September 6, 2007

Malaysia calls off pig cull in state of Malacca

Malaysia has called off a culling of up to 50,000 healthy pigs in the state of Malacca amidst allegations that continuing further would stir racial riots.

While authorities say the cull was called off because an agreement was reached with local farmers to reduce their herd sizes, opposition party members said the authorities backed off as they were afraid the culling would further stir up racial tensions in the country.

As a Muslim-majority nation, most of Malaysia's resident population abhor the eating of pigs. However, there is also a sizeable Chinese minority who regard pork as one of the essential dishes.

Malaysia's authorities started culling pigs over the past few days, saying it is responding to complaints on the stench and polluted water from the pig farms. The farms had been there for the last 50 years and pig farmers claimed they had invested huge sums to reduce pollution levels in the past year.

The state government said it has earlier reached an agreement with community leaders that the state's pig population would be reduced from 148,000 currently to 100,000. Pig farming areas would be reduced from four districts to just one, under the downsizing plan. Pig farmers are expected to move their pig farms to other states before Sept 21, however, community leaders had asked for more time. 

Local media reports indicate villagers and farmers formed barricades to prevent the culling of pigs but authorities were able to break through. About 50,000 pigs were said to have been culled by yesterday.

Authorities in southern Malacca state abandoned the cull on Tuesday night after dozens of farmers formed a human barricade around their farms. Riot police were called in.

The government denied on Wednesday the cull had been called off because of fears of racial tensions but an opposition party said the racial dimension had forced authorities to back down.

Whole villages were willing to defend their property so the government felt the backlash would be too great, said Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of Malaysia's main opposition Democratic Action Party.