Putrajaya Customs should consult local authorities on disposal of chicken wings – Pol Sec

KUCHING: Federal government agencies are reminded not to conduct their official duties without consulting and working closely with the state authorities.

This warning, directed towards the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, came from a political secretary to the chief minister Michael Tiang following the indiscriminate disposal of confiscated chicken wings at Bukit Aup in Sibu which caused nearby villagers to rush in and scavenge the area earlier this week.

“Sarawak is a not a ‘kampung’ whereby the department can simply choose anywhere they like to dispose confiscated poultry products like the way they did at Bukit Aup.

“This is totally unacceptable when one thinks of the fact that Customs will never dispose of poultry products anywhere they like in Kuala Lumpur,” he said in a statement yesteday.

Tiang, in expressing his deep disappointment on how Customs handled such matter, said they should know better the proper way of disposing those chicken wings, which originated from bird flu- outbreak zone Netherlands.

“More attention for special handling of their disposal is required instead of simply disposing the chicken wings underground without consulting the local Veterinary Department and the Health Department on the specific procedures for disposing of animal carcasses and poultry products.

“As to the location of burying the chicken wings, Customs should have consulted Sibu Municipal Council as there is only one specific ground for sanitary landfilling, which is the Kemuyang Sanitary Landfill,” he added.

Tiang added that even if the frenzy at Bukit Aup did not happen, the chicken wings would eventually end up rotting and polluting the area’s underground water sources.

This incident at Bukit Aup, Tiang said, was a reminder that the federal agencies should never conduct their official duties comfortably and remotely at Putrajaya, without working closely on the ground with their local branches all over Malaysia to know the best action to take for the interests of the local residents.

“Also, federal government agencies should never work alone on matters concerning the welfare in Sarawak without consulting the state authorities,” he added.