Kota Kinabalu: A federal MP’s call to close domestic pig farms and switch to imported pork sparked a political push-back from a Sabah-based party who warns the proposal could set a risky precedent for national food policy and overlook the multi-cultural economic realities of East Malaysia.
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Vice President David Ong argued that the sweeping suggestion by Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan sidesteps practical farm-level solutions and carries wide-ranging economic, food security and social implications.
David said environmental and public-health concerns linked to pig rearing should be tackled via improved farm management, modernised practices and tighter environmental rules, instead of shutting down the whole industry.
“If pollution is the concern, then the solution should be better management, modern farming practices and improved environmental standards, not the closure of an entire industry,” he said in a statement.
He noted while imported pork may sometimes be cheaper, price alone should not decide the fate of domestic food sectors.
He asked whether chicken farms or paddy fields should cease if cheaper imports became available.
“Food security means retaining local production capacity to buffer against global supply shocks, price swings and shifting foreign export policies; rebuilding a shuttered industry would take years and heavy investment.
“The pig-farming sector also sustains farmers, workers, feed suppliers, transporters and other supply-chain businesses whose livelihoods must be weighed in any policy discussion,” he said.
He added that Malaysia’s multicultural-nation status demands respect for varied dietary customs and related economic activities — a point especially pertinent for Sabah and Sarawak.
David urged politicians to act responsibly, study impacts thoroughly before proposing industry-wide closures, and called on the Federal Government to pursue a balanced path that strengthens agriculture, lifts environmental standards and protects food security.
“Malaysia belongs to all Malaysians. Our policies must reflect the needs of our diverse society,” he said.
