S'gor Assures Livestock Supply Stable For Sacrificial Programme

SHAH ALAM, April 25 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government has assured that the current global supply crisis will not affect the procurement and distribution of livestock for the Selangor State Sacrificial Programme (PSKNS) 2026.

State Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said the impact had yet to reach a worrying level for the implementation of the sacrificial ritual in the state this year.

“The impact on us is not significant yet. There has been a slight increase involving transportation costs for bringing in cattle as well as feed costs, but it does not hinder the smooth implementation of the planned programme.

“We expect this to become more noticeable in the coming months. Moreover, the prices we offer are quite attractive, so it does not burden suppliers, in fact they are competing to supply due to the appealing terms,” he said.

He said this when met by reporters after launching PSKNS 2026, which involves the distribution of livestock to mosques, surau and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Silver Jubilee Hall Auditorium here, today.

According to Izham, the state government had adopted a strategic approach this year by increasing the number of cattle to meet the needs of the Muslim community in Selangor in line with strong demand.

“The difference this year is that we are increasing cattle compared to goats, namely from 700 to 800, while goats have been reduced from 1,000 to 600. This step is taken to ensure the benefits of sacrificial meat distribution can be enjoyed by more recipients.

“An open tender was carried out earlier, and many suppliers submitted bids. Alhamdulillah, all have been appointed, and we have also identified the distribution covering the Menteri Besar’s Office, the State Executive Council line-up, state assemblymen, State Assembly coordinators as well as selected religious institutions,” he said.

He said the distribution process would continue to use a coupon system to ensure smooth coordination between recipients and suppliers officially appointed by the state government.

Elaborating further, the sacrificial livestock were also ensured to have undergone strict quarantine processes by the Department of Veterinary Services to guarantee animal health before being handed over to mosque and surau management.

“So far, everything is running well except for one or two cases, like in previous years, involving cattle not meeting size requirements, but last year, such cases had reduced. We plan to deliver the cattle a day before Hari Raya Haji to avoid risks such as loss or disease.

“In addition to local cattle, we are also bringing in imported cattle from Thailand of the Brahman Cross breed, which are of good quality and are required to undergo the prescribed quarantine process before being delivered to the requested locations,” he said.

-- BERNAMA