IPOH, Nov 21 — Perak public facilities, infrastructure, agriculture and plantations committee chairman Datuk Abdul Yunus Jamhari today said that all poultry farmers in Perak must treat their chicken faeces with effective microorganism (EM) before selling or disposing it.
Yunus said that this was the short-term solution to the fly infestation in the state, particularly in Manjung.
“We also instructed larvicide poison to be sprayed on the faeces when the chicken is 15 and 30 days’ old.
“We will also monitor the flies and collect samples of the larva for verification. And if it is positive of houseflies, then the poultry owner will be compounded,” he told a press conference on the sidelines of the state assembly.
For the long term, Yunus said that the Department of Veterinary Services has suggested amending the Poultry Farming Enactment 2005 and Poultry Farming Regulations (License) 2010.
“Under this amendment, we will make it compulsory for all the poultry farms to shift to closed poultry houses. We have 412 poultry farms in the state and only 45 per cent has practised closed poultry houses.
“Also to make it compulsory the use of organic fertiliser according to the Fertiliser Act, which was prepared by the Agriculture Department,” he said.
Yunus also said a higher penalty will be imposed on those who violate the regulations.
“At the moment, the penalty is between RM300 and RM2,000 and we are planning to increase it between RM5,000 to RM20,000,” he said.
Earlier this month, a group of non-governmental organisations under the Gabungan Rakan Segari coalition urged the Perak Veterinary Department to take action on the serious onslaught of flies around the Segari district in Manjung.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia representative Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman said the issue has lasted two decades.
Meor said that the flies swarm to the area due to the poultry industry, which was the only active in the area.
