The Malacca state government has decided not to close down the pig farms in the state, except for one, following an exco meeting yesterday.

The farm which was ordered to close is located in Melaka Tengah and its owner Chin Nam Yee ( left ), has been given until April 30 to comply.

In a desperate bid to save his farm, Chin, who owns 5,000 pigs and stands to lose millions, has turned to the courts. He filed a suit yesterday to cancel the order.

"I need at least a year to close down the farm to minimise my losses. They (the state government) expect me do this in a month or so," he said when contacted.

The other 81 farms located in Paya Mengkuang and Kuala Sungai Baru have been spared the axe.

The breeders are only required to submit the layout plans and related photographs of their farms to MCA who would then forward these to the state government.

Seah to the rescue

The reprieve came following an exco meeting yesterday afternoon and the breeders have MCA leader Seah Kwi Tong ( right ) to thank.

However, he was unable to save Chin's farm. The most he could do was convince the state government to defer the deadline for closure, which expired yesterday.

"Initially, I appealed to the state government to delay it for at least three to six months but other exco members felt that one and a half month was sufficient," said the exco member when contacted.

Previously, the state government had ordered the closure of all 82 pig farms and letters were issued via the veterinary services department, the land office and the Alor Gajah Municipal Council informing the breeders of this decision.

Pig farms in Malacca have not had their edifices approved by the municipal council over the past 40 years or so.

Upon receiving the letter, the irate breeders turned to Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam who later told the media that the breeders have to fulfill three requirements: submit their building plans, upgrade their sewerage system and change their land use.

According to Seah, the breeders must submit their layout plans and related photographs of their farms to MCA by March 31.

Since receiving their letters, the disgruntled breeders have resorted to numerous actions, including staging a protest outside Seah's house and advertising their plight in a Chinese daily.

The breeders have also appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry.

Poor condition

Meanwhile, Seah said MCA has hired an architect and surveyor to help the breeders draft their layout plans.

If the layout plans are approved by the municipal council, they will then have to submit the architectural and structural plans of their farms, he added.

"After their layout plans are approved by the authorities, MCA will help them upgrade their sewerage system," he said.

He also dismissed the complaint by breeders that the state government never issued a clear guideline regarding the farms' sewerage system.

However, Seah said he managed to convince other state excos that the breeders be allowed to submit the layout plans first before upgrading their sewerage system

At present, he added, many of the farms' sewerage system is in poor condition.