Malaysia calls off pig cull

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia has called off a cull of 50,000 pigs amid concerns it could stoke racial tensions between Chinese pig farmers and their Muslim neighbours

Authorities in southern Malacca state abandoned the cull on Tuesday night after dozens of farmers formed a human barricade around their farms. Riot police were called in to keep them at bay.

Officials had said they ordered the cull following complaints from residents about the smell and water pollution from the pig farms.

The government denied on Wednesday the cull had been called off because of fears of racial tensions and said farmers had now agreed to reduce their herds. But an opposition party said the racial dimension had forced authorities to back down.

"People, their children and women came out, willing to defend their property, the government felt the backlash would be too great," said Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of Malaysia's main opposition Democratic Action Party.

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Source: Reuters

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