BAGAN DATUK: The Halal Development Corporation (HDC), an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department, plans to pick Bagan Datuk as the site of the second-largest slaughterhouse and feedlot area in Asia.
The plan was conveyed by its chairman Datuk Seri Rizuan Abd Hamid to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Bagan Datuk MP, during a 2018 Malaysian Halal Tour programme in Rungkup, here today.
In his speech, Ahmad Zahid said he supported the proposal, as it was in line with the premier development plan for the constituency, which has a suitable area for the feedlot site.
“HDC has a great plan to turn Bagan Datuk into a halal hub and can choose any area in the district to ensure the success of the proposal.
“However there is no more vacant government land, what’s left are land owned by plantation companies, so I support HDC to negotiate with them,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid also believed that HDC has a great potential in developing the halal hub not only for the country but also the entire world.
Meanwhile, Rizuan, when met after the programme, said Bagan Datuk area has the potential for a slaughterhouse and feedlot site because it was easily accessible, as well as near Port Klang allowing for the import of cows from Darwin, Australia.
He said he had cooperated with a company in Cambodia and opened a slaughterhouse in Phnom Penh, which is the largest in Asia today.
“We want to open the second largest slaughterhouse because the one in Phnom Penh is unable to accommodate the demand for beef from China, Saudi Arabia and Europe.
“It requires an investment of about US$70 million (RM274 million) through a private investment from either China or Saudi Arabia who are willing to invest to realise the huge potential of this business,” he added.
He noted that the slaughterhouse in Cambodia was only able to slaughter about 3,000 cows a day and it was still insufficient to meet the demand for beef. For instance, China’s demand alone was increasing to 5,000 cows a day.
Rizuan said imported cows which arrived in the country would be firstly placed at the feedlot in Bagan Datuk for about three months before being slaughtered to meet demand.
Hence, he said in order to achieve this, HDC would soon conduct a detailed study and would consult the plantation companies for the purpose of opening the feedlot before presenting the study to Ahmad Zahid. — Bernama
