Statement by Pol. Sec. Michael Tiang on confiscated poultry products

suppadmin | April 7, 2017

1. I was deeply disappointed that in the first instance the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) chose to dispose of the confiscated chicken wings by simply landfilling the chicken wings underground without consulting the matter with the Veterinary Department and the Health Department on the specific procedures for disposing of animal carcasses and poultry products. More so, the J KD M should have known better that these chicken wings were confiscated as they were from the outbreak zone of bird flu, Netherlands, which required even more attention for special handling.

2. I would like to remind JDKM at Putrajaya that Sarawak is a not a “Kampung” whereby the Department can simply choose anywhere they like to landfill confiscated poultry products like the way they did at Bukit Aup! This is totally unacceptable when one thinks of the fact that JKDM will never dispose of poultry products anywhere they like in Kuala Lumpur!

3. As mentioned above, on the procedures of disposing of the chicken wings JKDM should have consulted with the Veterinary Department and the Health Department, but as to the location of landfilling the said chicken wings, JKDM should have consulted Sibu Municipal Council as there is only specific ground for sanitary landfilling, that is at the Kemuyang Sanitary Landfill.

4. Tiang pointed out that even if the frenzy at Bukit Aup that local residents went to dig up the landfilled chicken wings did not happen, the chicken wings will also eventually end up rotting and polluting the area’s underground water sources. That is why there is only one site for landfilling such large amount of the disposed chicken wings at SMC’s Kemuyang Landfill.

5. This incident at Bukit Aup reminds the Federal agencies that they should never only conduct their official duties comfortably and remotely at Putrajaya, without working closely on the ground with their local branches all over Malaysia to know what best actions to take for the interests of the local residents. Moreover, the federal government agencies are also reminded that they should never work alone on matters concerning the public welfare in Sarawak without consulting with the state authorities.