May 24, 2023

Perak, Malaysia, seeks amendment to poultry enactment to tackle errant farmers

The government of Perak, Malaysia, has tabled an amendment to the state's Poultry Farming Enactment on May 23, which, among other things, increases the amount of penalties and allows for the revocation of licences for farmers who fail to comply with the enactment.

State Rural Development, Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun said the amendment to Section 8 of the enactment, among other things, increases the maximum fine for the offence of farming or operating poultry farms without a licence from RM10,000 (US$2,182) to RM50,000 (US$10,908). This includes offenses for removing untreated poultry waste and by-products from the farm or allowing the breeding of flies, insects or pests. The maximum jail term for the offenses is also increased from one year to three.

Mohd Zolkafly added that Clause 20 amends Section 27 to increase the fine for first-time offenses committed by corporations as well as raising the fine for repeated ones.

He said Clause 22 also aimed to include a new subsection 30(2) to enable licences to be canceled or not to be renewed for failure to comply with other written laws regarding poultry farming.

According to Zolkafly, the new provisions and enhancements aimed at streamlining the requirements for compliance with the standards of poultry farming practices set under the enactment.

— Bernama