SHAH ALAM, Jan 15 — After over 30 years, the state government is taking quick steps to expedite the relocation of a pig farm to Bukit Tagar to resolve longstanding issues.
State executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato’ Izham Hashim said discussions with the Selangor State Executive Council have been held to obtain official confirmation on the timeline for the relocation.
“The discussion with the state executive council on Wednesday evening was important to ensure the pig farm relocation to Bukit Tagar can be done in an orderly manner, with the involvement of all parties including farmers, and compliance with set procedures.
“This issue has been ongoing for over 30 years and various previous governments have failed to resolve it. The current state government is taking stringent action to resolve this issue quickly and effectively,” he said when met at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Building here yesterday.
Meanwhile, Izham said the state government will hold discussions with landowners to rehabilitate the existing pig farm site in Kuala Langat so it can be developed for other agricultural activities.
He said most of the farm area is in an agricultural zone that includes oil palm plantations.
According to him, landowners have the freedom to decide which type of agricultural activity to pursue on their respective plots of land.
“Our main focus now is to rehabilitate existing land, especially areas polluted with ammonia from sewerage … so the land can be safely and productively reused for other agriculture,” he added.
Izham said the state government would work with landowners towards the systematic, effective, and environmental guideline- and standard-compliant rehabilitation of the land.
He added that the new farm in Bukit Tagar will be a modern, planned development, which complies with all conditions set by the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) to ensure smooth daily operations.
According to him, the state government has considered buffers between farms to prevent the spread of disease and solve the issue of disturbances to or complaints from residents.
Izham said this move is an integrated effort by the state government to ensure Selangor’s pig farming industry is safer, more modern, more orderly, and more sustainable, as well as to resolve a longstanding issue that has plagued the people for decades.
The pig farm issue gained attention after Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj expressed disappointment and disagreement over the state government’s plan to allow pig farming in Tanjung Sepat, Kuala Langat, this year, before relocating operations to Bukit Tagar in 2030.
Following a meeting between the Sultan and Izham on Monday, several improvements have been made, including by expediting the pig farm relocation to Bukit Tagar to this year, and for no public funds to be used in the process.
Previously, Media Selangor reported that the Selangor government would expedite the relocation of a pig farm from Kuala Langat and Sepang to Bukit Tagar, sooner than the earlier target of 2030.
The decision was made after a state executive council meeting and Izham’s audience with the Sultan on Monday.
The new site in Bukit Tagar, which covers an area of 202ha, will implement a closed farming system and be equipped with sufficient buffer zones and environmental controls for odour and sewerage management.
