Two pig farmers in Malacca sent a legal letter to the Alor Gajah Municipal Council (MPAG) yesterday demanding a written assurance that no demolition work would take place on their premises.

Lim Oh Pah ( photo ) and Ye Yu said MPAG had 24 hours to reply, failing which they would file an application for an injunction either tomorrow or Friday against the council to the same effect.

Their demands were based on a notice issued by MPAG dated Aug 21, which said the structures on the land occupied by the duo were without council permission and must be demolished within 30 days.

Lim and Ye argued that the notice cited Section 72 (1) (b) and Section 72 (4) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 which only specifies a maximum RM250 fine for each offence.

Speaking at a press conference today in Kuala Lumpur, the farmer's lawyer Gideon Tan said his clients were seeking an assurance from MPAG because it is believed that an earlier state sanctioned attempt to cull and demolish pig farms resulted from the notice.

"My clients have thus far received no other notice (about offences regarding their pig farms)," said Tan, adding that any action other than those stated in the notice could have been illegal.

'Act within law'

On Sept 4, hundreds of enforcement officers from various departments attempted to cull pigs in Bukit Beruang, Paya Mengkuang, Kampung Man Lok and other areas but were thwarted by farmers who set up barricades leading to their farms.

Subsequently, state MCA officials managed to strike a deal with the state government in order to give time for pig farmers to rid a portion their livestock before Sept 21.

Previously, Menteri Besar Mohd Ali Rustam said that pig farms, of which many are unregulated, were causing pollution due to discharging of effluents into waterways.

The state government aims to cap the number of pigs in Malacca at 48,000. At Sept 4, various sources estimate the number of pigs in the state to be between 100,000 and 140,000.

With such large volume to process within a short period, it is unlikely that pig farmers would meet the deadline and are already planning to defend their farms should enforcement authorities try to cull the pigs again.

Tan said his clients are hoping that through their letter to MPAG, the council would act reasonably and within the law upon the expiry of the notice.

Council or state matter?

Asked if it was possible that the state government, rather than MPAG, had ordered for the pig culling on Sept 4, Tan said such a scenario would be "out of the ordinary."

"If it is a building matter, then it has to be dealt with by the local authorities. My clients never received any notice from the state government," he added.

Ask to comment on the matter, MCA official and state government exco member Seah Kwi Tong ( photo ) said there were provisions for affected pig farmers to appeal against the notice.

To a question, Seah claimed that he did not know which party had ordered for enforcement authorities to engage in the pig culling exercise.

In the latest development, Malacca MCA chief Dr Fong Chan Onn told reporters today that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak would be coordinating with the Malacca state government to resolve the issue.

According to China Press online edition, Fong did not provide a direct reply when asked if the state government deadline which expires tomorrow would be extended.

"Let the two (MCA) state government representatives handle the matter," he said.