Zainal Rashid showing Seberang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah the directive, issued by the Seberang Prai Municipal Council, to remove the goats from his compound. — NST picture by Rosli Ahmad. A villager who turned his compound into a mini goat breeding farm has been ordered to remove the animals by the local council here.
Zainal Rashid, 50, was also ordered to tear down the sheds that he had built for his 30-odd goats.
The directive was issued by the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) following complaints from Zainal's neighbours that they could no longer bear the stench.
An MPSP spokesman said Zainal had applied to rear goats last year but it was turned down by the council as the site was not suitable for farming.
"His house is too close to a housing area. We also issued a notice to him December last year to get rid of his goats. However, he did not do so and we compounded him in March," he said.
The spokesman said Zainal would have to abide by the council's latest directive or face the consequences.
Meanwhile, Zainal contended that the goats were always kept within his house compound and there was no reason for his neighbours to complain. He claimed to have spent RM15,000 to improve his goat sheds early this year.
"I handle their waste properly to ensure the smell does not affect my neighbours," he said, adding he had been keeping the goats for four years.
Zainal said he had no other place to shift the goats and hoped that the council would consider his appeal to be allowed to keep the animals.
Meanwhile, Seberang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah said he would arrange a meeting between MPSP, the residents and Zainal next week to solve the matter.
"I understand that he is depending on the goats to supplement his income but at the same time we must also take the other residents' complaints seriously."
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