Register with Vet dept, bird’s nest operators told

Posted on September 6, 2011, Tuesday The Borneo Post

PROBE CLAIM: Abdul Aziz shows the polis report he lodged over a claim on allegedly imported bird’s nest and approved certificate from China on a press conference at Wisma Tani. — Bernama photo

PUTRAJAYA: All bird’s nest operators and about 56,000 premises owners nationwide are required to register with the Veterinary Department in the wake of the recent allegation in China regarding the condition of birds’ nests imported from Malaysia.

Veterinary services director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin said a database would be set up listing all bird’s nest exporters, which can be accessed by importers from China for verification purposes. “Through the system, only exporting companies that are approved by both Malaysia and China are allowed to export the item,” he told reporters here.

Abdul Aziz said the registration exercise began this week. So far, 12 companies have registered. “The claim by China recently that the ‘red-coloured bird’s nests’ allegedly imported from the country containing nitrite is not true, because Malaysia does not produce that type of bird’s nests. It might have come from other countries but was trans-shipped to China from Malaysia,” said Abdul Aziz. Under the new system, only birds’ nests bearing the Veterinary Health Mark are allowed to be exported to China.

“The department, in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, will also set up a track-and-trace network system to enable consumers there to determine if the products are from Malaysia,” he said.

The three-week period during which China ceased importation of bird’s nests from Malaysia caused millions of ringgit in losses, according to Abdul Aziz. The industry’s annual export value to China alone is RM5 billion. It also provides 20,000 jobs