One of Saravanan’s cows being loaded onto the MPSepang lorry at an oil palm plantation after being tranquilised for roaming in unauthorised areas on June 16. — Photo courtesy of MPSepang
THE owner of three cows caught by Sepang Municipal Council (MPSepang) for roaming in unauthorised areas, is seeking evidence that his cows were a nuisance.
P. Saravanan, 38, said three of his cows that were caught by the authorities were grazing in an oil palm plantation along Jalan Dato Dagang Mondok in Dengkil, Selangor.
“The cows were neither roaming in residential areas nor on main roads.
“They were all within the plantation grounds. Even if the cows went on the road, it is a kampung road,” he said.
He added that one of the cows was pregnant and delivered its calf in MPSepang’s depot.
“I was told to pay RM2,800 per cow and RM600 for the calf if I wanted them back,” said Saravanan.
“I could only afford to claim the mother cow and its calf.
“For the calf, I appealed for a lower amount and paid RM350.
“I had to forego the other two cows,” he said.
MPSepang caught the cows in a 34-men joint operation with Sepang Veterinary Department and the Land and District Office on June 16.
Saravanan believed the authorities did not follow the standard operating procedure when capturing his cows.
“To my knowledge, the cows must be trapped first before being tranquilised. I do not think this was followed.
“Two other cows went missing that day too. One was found dead in a ditch, while another passed out in the plantation but managed to find its way back to the farm a few days later.
“I suspect that these two cows were also tranquilised for capture but ran away,” he said.
He added that if a cow was tranquilised, it must be cared for and given medication to bring it back to consciousness safely.
Saravanan said the grazing area for cows in the area had become smaller due to rapid development in Dengkil.
The generational farmer said his appeals to Sepang Veterinary Department for many years for some land to plant Napier grass, which is one of the best foods for cows, had fallen on deaf ears.
“I have no choice but to let the cows graze inside plantations.
“Oil palm plantation owners would usually be happy to let cows graze in their areas to help trim the grass.
“The authorities should catch the cows that are found on the main roads and residential areas, not inside plantations,” he said.
MPSepang president Datuk Abdul Hamid Hussain said there were 22 complaints from the public regarding cows and buffaloes from January this year.
He said the enforcement action along Jalan Dato Dagang Mondok was because of complaints from the surrounding villagers and private landowners that the cattle were destroying their plants as well as dirtying the area with their dung.
“The onus is on the farmers to make sure that their cows do not wander into areas such as roads and private properties.
“The cows caught will be kept in our holding area for seven days, after which if unclaimed, they will be auctioned,” he said.
Abdul Hamid added that the owners would need to pay a RM250 compound and an additional RM2,550 for holding, besides other fees for the release of one cow.
