The State Government will let the law take its course on two cases of illegal farming of pigs and poultry here, said Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Yahya.

Malaysia's Daily Express reports that he said all the relevant authorities have taken action against both farms where the owners were found breaching conditions of their land titles by illegally operating livestock farms.

Mr Yahya, who is also State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, said the land both farms are sited is only meant for cultivation of rubber but both companies were found breeding pigs and chicken on a large scale in their areas.

He said both farms have received negative reactions from residents living near the pig farm in Kg Purak and poultry farm in Kg Padawan.

"Following continuous complaints from the villagers, the local authorities here have issued orders to cease operations and also other actions by departments like the Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Industry (Dovsai), the Land and Survey Department and Health Department, among others.

"That is why we have to take proper action on both farms according to the law because the offences committed by the two companies (on both farms) are subject to existing provisions and procedures of the respective law," he said.

Mr Yahya said this to reporters after visiting a treatment plant for the processing of chicken meat at Desa Hatchery Sdn Bhd in Lok Kawi, Penampang, the pig farm in Kg Purak and poultry farm in Kg Padawan, both in Papar.

Also present were Sabah Dovsai Director Datuk Ag. Sahak Ag. Salleh, Deputy Director of Land and Survey Department Haji Dahlan A.H.Tengah, Papar District Office Iman Ali, officials from Health Department and Environmental Protection Department (EPD).

"Don't say the State Government is not doing anything to stop the illegal operation of both farms that was highlighted during the State Legislative Assembly sitting recently, by Pantai Manis Assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail.

"The relevant authorities have taken action on the offences committed by the companies.

"For instance, the District Council of Papar, which never approved the development plan of the farms has issued the cease operations order to the two companies but they refused to take heed of the order.

"In addition, Dovsai never supported applications by the owners to change the land status of their farms that were submitted to the Land and Survey Department," Mr Yahya said.

In fact, he said, the pig farm owner has submitted and appealed to the Land and Survey Department against the State Government's decision to confiscate the land.

Mr Yahya said Deputy Director Hj. Dahlan A.H. Tengah has informed him that the result of the appeal pertaining to the pig farm in Kg Purak would be made known soon.

He said, the owner had the right to refer the matter to the High Court in Kota Kinabalu if the outcome is not in his favour.

On the poultry farm in Kg Padawan, he said the Land and Survey Department will enforce follow-up action under Section 34 of the Sabah Land Ordinance 1963 (Cap 68) so that operations at the farm can be stopped.

"Everything (action on both farms) has to be done in accordance to the law," Mr Yahya said in response to the villagers' demand for the pigs in the farm to be removed while waiting for the appeal result and for the poultry farm operation to be halted, reports Daily Express.