The Malacca state government has ordered the closure of all 82 pig farms in the state in a letter first issued to farmers on March 1.

The letter, from the state's veterinary services department, provided the breeders with a two-week deadline to comply with the order.

Farmers were told to either sell, shift the animals or use any means necessary to ensure that their farms are not operational after the stipulated period.

According to the department's letter, the order is in accordance with a decision made at a state exco meeting in April 1999.

Since then there have been negotiations to stall the decision.

The breeders were warned that if they failed to comply with the order, their farms can be sealed.

The disgruntled breeders then placed an advertisement in Chinese language newspaper Oriental Daily asking for the public's support to have the order revoked.

In their advertisement, the breeders warned that if it can happen in Malacca, it can happen in other states as well.

Also inserted in the advertisement was the caricatures of four pig breeders in Malacca waiting to be hanged.

Rude shock

Malacca livestock breeders association president Chin Nam Yee said the advertisement was placed after the breeders failed to find a solution to the matter, although two MCA state excos Poh Ah Tiam and Seah Kwi Tong had previously assured them that it will be resolved.

He said only Oriental Daily had agreed to publish the advertisement while the other four Chinese newspapers had declined to do so.

The pig farming issue was raised last Dec by Seah and Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam was said to have verbally agreed then that there will be no action for the time being.

However, the breeders suffered a rude shock when they started receiving the letter since last week.

According to Chin, the authorities want to centralise pig farming in the state but have yet to pinpoint a location.

He said the breeders had demanded that the state government identify the place for the centralised pig rearing.

However, the state government wants them to form a cooperative first and then apply for a place.