THE Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry has proposed to get the private sector involved in the management of the abattoir and butcher shop at Sabah Meat Technology Centre (SMTC) in order to maximize the use of infrastructure available there.
Deputy Chief Minister cum Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin said this move would enable the private sector and the state government to set up a centre that would meet international standards such as those required by EACAS (Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System) Australia, with regards to import and the slaughter of cattle in Sabah, he said when replying to Pantai Manis assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail’s question at the state assembly sitting yesterday.
The move would also help reduce the cost of managing the centre, Yahya said, adding that SMTC was set to be a model centre which practised hygienic and halal slaughtering of cows, buffaloes and goats.
“The centre, via cooperation with Australia’s New Territory Department of Primary Industry, has also undertaken various courses on ‘meat cut’, ‘meat handling’, management of abattoir, meat inspection and processing of meat into burgers,” he said.
“About 190 participants from Labuan, Sarawak and Sabah had benefited from the various courses organised by SMTC,” he said.