The department's director-general Datuk Dr Abd Aziz Jamaluddin said, "While for commercial farmers, an incentive of RM0.26 per kg was also given to commercial farmers who can only produce a maximum of 20,000 chickens per cycle."

Recently, according to The Star, about 100 chicken farmers had gathered at an empty field near the Yong Peng Selatan toll plaza to protest the Government’s policy not to pay incentive to those who produced more than 20,000 chickens per cycle.

"They threatened to burn 20,000 chicks as a sign of protest but our officers managed to calm the situation by telling them that it is an offence under Section 44(1)(d) of the Animal Act 1953," he said.

He said they could be charged in court under the Act and had their chicks and lorries confiscated should they have burnt the animals.

The Act carries a maximum fine of RM10,000 or six months’ jail or both for animal cruelty.