KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 80 per cent of the 2,000 poultry slaughterhouses in the country are unlicensed.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said they were owned by small shops, putting doubts to the halal status.
"The ministry wants all state governments to enforce the Poultry Farming Enactment to ensure that all slaughterhouses are licensed and registered to enable the authorities to monitor their operations," he told reporters.
Ismail Sabri said only Terengganu and Penang have yet to promulgate the enactment.
"States armed with the enactment should enforce it to enable relevant authorities like the Islamic Development Department and the Veterinary Services Department to monitor the slaughterhouses and take action against errant ones," he said.
Department director-general Datuk Dr Abd Aziz Jamaluddin said errant slaughterhouses could be fined up to RM2,000 while their premises could be closed.
The enforcement is aimed at ensuring the slaughtering of chicken, ducks, quails and turkey abides by Islamic principles, hygiene, and sewage management while the quality and halal status of the products are guaranteed. - Bernama
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