KUCHING: The Sarawak government has been urged to step up efforts and increase funding to assist pig farmers affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF) disease.
Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen made this call on Friday (Aug 19).
“As reported by Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom today, the state government had sometime in July this year approved a fund of RM497,000 to assist pig farmers affected by the ASF disease in 2021.
“This amount is far too little and too slow. The first case of ASF disease was reported in July 2021.
“According to Dr Rundi’s report, it was only in July 2022 that the state government approved the allocation to assist the pig farmers. That is a year after the outbreak of the ASF disease,” Chong pointed out.
He also said that according to Dr Rundi’s report, as of Aug 16, a total of 32,204 pigs were culled because of the ASF disease.
“Taking an average cost of RM800 per pig culled, that is a total loss of RM25mil to the pig farmers.
“Yet, the state government only allocated a sum of RM497,000 to assist them, not even two per cent of their total loss.
“I urge the state government to be more proactive when it comes to assisting pig farmers affected by the ASF disease and not give mere token assistance,” Chong stressed.
