February 9, 2007

Malaysian pig industry yet to sign new loyalty pledge

The deadline might have passed but pig farmers and butchers in Malaysia have yet to sign the new loyalty pledge banning them from using beta-agonist on livestock.

Pig farmers have been unhappy with the wordings of the document while butchers and pork sellers, on the other hand feel they have been dragged into the matter although they have no business feeding pigs.

The loyalty pledge was to be signed by the end of last month.

Federation of Livestock Farmers Associations of Malaysia pig unit chairman Tung Hong Chai could not say which words in the document the farmers were unhappy with.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Pork Sellers Association chairman Goh Chui Lai said the 3,000-association members were not told earlier about signing the loyalty pledge and had refused to do so.