Malaysia’s Strict Rule: Slaughtering Chickens or Rams at Home Can Land You in Jail for a Year – Returnee Reveals

A Nigerian returnee from Malaysia has revealed that killing chickens or rams in private homes in the Asian country is illegal and carries a mandatory one-year prison sentence.

Olajumoke Osafile, who spent nearly 12 years in Malaysia before returning to Nigeria, told the Guardian that the Southeast Asian nation enforces strict rules around domestic animal slaughter.

“In Malaysia, people are not permitted to kill chickens or rams in their homes,” Osafile explained.
“If caught, you face a one-year jail term—there is no alternative, no fine, no community service.”

The returnee said the Malaysian authorities have not formally explained the ban, but many locals believe it is motivated by public health concerns. Blood from slaughtered animals, she explained, can attract flies and other pests, which authorities deem unhygienic.

Instead, meat must be purchased from markets or stores after being processed in government-approved abattoirs.

“It is not that Malaysians don’t eat chicken or ram meat; they do. The government just requires that it be slaughtered in designated facilities, not at home,” she said.

Osafile also shared her experience navigating Malaysia’s strict cultural and legal systems, noting that the country prioritizes protecting its citizens’ access to jobs, education, and healthcare over foreign influence.

“Foreigners pay higher fees for education and medical services, and it is very difficult to get jobs as a foreigner,” she said.

The returnee added that Malaysia’s entertainment and sports sectors are similarly insular, making it challenging for foreign musicians, including top Nigerian Afrobeats artists, to break into the market.

“Despite the global success of Nigerian musicians like Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy, the Malaysian market remains largely closed to foreigners,” she explained.

She also highlighted Malaysia’s sports culture, emphasizing that badminton is the country’s most popular sport, with football being secondary.