Farmers gather at ministry, want zero cattle programme scrapped

With their livelihoods at stake, 150 farmers from Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, and Malacca descended on the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry in Putrajaya today, demanding an end to the Zero Cattle Programme (ZCP).

Gabungan Penternak Marhaen Nasional coordinator R Vijay Gandi, who represented the farmers, said they also handed out a memorandum to minister Mohamad Sabu.

The minister’s political secretary Yuhaizad Abdullah received the memorandum.

“Yuhaizad told us that he would also discuss our request to set up a meeting with Mohamad in three weeks,” he told Malaysiakini.

In the 11-page document, the farmers urged Mohamad to intervene in the agenda allegedly run by Sime Darby Plantation, calling it a cruel act.

Central to their concerns were recent notices issued by the company banning livestock from grazing on Sime Darby-owned farms.

‘Confused and disappointed’

The notices, posted at the Sungai Buloh estate on Jan 10 and Bukit Cheraka estate on Jan 24, sparked panic among breeders and farmers, who relied on these areas for their livestock’s grazing needs.

“We were confused and disappointed over this drastic act because our livestock depend on the area to graze the grass.

The memorandum said, “This is unreasonable because we had no issues with past Sime Darby managements all these years.”

Farmers’ representative R Vijay Gandi (left) presenting a memorandum to Yuhaizad Abdullah, a political secretary to Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu.

The farmers also alleged collaboration between Sime Darby and the Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council, culminating in the seizure of six cattle grazing on the company’s farm on March 22.

They decried the council’s use of anaesthetised shots against the cattle as an abuse of power.

The farmers argued that, as a government-linked company (GLC), Sime Darby should prioritise community welfare and socio-economic improvement rather than issuing prohibitive notices.

“We believe that the responsibility of a GLC is larger and broader,” it lamented.

In addition to demanding an immediate stop to the ZCP, the farmers also articulated several requests, including permission for their livestock to graze on Sime Darby’s and other farms, advocated for a tolerance policy from relevant authorities, and called for measures to ensure farmers’ basic welfare and prevent similar issues from arising in the future.

Malaysiakini has reached out to Sime Darby Plantation for a response. - Mkini