theSun | FRIDAY JUNE 5 2009 7

news without borders

Pig farmers to
raise prices again
PIG farmers struck back at pork
sellers, who called them “robbers”
for increasing the ex-farm prices of
pigs three times in a month, with
another 30sen/kg hike effective
Sunday.
The latest hike will push the
price to RM7/kg.
Unfurling “We are not robbers”
banners at solidarity dinner gather-
ings held in Tanjung Sepat, Selan-
gor and Seberang Perai Selatan,
Penang on Tuesday, pig farmers
cited the high costs of production
to justify the price hikes.
They also displayed posters to
show that the ex-farm price of pigs
in Peninsular Malaysia is still the
lowest in the region.
Speaking at the gathering in
Seberang Perai Selatan, Federation
of Livestock Farmers Associations
of Malaysia pig unit chief Beh
Kim Hee lamented that pig farm-
ers came under attack from pork
sellers each time the pig price was
raised to a certain level.
“But the ex-farm price of pigs
hit a low of RM5.50/kg following
a series of plunges between Oct
22 last year and April 22, and pig
farmers incurred huge losses for
six months.
“Now although the price has
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
picked up, the farmers are still
plagued by feed price hikes.
“Pig farmers are transparent Pig farmers
about the ex-farm price, and the
costs of production arrived at by are transpar-
professionals at the Veterinary ent about
Services Department are proof the ex-farm
(that farmers are not overcharg- price, and
ing,” he said.
Beh said the federation is call- the costs of
ing on pig farmers throughout the production
peninsula to hold solidarity dinner arrived at by
gatherings to unite all those in- profession-
volved in the pig farming industry
as well as to let the public know als at the
that pig farmers are not robbers, Veterinary
and the money they made was Services
earned through their blood and
sweat. Department
He was not happy with a claim are proof
by National Pork Sellers Associa- (that farmers
tion chairman Goh Chui Lai that are not
there was no hike in pig feed.
He said as recent as May 30, overcharg-
Malaysian feed manufacturers had ing.”
given notice in the newspapers of
their latest hike of RM40 per tonne – Beh Kim Hee
effective June 1.

Datuk’s domestic helpers flee

with RM4m in valuables
TWO domestic helpers of a Datuk
have run away with his belongings
worth RM4 million while he and his
family were on vacation overseas
recently, China Press reported yes-
terday.
It is learnt that the duo have fled
the country after stealing expensive
items, including jewellery and Rolex
watches, and RM100,000 cash.
The Datuk has lodged a police
report on discovering the theft upon
returning to his house in Bukit Tunku,
Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
The daily said Kuala Lumpur po-
lice chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu
Osman confirmed the case.
Police investigators checked the
immigration records and found the
two domestic helpers have returned
to their home country.
Police are considering seeking
the help of their Indian counterparts
to track down the duo.
The report said the two domestic
helpers had gained the trust of the
Datuk after having worked for him
for a number of years.

Fare hikes a blow to efforts

to promote public transport
by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: The proposed increase in taxi
and bus fares of between 30% and 50% will
thwart the government’s agenda to promote
the use of public transport.
“The government wants us to use public
transport. But if the rates are high, it would
not be attractive as the cost of using public
transport would be higher than using our own
vehicles,” said Federation of Malaysian Con-
sumers Associations (Fomca) chief executive
Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman.
“This is made worse when the system itself
is not integrated. It would make people think
twice before using public transport,” he said
when contacted by theSun.
On Tuesday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said
the proposed increase involving taxis, stage,
express and schoolbuses, could take effect as
early as next month.
Mohd Yusof said the fare hikes would also
be a big burden to consumers as most of the
people using public transport are from the
lower and medium income group.
He urged the government to come up with
ways to help taxi and bus operators so as to
lighten their burden as operation costs have
also increased recently.
Citing, for instance, the case in Germany,
he said its government subsidises up to 50%
of its public transport operational costs to
maintain the fares at a reasonable level and
the efficiency of the system.
“This is what is being practised in devel-
oped countries including Singapore. So, the
government should have a similar system
because the 30% increase is quite high for
consumers.
“At the same time, we want a win-win situ-
ation. We want efficient service for consumers
and sustainable business for the operators,”
he said, adding that should their businesses be
affected and companies have to shut down, it
is the consumers who would suffer.
Apart from subsidising their operational
costs, Mohd Yusof said the government should
also think of ways to reduce the cost of spare
parts like tyres and batteries.
“Perhaps the government can cut down on
the import duty for these parts,” he said.
He added that Fomca had submitted its
views to the government as it is also involved
in the public transport committee at the Eco-
nomic Planning Unit level.
To Nazri’s point that only those who could
afford it use taxis, Mohd Yusof pointed out
that many consumers had no other choice
but to take taxis to get to areas which are not
serviced by buses.