PORK VENDORS

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked the Minister for the Environment (a) whether his Ministry is planning any financial assistance schemes either on its own or in collaboration with banks to assist pork vendors in setting up chiller facilities; and (b) whether his Ministry will accord some flexibility to facilitate pork vendors who decide to change their trade due to financial difficulties.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: The Environment Ministry has arranged with three financial institutions to provide loans to assist meat stallholders in buying chillers. Four chiller suppliers have also come up with easy payment schemes to assist stallholders.

Stallholders who do not want to continue selling meat can switch to selling other produce. chart - KLSE Composite Index and Clob Investors' Shareholdings of Malaysian Shares (Dec 96 - Aug 98) (Cols. 1665-1666)