Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Mah Siew Keong will meet with officials from the Malacca state government to discuss the problems faced by pig breeders in the state.

When contacted, Mah said he will meet with State Secretary Ismail Salleh either today or tomorrow. He met with the breeders yesterday. The Malacca state government has ordered the closure of all 82 pig farms in the state in a letter first issued to breeders on March 1.

However, Mah said the pig farms falls under the state government's authority and the ministry is powerless to intervene.

The deputy minister added that all he can do is offer to mediate.

Humanitarian aspect

"I hope the state government would consider the humanitarian aspect and the financial losses the breeders would face and delay the closure date," he said.

The Malacca veterinary services department's letter gave the breeders a two-week deadline to comply with the order, failing which, they farms would be seized.

Earlier MCA state excos Poh Ah Tiam and Seah Kwi Tong had intervened. Eventually Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam wanted the breeders to fulfill three conditions - convert the land use, submit the farm draft plans and building plans.

However, the breeders were not told about the format of the plans until this week. The structural and architectural plans demanded by the town council could take a one month to prepare.

It is impossible for the plans to be submitted before the March 15 deadline, said one of the affected breeders, Chin Nam Yee.

On Tuesday, the disgruntled breeders had placed an advertisement ( photo ) in a Chinese newspaper Oriental Daily asking for public support to have the order revoked.

Political agenda

Meanwhile DAP Bandar Hilir assemblyperson Goh Leong San said the state government had a 'political agenda' to eliminate the pig industry.

"The state government stopped issuing license to pig breeders after 1991. They had passed a resolution in the state exco meeting in1999 to close down all pig farms in Melaka," he said when contacted.

According to a copy of the March 1 letter, made available to malaysiakini , the decision was in accordance with a decision made at the 8th state exco meeting in April 10, 1999.

Goh also condemned MCA former state exco Gan Boon Leong and current state exco Poh for not opposing the resolution while they were at the abovementioned exco meeting.

According to a Sinchew Daily report, MCA state exco said state secretary Ismail had promised him that the state government would not demolish the farms.

Poh and Seah could not be reached for comment.