N. Sembilan defends stray dog culling plan amid backlash, says SOPs and animal laws will be followed
KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — The proposed culling of stray dogs in Negeri Sembilan will be carried out in accordance with legal procedures and standard operating procedures (SOP), said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.
He said the move would not be conducted arbitrarily or recklessly, and would be left to the appropriate authorities to manage, according to a report published in Berita Harian today.
'Don't misunderstand. What we mean is that it will follow SOPs and procedures, not a random culling or indiscriminate shooting of dogs. There are animal-related laws that must be respected, and this matter will be handled by the relevant authorities.
'Each local authority (PBT) has its own method of managing stray dogs to resolve the nuisance caused by uncontrolled populations,' he told reporters after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting at Wisma Negeri yesterday.
At the State Legislative Assembly sitting last Wednesday, all assemblymen including those from the opposition unanimously agreed that stray dog control measures should be implemented in areas with a predominantly Malay population to address safety and nuisance concerns.
However, the proposal has drawn criticism from some quarters, especially non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who deemed the decision insensitive and inconsistent with humanitarian principles.
Aminuddin explained that the proposal came in response to rising complaints and safety fears among residents, including cases of people being injured by stray dogs.
He added that the state government had also received reports of stray dogs freely entering Muslim houses of worship and creating disturbances in Malay residential areas.
'Just today in Port Dickson, based on information from my officer, a teenager was bitten by a stray dog.
'Those who own dogs shouldn't shirk responsibility by abandoning them and expecting others to deal with it.
'That's unfair and affects the community. When someone gets bitten, who will take responsibility?' he said.
Separately, Aminuddin commented on the underutilised MyKioks provided by the Local Government and Housing Ministry (KPKT), urging local councils to find alternatives by creating new hawker zones.
He said the facilities should not be left idle or go to waste.
A total of 414 MyKioks were made available across Negeri Sembilan in 2023 and 2024, but only 250 are currently occupied despite being placed in strategic locations near street vendor hotspots.
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