Felda residents urge Sultan to halt pig farm relocation to Bukit Tagar

 

RESIDENTS from four Felda settlements have urged the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, to step in and stop the state government’s plan to relocate pig farming activities to Bukit Tagar, arguing that the proposed site is located dangerously close to homes and vital water sources.

Around 200 people turned up for the protest, including Felda settlers, nearby residents, community leaders and representatives from non-governmental organisations.

The Selangor government has yet to name an alternative site to replace Bukit Tagar as the proposed relocation area for pig farms, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said.

However, he stressed that the state remains open to dialogue with all stakeholders in its efforts to implement a more structured and comprehensive livestock management system.

According to Amirudin, the proposed approach will adopt a zero-emission model and must be implemented without delay, as the authorities can no longer allow existing sites to continue operating unchecked.

He added that the decision to move pig farms to Bukit Tagar was made in accordance with a decree by the Sultan of Selangor, aimed at closing existing facilities to safeguard rivers and the surrounding environment.

Residents, however, remain unconvinced. A Felda Sungai Tengi Selatan resident said the community’s greatest fear is the potential contamination of water sources, noting that the proposed location is closer to Felda settlements than other residential areas.

“We sincerely hope Tuanku will intervene and instruct the state government not to proceed with the development of a pig farm in Bukit Tagar,” he said after attending a peaceful demonstration against the proposal last Friday.

Echoing these concerns, a representative from Kampung Bestari Jaya pointed out that water from Bukit Tagar eventually flows into the Selangor River, which supplies three to four water treatment plants serving the Klang Valley.

“Any pollution there would not only affect nearby communities but could disrupt the water supply for millions of people,” he said, adding that the issue also raises concerns over hygiene and religious sensitivities, given the proximity to predominantly Malay Muslim communities. —  Focus Malaysia