By Nadiah Zamlus
SHAH ALAM, Dec 27 — Vacant lands in the country should bring benefit and be turned into farms for the production of poultry and dairy products, says state executive councillor for halal industry Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni.
Mohd Zawawi said the move would in return reduce the country’s dependency on imported meat supply.
“We should be able to act immediately to reduce this dependency. Moreover, the local halal meat source can be cultivated with the establishment of new policies dedicated towards the halal meat industry.
“I am very sure that if these vacant lands are used to operate large-scale poultry farming, the country would be able to become the main producer of local meat products, of which will also be assured halal,” he told SelangorKini.
Mohd Zawawi, who is also the state executive councillor for Islamic religious and consumer affairs, also said that the Federal government should place their focus into driving the agro-farming agenda operated by locals.
“The government should continue to focus on the development of the agriculture, poultry farming and fishery (industries) driven by national entrepreneurs.
“It will be such a waste if this group of people are not being assisted as we have sufficient resources,” he said.
Over the week, reports surrounding a four-decades’ long ‘fake halal’ meat cartel operation involving the smuggling of frozen meat from China, Ukraine, Brazil and Argentina had been making national headlines.
The fake products were reported to have been re-wrapped using halal logos in a warehouse at Senai, Johor.
