The livestock industry is one of the important subsectors in Malaysian agriculture. In 2023, the trade value of this industry, namely imports and exports, is estimated to be around RM1.4 billion.
Of this amount, pig trade is worth about RM179 million, an increase compared to the previous year. However, the contribution of pig exports to the national economy is small because this industry is more focused on the local market, not large-scale exports.
In terms of the global market, Malaysia is not a major exporter of pork. The export value of pig products is much lower when compared to other commodities such as chicken, palm oil or petroleum.
Most pigs raised in Malaysia are to meet the needs of domestic consumers, especially non-Muslims.
The issue of pig farming is often sensitive because the majority of Malaysians are Muslims, while the main consumers of pork products are the Chinese community, who are a large minority.
Therefore, issues related to the location of pig farms are easily seen as not just an economic issue, but also involve religion, culture and race relations, especially if the farm is located in a Muslim-majority area.
The controversies in Selangor, including the Bukit Tagar issue and the Sultan of Selangor's reprimand, show that the main concerns of the government and society are about environmental pollution, public health, disease risks, and inappropriate land use planning, rather than export profits.
Therefore, these issues stem more from weaknesses in policy management and public communication, which then opens up space for the manipulation of racial and religious sentiments in political discussions.
