THERE will be no chicken or other livestock slaughtering in the PJ Old Town wet market, said Petaling Jaya City Council’s Ermee Marianna Saadon today.

“There will not be any slaughtering of chickens or any livestock because this has posed a serious hygienic problem.

“If we look at the acts and law, small animals are not supposed to be slaughtered (in markets) and livestock should not be kept in business premises.

“So, the city council stands firm with its decision that there will not be any live slaughtering,” the councillor said.

The wet market in Jalan Othman and a nearby food court will resume business on Saturday, nearly two months after being closed due to the discovery of Covid-19 cases there.

Market traders in Jalan Othman will be allowed to reopen in stages.

Ermee said only post-slaughtered and processed chickens will be allowed to be sold in the market.

Traders have been told to find alternative places to slaughter and process their chickens.

“Approval has been given to traders to sell chickens that have already been slaughtered and cleaned.

“In the meantime, they need to find a place to process the chicken. They have to slaughter and clean it there, and they also need to get approval from the relevant agencies, like Jakim and so on.

“This will be the new normal. This will prevent the market from being unhygienic,” she said.

Ernee said while the market reopens on Saturday, chicken traders are only scheduled to return on July 1 as the market space needed upkeep and repair works. – June 4, 2020.