GEORGE TOWN – The Federation of Penang Chicken Traders has alleged that all chicken supplies on the island will be monopolised by a Singapore-based company from March.
Its chairman Azizur Rahman said a directive by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) in December will have a big impact on chicken sales, as it bars the slaughter of chickens in public markets.
Surprisingly, Azizur said, this order is only enforced on the island and does not involve traders in Seberang Perai.
“Customers are now more wary of halal certification after the issue of meat importing cartels was exposed,” he said.
“They will ask where we got the chicken supply. We ourselves are not confident about the status of the chicken that will be supplied by the company because the owner is a non-Muslim and Singaporean,” he alleged at a press conference here today.
Last year, the MBPP reportedly wanted to eliminate the slaughter of chickens in all public markets in time for this year’s expected completion of a chicken distribution center in Batu Lanchang.
The centre will distribute slaughtered chickens to 126 sellers in 26 markets throughout Penang.
Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang reportedly said the distribution center is built to maintain cleanliness in all public markets in Penang
Azizur claimed that all traders were also ‘forced’ to buy a chiller priced at RM12,000 for chicken storage from a supplier.
He said if all chicken supplies were monopolised by one company, many chicken traders would lose their jobs.
“We all want to eat fresh chicken, that’s why a public market was created. But if all the chickens are kept in a chiller, it is better for customers to buy at the supermarket.
“This is not a hygiene issue. If you want to talk about hygiene issues, please fix the public toilets that are always problematic,” he said.
Azizur said he hoped the state government could resolve this issue and create a more systematic slaughterhouse in each district.
He said, if this matter fails to be resolved, the association will hold a strike so that people become aware of the issue faced by Penang’s chicken traders. – The Vibes, January 11, 2021
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