PAS politicians yesterday alleged that pig waste from farms in Tanjung Sepat is being channelled directly into the Strait of Malacca, with sewage management either not implemented or improperly carried out.
Several PAS leaders, including information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, Kuala Langat MP Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, and Sepang PAS division chief Sabirin Marsono, visited the farms in Kampung Tumbuk to assess the way it was being operated.
“What we passed through earlier was pig waste being channelled in ways that do not comply with proper standards, with sewage management that is either not implemented or not properly carried out,” Fadhli (above, middle) told reporters.
“Ultimately, we saw this waste flowing directly into the sea, and we do not know the full extent of the pollution taking place in the Strait of Malacca behind me at this very moment,” he added.
Yunus said the pig farms were operating in a traditional manner, with several ponds used to channel waste materials that eventually flow into drains, rivers, and ultimately the sea.
“The community - regardless of whether they are Malay, Indian, or Chinese - cannot tolerate this kind of traditional pig farming system,” he said.
The politicians questioned what steps the Environment Department and the Veterinary Services Department had taken, to inspect and monitor the issue.
Fadhli said that the site visit was part of efforts to observe problems surrounding pig farming in the area, while upholding a royal decree by the Selangor sultan calling for the farms to be closed and relocated.
Royal rebuke, then relocation
On Jan 12, after granting an audience to several Selangor executive councillors over pig farms in Tanjung Sepat, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah approved several resolutions, including a decree that there will be no more pig farming operations in Tanjung Sepat.
In a statement issued by the Selangor Palace, Sultan Sharafuddin also decreed that existing operations in the area should be stopped gradually and transferred completely to Bukit Tagar, in compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
The ruler also ordered the state government to conduct a comprehensive study and detailed census to identify the amount of pork needed by non-Muslims in Selangor.
Sultan Sharafuddin also emphasised that public funds should not be used for any future pig farming operations, including those in Bukit Tagar.
Two days prior, on Jan 10, the sultan expressed disagreement over the current management of pig farms in the state.
He also suggested that elected representatives live next to pig farms in Tanjung Sepat to feel the impact for themselves.
The ruler pointed out that residents living near pig farms are suffering from a multitude of negative effects - a lingering foul stench, river water pollution, and a ceaseless fly problem, which have all affected their quality of life while contributing to health concerns.
Identify new locations, downscale
In the press conference yesterday, Fadhli said that while only about 30 percent of the pig farms were operating due to a virus outbreak last year, the impact was still being felt by residents.
The politicians said 114 pig pens had previously operated in the area, located within 1km of nearby homes and the nearest mosque.
Yunus, meanwhile, called for the state government to identify new locations equipped with proper facilities to handle the pig farming industry, in line with the sultan’s decree.
He said modern pig farming would be easier to manage and should only meet the needs of those who rely on it as a source of protein, rather than for exploitation purposes. - Mkini
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