During the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Kalam Salan (PN–Sabak Bernam) emphasised that while Islam forbids the consumption of pork, it does not teach Muslims to mock or belittle non-Muslims who choose to eat it.
Kalam said the issue with pig farming was not the pork itself, but poorly maintained farms that produced foul odours. “Pork itself is not foul; it’s the poorly maintained farm that causes the stench. That’s what makes it unpleasant,” he said.
The MP added that, as a Malaysian, he understood the curiosity to try various foods, including pork, snakes, or monitor lizards, but his religion prohibits him from consuming them. “That’s why I don’t eat them. Even so, my religion has never taught me to insult or belittle those who eat such foods. I respect them,” he said.
Kalam suggested that the problem could be mitigated by importing pork rather than maintaining farms that are poorly managed.
