Malaysia is to resume Australian beef imports suspended last year, after Islamic authorities approved the slaughtering method in Australian abattoirs, an official said Wednesday.

Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday that Malaysia's highest religious authority, the National Fatwa Council, had decided the pneumatic stunning method used to slaughter cows was acceptable to Islam.

"The minister has announced that the method of stunning in Australia is acceptable now," his spokesman, Sabri Mansor, confirmed to AFP.

Imports from five approved abattoirs are to resume next month, said Sabri.

According to Islam, animals must be slaughtered and processed using approved or halal methods to enable consumption by Muslims.

Muslim-majority Malaysia suspended beef imports from Australia in mid-2005 over concerns that cattle were not being slaughtered according to Islamic requirements.

Visited Australia

In February Muhyiddin threatened a total ban after Australian authorities delayed responding to Malaysia's requests for the cows to be slaughtered according to Islamic law.

Muhyiddin last week led a delegation to Australia to examine slaughtering methods and met quarantine officials over the matter.

"The Australian government was willing to comply with Malaysian requests," Sabri quoted Muhyiddin as saying.

Malaysia imports about 10,000 tonnes of Australian beef per year. In 2004, it imported Australian meat and livestock products worth about RM250 million (US$66.30 million).