Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, to members and supporters at Sungei Besi Mines, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday, 27th May 1974 at 9 p.m.
Call on the authorities to revert to the old abattoir system where fresh pork is available in the market, and when there is no unhealthy monopoly by a few in butchering
For the past several weeks, the problem of fresh pork for the consumers, and the new Shah Alam abattoir which gave monopoly to four persons who hold licence to slaughter pigs, have caused unhappiness and frustration to the people in Kuala Lumpur and in Selangor.
Before the authorities implement ay programmes which will affect the customs and life-styles of the Malaysian Chinese, the government should fully consults with the relevant organisations and groups concerned.
In this particular case, it is clear that the authorities have been insensitive to the life-styles of the Malaysian Chinese, ad having failed to take into consideration, or in having full consultations, with the various organisations concerned.
Furthermore, the authorities have with one stroke of the pen, oriented a monopoly for four licence-holders. This is not a step to help the public at large, but only to help four persons.
This is surely against the Second Malaysia Plan objective, which is to help he have-nots, and not to enrich a few privileged persons?
The government should be sensitive and responsive to the people’s needs, and I call on the authorities concerned to revert to the old system, whereby anyone can have access to the abbatoir and not be required to be exploited by four butchers, and that the hours of butchering should be adjusted to ensure that fresh pork can get into the market.
I have also received complaints about great differences in weights between living pigs sent in fo to the abbatoir, and the slaughtered carcass which come out.
The abbatoir is not a orison house, but a public service, and should open itself to inspection by the pig owners to satisfy themselves that they are not making losses, as for instance, in finding great differences in weights between live pigs and the resultant carcass.
I am surprised that although there is a National Front government at both the federal and state level, neither the MCA nor the Gerakan have been able to solve this problem to the satisfaction of the people and the butchers, pork-sellers.
If the MCA, the Gerakan, cannot solve such a small problem as providing fresh pork for the people, and of breaking the four-man monopoly in butchering, what other good are Gerakan and MCA leaders for in the National Front government?