Expert help on impact of pig farm project

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Government plans to get the help of a foreign expert to determine if the proposed centralised modern pig farm project in Kuala Langat is environment-friendly.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said an in-depth research would be done to determine if the farm in Ladang Tumbuk, Mukim Batu in Kuala Langat could operate without contaminating the environment.

“We will then publicly announce the results of the research, its actual cost, the size of the farm as well as the number of breeders involved in the project and the number of pigs that will be reared there,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after opening the 22nd annual general meeting of a local business coalition, the Gabungan Ikhtisas dan Usahawan Bumiputera Anak Selangor yesterday.

Khalid also said an environmental impact assessment (EIA) need not be done now as the previous government had done all the necessary legwork, including visits to the Netherlands and Germany to research the efficacy of the technology on such a pig farm.

He added that the exco for agriculture, modernisation, natural resources management and entrepreneur development Yaakob Sapari would go to the site of the proposed farm to explain to the people in detail all facets of the project.

On another matter, Khalid said bumiputra companies in Selangor would no longer be able to obtain state government tenders through direct negotiations as the Pakatan Rakyat state government wanted to prevent monopoly of state government projects.

The new state government discovered that 98% of state government tenders had been awarded through direct negotiations to companies owned by certain individuals.

“Even if the name of the companies differ, its shareholders are the same people,” said Khalid.

However, he stressed that the state government would continue to help bumiputra contractors obtain state government projects and tenders but added that these would be awarded based on experience and ability.