Penang pig farmers want the DAP-led state government to set aside an ideal and remote centralised pig farming area (PFA).

"It’s long overdue. The issue should have been resolved by now," lamented Jeffrey Beh Kim Hee, the swine unit head of the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Association of Malaysia (FLFAM).

The federation made similar requests since the early days of former chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s administration

They continued seeking a remedy from the present DAP government and Beh said that the federation has been assured that "relevant authorities would find ways to resolve the issue."

"We were informed that the state government is still identifying an ideal spot for the PFA," he told newsmen at the Penang Legislative Assembly House lobby today.

At present, Penang ‘s 212 pig farms - 180 on the mainland, mostly in the Seberang Perai Utara and Selatan districts, and the remaining 32 on the island’s southwest district - are scattered all over the state.

Farmers sell 29,000 animals yearly to Penang and various states, generating over RM200 million in revenue. Rapid urbanisation in the recent past has ‘forced’ substantial number of farms to close down, relocate or convert to alternate use - mainly for small and medium industries.

The hog industry has always triggered high sensitivity as the mammal is uncouth and offensive to many.

Due to this, Beh feels it is imperative for the state not to prolong the issue and move to "gazette an ideal area for pig farming sooner than later."

Earlier, he handed over the federation’s memorandum to the state government on behalf of 10 pig farmers in the Batu Maung constituency, demanding for ‘fair and just’ compensation for them to cease their operations.

Huge investments

Alternatively, the farmers are willing to move their farms to a specified PFA, without compensation.

The memorandum was received by state executive councillor Law Choo Kiang, who handles the agriculture, agro-based industries, rural development and flood mitigation portfolios.

Law said the state government was committed to resolving amicably all issues pertaining to pig farming in the state.

Batu Maung pig farmers were informed recently to stop their activities because the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) intends to use the land for a centralised farm waste treatment plant.

In the memorandum, the farmers cited their huge investment in farms, structures; facilities and treatment plants were the main reasons for their compensation demand.

They want both the PDC and state government to compensate them if "PDC was determined to take over the plot used for a treatment plant."

Among their demands were RM65 per sq feet for structural and RM2,500 per pig for livestock compensations; exemption from land conversion premiums, tax exemption for five years and conversion of land leasehold periods from 60 to 99 years or freehold for industrial conversion; and RM700,000 for each farmer’s investment in machineries and equipments.

But, they will not demand any compensation if there is a PFA for them.

The farms in Batu Maung, measuring between 10,000 sq ft and 20,000 sq ft, started operations in 1975 after then Gerakan chief minister Lim Chong Eu leased the land to them for 60 years.