pandemic.

Malaysian Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai on Wednesday said that his ministry will give flu injections to about 200,000 frontliners working at the country's entry points, including doctors, nurses, police and immigration personnel.

Liow said that the Malaysian government would spend 7 million ringgit (US$1.9 million) in the next two weeks, giving the seasonal flu vaccine to these frontliners to protect their health, Liow said.

He said that this would be a precautionary measure against swine flu as no case of influenza-like illness with symptoms of swine flu infection had been found in Malaysia so far.

He said that 28 hospitals had been identified as quarantine centers to deal with any possible widespread infection of swine flu in the country.

Meanwhile, he said, his ministry had directed medicine stock centers to be on standby to distribute the Tamiflu and Relenza anti-viral medication if needed. adding that there was sufficient amount of the medicine to be given to two million people at one time.

He urged the public to remain calm, but keep high alert against swine flu.

In the air, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), the country's national carrier, has issued standard operating procedures to all its staff and crew members on the handling of passengers in case of any swine flu outbreak.

The measures included the close monitoring of passengers for any signs of illness, maintaining high-level hygiene and special handling of people suspected of being infected with the virus.

MAS's safety and health chief Ooi Teong Siew Wednesday said the procedures, which were similar to those implemented during the SARS outbreak in 2003, were based on the WHO and International Air Transport Association guidelines.

The procedures had been issued to MAS crew members, airport operations staff, maintenance and cleaning personnel and all workers directly involved in the handling of passengers, cargo and baggage, he said.

On the ground, Malaysia's Veterinary Services Department was closely monitoring the 778 pig farms nationwide and had formed a "rapid team", ready to make immediate response.

Malaysian health teams were stationed along the Malaysia-Thailand border to screen travelers entering the country from Thailand.

In some places which border Thailand, the health authorities even began randomly screening those coming into Malaysia on foot.

Local newspaper The Star on Wednesday reported that a woman in Thailand had been placed in quarantine for suspected infection.

The screening of passengers arriving at the country's international entry points like the Kuala Lumpur International Airport has already started, beginning from Monday.

Passengers and airline crew were being given health alert cards and health declaration forms to fill.

Police personnel at Malaysia's borders are on high alert to check any signs of the swine flu outbreak sneaking into the country.

Malaysian Deputy Police Inspector-General Ismail Omar said policemen would assist all border-control agencies to monitor any signs of the disease at all entry points, including airports.

The Malaysian Health Ministry also has set up hotlines for the public to monitor the situation.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry had asked all Malaysian missions abroad to continuously monitor the situation in the countries where they were stationed.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)