DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has sought to reassure the Chinese Malaysian community, as Chinese New Year celebrations loom amid controversy on pig farming in Selangor.
According to China Press, Loke (above) declared to nearly 1,000 attendees at a dinner banquet last night that the supply of pork in Malaysia is stable, and he would ensure there would be roast pig at every yearly reunion dinner.
“Chinese New Year would not feel like Chinese New Year without roast pig, so we must have it," he was quoted as saying at a dinner hosted by a church group in Seremban, where he is the local MP.
Loke’s declaration reportedly led to thunderous cheers and applause, while photos of the event show him and other guests posing with whole roast pigs – a common dish for many major religious and cultural occasions in Chinese culture.
“I can assure everyone that there will be pork to eat every day of the year. Malaysia will definitely not run out of pork,” he continued, according to the report.
The Chinese New Year reunion dinner is a family occasion customarily observed on the night before Chinese New Year.
Loke, who is also the transport minister, urged the public not to read unsubstantiated reports about the situation in Selangor, which he said is causing people to worry that pork will no longer be available in the future.
Ruler’s decree
The Selangor pig farming issue has been a contentious one. State ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said he does not consent to pig farming being carried out in the state, citing pollution and limited land resources.
Instead, the ruler suggested that the government issue licences for the importation of pork to meet the demand and needs of non-Muslims, particularly the Chinese community in Selangor.
Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the state government no longer issues new pig farming licences, while the closure of existing farms will be expedited and carried out in stages.
The state government earlier planned to relocate pig farms from Tanjong Sepat to a centralised facility near the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill, but the plan was put on hold following objections.
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin had assured there would be an adequate supply of pork for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.
“A total of 60 percent of the pork or live pigs supply in the peninsula is from Perak. So, Selangor does not produce much,” he said last month, adding that major live pig suppliers in the state have committed no price hikes for the festivity. - Mkini
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