KUALA LUMPUR – The Selangor government is intensifying efforts to clear and relocate pig farms, with just over 30 farms still operating in Kuala Langat, down sharply from the 115 previously reported.
The move comes as part of a broader policy to improve livestock management and address long-standing concerns over public health, environmental impact and disease control.
Pig farming in Selangor, particularly in Kuala Langat, has faced scrutiny for decades due to waste management issues, pollution risks and outbreaks of animal diseases that threaten both the industry and surrounding communities.
State Infrastructure and Agriculture Exco, Datuk Izham Hashim, said the initiative is aimed at ensuring pig farm operations are conducted in a more organised and sustainable manner.
“In the State Executive Council (MMKN) meeting, I presented improvement proposals and all parties agreed. I will also hold another dialogue session soon with the community and Chinese associations to provide a better understanding. We want to manage this industry better for the benefit of all parties,” he told reporters yesterday.
Izham stressed that unsustainable practices risk triggering disease outbreaks, which ultimately harm the industry itself. He said affected farmers have been informed of the new management policy and reminded that farming activities cannot continue in certain locations.
The state government has, however, provided a grace period to allow for gradual and orderly relocation.
“This is primarily a relocation process. We are giving them time because there are piglets that are still small and cannot be disposed of immediately; they need to reach the appropriate age first,” he explained.
Pig farming in Malaysia has historically been linked to outbreaks such as the Nipah Virus in the late 1990s, which caused severe public health crises and led to the culling of thousands of pigs. While Nipah has since been eradicated, concerns remain over other diseases.
Izham clarified that the current issue involves African Swine Fever (ASF), which has affected pig populations in several countries across Asia.
“The Nipah Virus is no longer present. The cases we are currently facing are ASF, which does not infect humans. It only affects domestic pigs and wild boars,” he said.
ASF, though not a threat to humans, is highly contagious among pigs and has significant economic implications for farmers and the meat supply chain. – January 31, 2026