Allocate funds in 13MP to address Sg Kereh pig farm pollution crisis - MP

PARLIAMENT | Bersatu supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN-Tasek Gelugor) called for the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to provide an allocation to clean pollution in Sungai Kereh, Penang, from swine farms around the area.

In his speech debating the 13MP, Wan Saiful said that the Penang government has failed to tackle the issue.

He said the river's surroundings include residential areas and eateries, where there is a permeative malodour that disrupts the quality of life there.

"The (respective ministries) must order a full audit of all pig farms operating near the water catchment area and river area in Sungai Kereh in Kampung Selamat.

"Next, there must be a clear plan and firm action, either closure or fines or any firm action against pig farms that fail to comply with standards and cause pollution that has been happening for so long," he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He warned that a failure to address the issue could lead to Sungai Kereh becoming a symbol of the government's failure to protect the environment.

He further stressed that the issue was not a racial one.

"This is a matter of justice for the majority of the people who are affected by the continuous odour and water pollution," he said.

According to a Bernama report in 2016, residents within 2km of the river have experienced its pollution and bad odour for 20 years.

At the time, the Penang government vowed to implement a closed farm system for pig farming in the state in an effort to curb the issues.

Residents claimed that they experienced negative health effects from the pollution, including persistent coughing, respiratory issues and itchy skin.

Reporting by Zarrah Morden, Alyaa Alhadjri, B Nantha Kumar

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