Disease Fears Lead to Ban on Pig Rearing in Malaysian State

MALAYSIA - The Negeri Sembilan Veterinary Services Department has so far not received any report on illegal rearing of pigs in the state, particularly the Bukit Pelandok area, Port Dickson.
calendar icon 3 July 2014
clock icon 3 minute read

Its director Dr Azman Shah Abd. Manaf said the department, however, had received reports on illegal slaughtering of pigs but not many in Bukit Pelandok and action had been taken on the matter.

"According to the regulations, slaughtering of the animal must be done at the abattoirs, but there is none in Negeri Sembilan," he told Bernama.

He was earlier asked to comment on the statement by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan yesterday that local leaders would be held responsible for any cases of death from the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) viral infection in their area.

This is because some local leaders have been instigating residents to carry out pig farming in Bukit Pelandok and other areas in the state.

Dr Azman Shah said the department's enforcement officers and police were monitoring Bukit Pelandok and other areas to prevent illegal rearing of pigs.

"We will not hesitate to take stern action against any individual or company engaged in the illegal activity. If this is not checked, we fear another JE outbreak like what happened in Bukit Pelandok in 1989."

He urged members of the public who know of any illegal rearing of pigs in the state to report it to the department or the nearest police station.

Scores of residents in Bukit Pelandok, mostly pig farm workers, were reported to have died from JE infection during the disease outbreak in 1998, following which the state government banned pig farming in the area.

However, the state government allowed the pig farm in Air Kuning, Gemencheh to continue operating but to ensure the sewage water from the farm did not cause water pollution and stench in the area.

The farm operator, however, was not allowed to rear more than 1,000 pigs.

Further Reading

Go to our previous news item on this story by clicking here.
Find out more information on Japanese Encephalitis by clicking here.

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