Perak pig farm told to stop expansion work until it gets approval

IPOH: A pig farm operator in Kampung Perlop 1, Sungai Siput, has been told to stop expansion works after carrying out land levelling while its application for planning permission is still being processed.

State Human Resources, Health, Indian Affairs and National Integration Committee chairman Datuk A. Sivanesan said the operator had breached procedures by carrying out construction-related works before obtaining approval from the local authority.

He said the farm was in the process of being converted from a conventional operation into a modern, fully enclosed pig farming facility.

"We have instructed the local authority and District and Land Office to take action.

"Although the farm has applied for planning permission and the application is being processed, it cannot carry out any construction works until approval is obtained," he said.

He told reporters this after launching the "Golden Years Greater Lives" Community Programme Towards Healthy and Dignified Ageing at Buntong Health Clinic here today.

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Sivanesan was responding to concerns raised by Sungai Siput Umno Youth chief Ariff Zaky Zolkafly on Facebook, questioning whether the farm's expansion had obtained the necessary approvals following complaints from residents about a fly nuisance.

Sivanesan said an inspection found that the land works involved the construction of five new sewage retention ponds.

"One of the four existing sewage retention ponds was also found to be discharging water through a pipe directly into a tributary.

"Water samples have been taken for Biochemical Oxygen Demand analysis and sent to a laboratory in Bukit Tengah, Penang, for further testing," he said.

He said authorities were also investigating the level of fly infestation at the farm.

Meanwhile, he said the state government expected that modernising the pig farming industry could generate up to RM1.6 billion in state revenue, including through the leasing of 174ha of state land used for pig farming.

"If all 85 pig farms in Perak are taken into account, the state could potentially collect almost RM1.6 billion, including revenue from the 174 hectares of state-owned land used by pig farmers.

"Currently, what we receive from pig farming is only about RM300,000 through licences issued by the DVS," he said.

He said Perak remained the country's largest pig farming state, although the number of farms had declined to 85 due to closures and consolidation among operators.

He said the restructuring of the industry was also aimed at ensuring all pig farms adopted a fully enclosed system, with full enforcement scheduled to begin on Jan 1, 2027.

"There will be no compromise in the conversion from conventional to modern pig farms. They must convert their farms or face closure," he said.