ALOR GAJAH: Vowing to put a stop to environmental pollution caused by the pig farming industry in Paya Mengkuang here will not be just a sweet election campaign promise, State Agriculture and Entrepreneurial Development committee chairman Datuk Hasan Abdul Rahman said today.
He said he is treating the matter very seriously, as it has affected many residents and hoteliers in the area – and aims to solve the problem within four months.
"Together with Datuk Ismail Othman (State Housing, Local Government and Environment), we will present a Pig Farm Licensing 2017 act, so that we are empowered to take action against errant operators.
"We have to take sterner action, because the practice of releasing swine effluent into the river has raised serious environmental concerns here," Hasan told a group of protestors at Dewan Sungai Tuang here today.
Earlier, a resident had asked sarcastically if the state government is serious in addressing problems caused by the 32 pig farmers here.
"The state government has promised to solve the pig farming issue since 2007 after TV3's Karam Singh Walia reported on the issue.
"Will this be another (empty campaign promise) by the state government and will the issue be (dealt with) meticulously?" said the resident.
Hasan assured residents that the problem will be solved in four months’ time, after his proposal to license pig farmers is raised in the state executive council meeting at the end of the month.