Puchong plant processes 40,000 chickens daily, used stunning voltage up to 13 times halal limit, say police
PUCHONG, Nov 1 — A chicken processing plant in Kampung Sri Aman Hilir here, raided during Op Taring Chiller, is believed to have the capacity to process more than 40,000 chickens a day, while allegedly using electrical voltage far exceeding the prescribed limit for the slaughtering method.
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (JKDNKA) deputy director (Operations) Datuk Muhammad Abdul Halim said preliminary investigations found that the live chickens were sourced from Sungai Sepat, Sungai Pelek and Sepang before being processed at the plant.
He said the processed chickens were then believed to have been distributed to customers, including eateries, grocery shops and business premises in Damansara, Bangi, Puchong, Cheras, Putra Perdana and Putrajaya.
“Based on the machine’s capacity, the premises can process more than 40,000 chickens a day. However, the actual number processed is still under investigation.
“We are also identifying the entire supply and distribution network, including the premises receiving chicken supplies from the plant,” he told a press conference after inspecting the plant here today.
Commenting on the water-bath stunning method used at the plant, Muhammad said investigations found that the premises had allegedly used electrical voltage exceeding the prescribed limit, resulting in the chickens dying before the slaughtering process.
He said inspections found that a voltage of 60 volts was used at the first gate near the front section, while 130 volts was applied at the second gate in the middle section, whereas the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) stipulates that the voltage used for the method must be below 10 volts.
“This is a matter of grave concern as the slaughtering method is one of the key elements in determining the halal status of a chicken product,” he said.
He said the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) had previously issued several notices and reminders for the plant, which had been operating for more than 10 years, to comply with the prescribed procedures, but it had continued to fail to do so.
During the raid at 12.40am last Friday, police also arrested 12 Bangladeshi men who were found to be without valid travel documents. They have been remanded for 14 days from yesterday until November 13.
The premises’ owner, a local man in his early 30s, also had his statement recorded, while further action will be determined based on the outcome of the investigation, including his role and involvement in the plant’s operations.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment (DOE) issued a notice to impound the operational equipment at the premises, while the seized chickens were temporarily placed at the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) in Shah Alam pending disposal.
The media had earlier reported that more than 6.5 tonnes of raw chicken worth RM85,400 were seized during the integrated operation over suspicions that they had been processed in breach of Islamic slaughtering requirements and halal certification standards.
The case is being investigated under Section 3(1)(A) and Section 4(1) of the Trade Descriptions (Definition of Halal) Order 2011, as well as Section 38(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
