By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Feb 11: Sarawak is prepared to scale up live pig exports to Selangor and is open to supplying other states in Peninsular Malaysia interested in sourcing pork from the State.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, confirmed that Sarawak has been supplying Selangor since last year.
“We are open to supplying any other states interested in importing from Sarawak.
“While we have several smallholder pig farms, we also operate three large, modern farms in Simunjan, Esenggei in Samarahan, and Selangau that are ready to export, including to Singapore,” he said when asked to comment on the issue today.
He added that Sarawak currently produces a surplus, ensuring that domestic demand is fully met.
Dr Rundi’s remarks came in response to PAS Selangor’s suggestion for the state government to hold formal discussions with Sabah and Sarawak to strengthen pork supply collaborations.
The party highlighted Sarawak’s shipment of 800 live pigs to Selangor in July 2025 and noted the development of modern integrated farms in Sarawak with enhanced biosecurity standards and organised waste management.
“Selangor’s demand presents an opportunity for Sarawak to further increase pork exports. With our surplus production and advanced farms, we are fully prepared to meet this demand,” Dr Rundi acknowledged.
Meanwhile, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has reiterated that he does not consent to pig farming in any district of Selangor due to environmental concerns, limited land, and public health considerations.
This statement followed comments by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding a proposed large-scale pig farming project in Bukit Tagar, Hulu Selangor.
The Selangor Royal Office highlighted that pig farming can generate foul odours and potentially contaminate rivers and water catchment areas. Bukit Tagar, being a residential area for Malays and Felda settlers with rivers supplying clean water to Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya, could face strong local opposition.
While modern farming methods can reduce pollution, the costs are high, making it unfeasible for operators supplying pork only within Selangor. There is also no guarantee that water contamination could be entirely avoided.
The Sultan stressed that Selangor’s limited land and high property values render both large- and small-scale pig farming unsuitable.
He recommended that the government consider issuing licences for pork imports to meet the needs of non-Muslims, particularly the Chinese community, while allowing Selangor land to be used for housing and other productive development. — DayakDaily
