A coalition of Selayang residents associations and NGOs want the government to relocate a centralised chicken slaughterhouse project slated to be built near the Selayang wholesale market.

The group of 62 organisations that call themselves the 'Working Committee for Appeal Against Location of Chicken Slaughterhouse' said they were worried that the project would spell trouble for the public.

Group secretary Abdul Aziz Mohd Alias told Malaysiakini that the location of the abattoir was "very close" to residential areas and public facilities, including several schools and houses of worship.

"The project site was initially gazetted for a public parking area in 2014. However, its status was changed by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to develop a chicken slaughtering centre and it appointed a company for this purpose.

"We (the coalition) have an objection against this project because of its location, which is at a high-density population area.

"We are afraid that the slaughterhouse might also bring diseases like bird flu and make the surrounding area dirty with chicken litter, thus attracting flies," Aziz said when met last week.

He added that the premises would be the centre for the slaughtering of chickens for wholesalers and would have a capacity of processing between 80,000 and 100,000 chickens daily.

“This also means that there will be many lorries going in and out of the area causing further problems to the already congested roads, besides posing a traffic hazard to the people," he said.

Aziz was accompanied by some 15 representatives of the NGOs and residents associations involved (below).

The committee's deputy chairperson, Mohamad Noor Said, said the slaughterhouse site was less than 500 metres away from the Taman Desa Bakti neighbourhood and would cause inconveniences to the residents.

"The area is already packed and if this project goes through, it will make traffic congestion unbearable.

"Besides, the site was initially gazetted for public parking and we hope that it will be used for that. The place does not have enough parking for consumers who go to the market there," Mohamad Noor said.

Goh Leng Ang, who represented the SRJK(C) Selayang Baru school board, said there are five schools located within a one-kilometre radius of the site, including his school which is only about 500 metres away from the proposed slaughterhouse.

This, Goh added, would pose danger to students when lorries start to throng the place.

The committee also claimed that DBKL did not hold any meetings or discussions with residents associations, NGOs and joint-management bodies of apartments in the vicinity before approving the project.

They also made several claims in their memorandum pertaining to DBKL's approval of the project, which the committee said was based on documents submitted by the developer.

Project going ahead

The committee said the developer only furnished a support letter from one residents' association - allegedly an acquaintance of the developer - and reports by the Environment Department and Health Ministry saying that they had no objection against the project as it was in accordance with the Housing and Local Government Ministry's guidelines, which state that a slaughterhouse must be built at least 500 metres away from a residential area.

Aziz said the coalition had been protesting against the project since 2015 and their representative had brought up the matter to the new Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad (above) last week with renewed hope.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, Khalid confirmed that the meeting had taken place but stated that he had asked the group to provide "solid reasons" to reject the project.

"We need a chicken slaughter centre which can guarantee a good and clean process. So far, I have been given different kinds of excuses (for objecting to the project)," he said in text replies to Malaysiakini.

Asked if this meant the government would go ahead with the project, Khalid replied, "That is the case so far, as far as I am concerned."

Among some of other organisations on the committee are the Rumah Amal Cheshire Selangor, Taman Desa Bakti Residents Association, Kampung Laksamana Welfare and Social Association, Rukun Tetangga Kawasan Selayang Baru A, Federation of Taoist Associations Malaysia, Persatuan Penganut Agama Toa Fatt Chong Kong Taman Prima Selayang, Kuala Lumpur Wholesale Market Small Wholesale Businesses Association and SRJK(C) Selayang Baru Old Students Association.