No compromise on ‘rubbish pork’

DEPUTY Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Chua Tee Yong said action will be taken against Veterinary Services Department (VSD) officers if they are found to be linked to the stamping of “rubbish pork”, the Chinese press reported today.

The ministry will not compromise on the matter, Chua said in response to press reports that some pork slaughtered at illegal abattoirs bore the VSD’s seal of approval.

However, he did not discount the likelihood that the seals used to stamp pork at illegal abattoirs were imitations or stolen from the department.

He said in a press statement on Wednesday that he has directed the director-general of agriculture to investigate the matter.

He said the guidelines and measures to be taken to stamp out “rubbish pork” (low quality pork), which will be announced next week, will also include stricter monitoring of the stamping process and the safekeeping of the seals.

He reiterated that the ministry took a serious view of the issue of illegal abattoirs, and would not compromise on matters that negatively affected the health of consumers.