The Malaysia Pork Consumer Association is urging the Ministry of Health and Veterinary Services Department to beef up their presence at pig farms after pigs in Selangor and Penang were reported to have infected foot and mouth diseases (FMD).
Its association chairman Siow Chee Meng requested for more frequent inspections by the ministry and also the department in order to ensure pork meats in the market are safe for public consumption.
At a press conference today, he said unethical pig farm operators are prepared to sell infected hogs to illegal abattoirs if no eye is kept on them.
“As far as I know, the largest illegal abattoir is located at Seremban and is handling 1000 to 3000 pigs every day, delivered to the Selangor market,” he said.
“This could be harmful to the consumers if that butchery is processing infected meats,” he added.
Siow said the association received two complaints on October 14 that pigs in two pig farms, one in Selangor and another in Penang, were struck by the FMD disease.
The outbreak was believed to be caused by feedstuffs consumed by the pigs, which was imported from Thailand.
Siow reminded public that the infected meat, while being washed and cleaned, will have no visible difference compared to a normal meat.
“Public should patronize those stalls they have been frequenting to,” he said.
Meanwhile he also advised pig farm operators to report to the authority whenever an outbreak happens in their farms.
The country last faced an FMD outbreak in 2005, where a Tanjung Sepat farm was quarantined.
CJMY
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