Bid to cow Selangor government

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SHAH ALAM: Chaos reigned outside the state secretariat main gate here as more than 30 trucks loaded with buffaloes, cows, goats and milk containers jammed the entrance – some one month after another group held a protest there using a cow’s head.

More than 100 livestock breeders had brought the animals to demand that the Selangor Pakatan-led government offer assistance to two cattle farms in Sungai Tua, Ulu Yam that were affected by a freak flood caused by the collapse of a huge illegal landfill five days ago.

Moo-ving protest: Livestock breeders lining up lorries ferrying cows, goats and milk containers on the road to the Selangor state secretariat building in Shah Alam Monday to protest against the state government’s lack of aid following a rubbish landfill collapse recently.

About 10 milkmen on motorcycles also brought milk in containers to join the protest.

Government servants, businessmen, politicians and visitors driving to the state secretariat building were shocked at the sight of all the animals.

The protesters became agitated when they were unable to meet state executive councillor for agriculture Yaakob Sapari or Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

On seeing state special officer Brian Yap and press secretariat officer Ginie Lim coming forward to accept the memorandum on the issue, Selangor Ruminant Livestock Association chairman Samad Kassim, his deputy Jaspal Singh and several others shouted for the resignation of Yaakob.

Other protesters, when told that their demand to meet Yaakob or Khalid had been turned down, threatened to release the animals from the lorries, while others said that the milk would be poured onto the road.

What’s the beef?: Police officers talking to livestock breeders at the Selangor State Secretariat Monday.

Khalid’s political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad later agreed to have five representatives led by Samad to meet with Yaakob in his office.

Some 30 policemen watched and recorded the protest.

Samad said the state had promised to help provide wood to build a temporary shelter for the animals; and find a temporary site for the animals rescued and injured in the incident.

On allegations that the protest was politically motivated, Samad, whose association has 435 members, said the protest was held after two of his members had asked him for help.

At a press conference later, Yaakob said he had ordered the state Veterinarian Department to provide help the day after the incident.

“Our state machinery responded as the incident was considered a disaster. To say we did not help is untrue.”

Yaakob added that plans were in the pipeline to allocate 80ha of land for 20 livestock breeders in the state whose farms were threatened by rapid development.

About a month ago, a group of residents from Section 23 carried the head of a cow to the state secretariat building to protest against the relocation of a Hindu temple in their Muslim-majority area.