Ex-MCA veep hails ‘courageous’ Bersama candidate for raising pig farming issue

PETALING JAYA: Former MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker today praised a Parti Bersama Malaysia candidate for having the courage to raise the issue of pig farming while on the campaign trail for the Johor polls, comparing it to the alleged hesitancy of MCA and DAP.

He said it took politicians who were prepared to risk their political standing “to say what many others prefer to whisper”.

“Ironically, many MCA and DAP candidates who rely heavily on Chinese votes have often been reluctant to speak as frankly on such sensitive issues,” he said in a statement.

Speaking at a ceramah in Taman Pelangi, Bersama’s Perling candidate Boo Wei Han had questioned the restrictions on pig farming, arguing that the industry had existed for decades without causing health problems.

Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, who recently took over Bersama, later claimed that half an hour after Boo’s remarks, he was warned about a potential backlash.

Rafizi also praised Boo for raising contentious issues that mattered to constituents.

Pig farming became a hot-button issue in February, following a call by the Selangor sultan for a complete end to the activity in the state due to its impact, including river pollution caused by waste.

The issue resurfaced in late April after DAP’s Seri Kembangan assemblyman Wong Siew Ki proposed a modern closed pig farming system, sparking criticism from detractors who accused her of contradicting the Selangor sultan.

Ti praised both Boo and Rafizi for speaking up on contentious issues even if it was politically inconvenient and risked alienating voters.

However, he asked if voters would reward such politicians or punish them at the polls, saying the upcoming election was more than a contest between parties.

“It is a test of democratic maturity. If voters truly value integrity over expediency, principles over populism, and courage over political convenience, they now have an opportunity to prove it.

“Democracy does not only require courageous politicians. It also requires courageous voters.”