In MCA’s Pig of a problem I wrote that the desperate farmers pinned their last hope on deputy minister Mah. Mah had quietly hinted that the appeal of one sole farmer, Chin Nam Yee, who is also Malacca Livestock Breeder's Association president, could affect the cases of the rest, a sort of template solution.
I did wonder whether it could be just a face saving gesture to allow the pig farms to continue for a reasonable while until the farmers may make arrangements to leave the state. Well, the MCA came through with more that just that, though not for one poor bloke.
Malaysiakini reported that the Malacca Exco has now changed its mind and allowed all farms save one to continue operating, provided they fulfilled a number of documentary requirements including improving their sewerage. The MCA will assist the breeders and has already engaged an architect and surveyor to help them draft their layout plans that are required by the Malacca government.
However, Chin Nam Yee is the sole unfortunate bloke whose farm in Melaka Tengah must close. Chin has been given 6 weeks to comply with the Exco order. The other farms are located in Paya Mengkuang and Kuala Sungai Baru. I am not familiar with Malacca districts but I am guessing that the sole farm given the close down instructions must be fairly near population centres or kampongs.
Chin is seeking legal redress to save his farm. His farm has 5,000 pigs and he would lose millions if he has to close down within the next month. Chin claims he needs at least a year to wind down in order not to lose money.
MCA Exco member Seah Kwi Tong who was the 'missing' villain during the farmers’ protest has now metamorphosed into their beaming hero, having been credited with convincing the other Exco members to spare the piggeries. I doubt that has been the case because it has been obvious that he wasn’t successful in convincing them earlier, which led to all the recent sandiwara (theatrics).
I reckon deputy minister Mah has managed to persuade CM Rustam to cancel his earlier instructions. But the MCA obviously wants local boy Seah to earn the merits, just in time for 2008.
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