The reasons given by a village headman's son, for receiving the controversial MCA Japanese Encephalitis Humanitarian Fund, were criticised as irrelevant by a group of pig farmers from Bukit Pelanduk, Negeri Sembilan.

About 100 angry pig farmers and villagers at Bukit Pelandok called a press conference this morning to express their outrage against the explanation given by village headman Teow Hong Chew's second son, Teow Kim Hoo.

Kim Hoo was reported to have said that he had suffered from a string of illnesses, including tumours.

However, pig farmer PC Lai argued that on no account does this qualify Kim Hoo for the benefits from the JE fund.

"Every family has its own problems. But how many family members of Teow died of Nipah virus or how many of their pigs have been culled? Do they (Teow family) have any reasons to use the fund raised for pig farmers for their own purpose?" he asked.

"If Teow's family think they need financial support, they should have called for a donation for themselves, and not take advantage of the pig farmers' plight. They tried to mislead us," Lai lamented.

Lai added that the pig farmers are going to set up an official fact-finding team on the list of recipients so that they can make a thorough investigation.

Operation costs

Today, Nanyang Siang Pau reported that Kim Hoo, 41, said he has had a series of operations.

In 1987, he said he had an operation to remove a kidney tumour, which cost him RM10,000, and in 1992, he had an operation to remove a tumour in his lower abdomen, which cost him RM12,000.

He added that the treatment after the operations cost him RM12,000 and his medical bills totalled RM3,600.

At the end of 1993, Kim Hoo said that he was treated in China for a tumour in his left kidney. His 10-month stay amounted to a cost of RM60,000.

He added that when the Nipah outbreak broke out in March 1999, his tumour began spreading again so he applied for RM5,000 from the JE fund.

Besides, he said that his elder son, aged 17, had fever after working in the pig pens. He claimed that the doctor confirmed his son was infected with the Nipah virus, hence his son received RM25,000 from the fund.

'Nothing to hide'

According to Lai, about 200 people who are infected with the deadly Nipah virus got much less than RM25,000.

"They can cheat the people all over Malaysia, but not the villagers here," Lai said.

Sin Chew Jit Poh reported on Friday that MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik said the party will announce more details on the JE fund, including the criteria for disbursement very soon.

Ling added that MCA has nothing to hide.