SHAH ALAM, Jan 17 — The new central pig farm in Bukit Tagar is subject to Selangor’s Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP), which dictates prudent waste management to prevent water pollution, said state executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato’ Izham Hashim.
“The farm will also have a high biosecurity level, which would make it harder for bacterial infections and diseases to spread among livestock,” he added
Izham said the state government has stipulated three conditions for the modern pig farm.
“First, the farm must have a sufficient buffer zone, as pig farms must be far from public areas. Bukit Tagar has a wide buffer zone and is located far from residential areas, which lowers the risk of pollution and disturbance to the local community,” he explained on the Jangan Pajak Otak podcast by activist Liyana Marzuki last night.
“Second, a closed farming system must be employed, and third, the ZDP must be implemented, whereby all water in the farming area must be processed and recycled, and not released into rivers, ditches, or drains.
“Animal excrement will be processed in the biogas system to generate electricity, similar to the model implemented in Penang. Excrement cannot be released beyond the farm area, and (waste)water will be recycled,” he added.
Meanwhile, Izham reiterated that the Selangor government is not funding the pig farm project, and is only a facilitator from a policy and oversight standpoint.
He said the state’s role is limited to the implementation of policies as decided by the Selangor State Executive Council, while the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) has never approved funds for pig farming.
“All funds are through private parties. The state government is only a facilitator that brings together stakeholders, while local councils expedite farming-related processes.”
He also stressed that the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has the authority to revoke licences, issue compounds, and take court action if farmers violate the rules.
In a related development, Izham said the Selangor DVS has never issued permanent licences to any pig farmers in Tanjong Sepat.
He said that before he took over the agriculture portfolio, there were 128 farms that had long operated in the area, but most of them did not fulfil established requirements.
“Every six months, licences must be renewed, but due to political pressures and various other factors, if the government halts their operations over these violations, it would of course cause much contention.
“The previous government took a looser approach and allowed farming to continue, but the licences issued were only temporary and must be renewed every six months,” he explained.
On Monday, Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj said the state would not provide funds or pursue investments in pig farming.
In a statement released by Istana Alam Shah, the Ruler emphasised that Selangor has no plans to export pig products.
The pig farm issue gained attention when His Royal Highness expressed disagreement with the state government’s decision to relocate Kuala Langat pig farms to Bukit Tagar by 2030.
After an audience with the Sultan on Monday, Izham announced several amendments to the plan, including bringing forward the relocation date to this year and ensuring no public funds are used in the effort.
