[Watch] Eating Pork Doesn’t Make You A Criminal – Sarawak MP

Punck Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin has pushed back against characterisations of pork as dirty or foul, arguing that pork-eating communities don’t disproportionately engage in corruption or drug abuse.

Sarawak First/Fernando Fong

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A Sarawak lawmaker has called for mutual respect over food choices, pushing back against those who label pork as dirty or foul, in a spirited speech that highlighted cultural sensitivities in Malaysia’s diverse society.

Willie Mongin, the MP for Puncak Borneo, told Parliament that his Dayak community has never insulted others’ food preferences, yet they face criticism simply for eating pork.

“We as Dayaks have never mocked or insulted other people’s food,” the Gabungan Party Sarawak (GPS) representative said during a debate on the royal address by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.

We who eat pork – not many of us take bribes, not many of us consume drugs, not many of us do strange things. Yet we’re accused of eating pork and being uncivilised.

Willie’s remarks come amid ongoing tensions over dietary practices in multi-ethnic Malaysia, where food often sits at the intersection of religion, culture and identity.

The Dayak people, indigenous to Borneo, have traditionally consumed pork as part of their diet and cultural practices – much like many other communities in Malaysia’s Christian, Buddhist and non-Muslim populations.

“This needs to stop – by Malaysians, by any party. We must respect other people’s food,” Willie said, his voice firm but measured.

Your Belacan Smells Worse, But We Don’t Complain

The MP didn’t stop there. In a comparison that drew chuckles and knowing nods, he turned the “foul smell” argument on its head.

“Even though pork may smell bad, budu and belacan smell worse than pork,” he said, referring to the pungent fermented fish sauce popular in Malaysia’s east coast states and the equally aromatic shrimp paste used across Southeast Asia.

But we’ve never insulted them. We respect each other to uphold and heed His Majesty’s call to live in harmony.

It was a pointed reminder that what smells offensive to one person might be a cherished delicacy to another – and that tolerance goes both ways.

Willie’s defence of pork-eating communities touches on a deeper issue: the stereotyping and moral judgments sometimes directed at those whose diets don’t conform to majority norms.

By linking dietary choices to character, noting that pork-eating communities aren’t disproportionately involved in corruption or drug abuse, the MP challenged the notion that food determines virtue.

It’s an argument that echoes an old wisdom: that what truly matters isn’t what goes into a person’s mouth, but what comes out of their heart and actions.

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Critics Fire Back: ‘Live near a pig farm then’

But not everyone was impressed: Critics quickly hit back at Willie’s speech, with some challenging him to live near pig farms if he’s so passionate about defending pork consumption.

The pushback highlights the raw nerves around an issue that’s both cultural and practical.

His comments come as Selangor grapples with a contentious pig farming relocation plan, moving operations from areas like Tanjung Sepat to a centralised facility in Bukit Tagar amid concerns over pollution, environmental impact and proper management.

Just recently, the Selangor Sultan ordered a halt to new pig farming in Tanjung Sepat, calling for transparency and proper planning to balance food supply needs – particularly for non-Muslim communities – with environmental sustainability.

The row shows how complicated the issue really is: it’s not just about respecting what people eat, but also about the very real problems pig farms can cause for those living around them.