Tuesday, July 9, 2013

MPSP officers raid illegal swiftlet hotels

NIBONG TEBAL: About 30 illegal swiftlet hotels operating at the Seri Aman Business Centre here in Sungai Jawi were raided by the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) on Tuesday.

For many months, residents in the surrounding area had complained about the annoying bird call used to attract swallows to the birdhouses blaring throughout the day.

Many complained that the sounds exceeded the 40-decibel limit allowed to be played between 8am and 7pm. It is believed that the operators had turned up the volume to attract more swiftlets into the building.

In the 9.30am operation, over 25 council officers broke open metal doors to the shop lots, removing 36 sound systems used to imitate bird calls to lure swiftlets to nest and mate in the building. The operators had installed several loudspeakers on the roof of the building, with some facing a residential area.

MPSP president Maimunah Mohd Sharif said swiftlet farming in the area was illegal, as it was done near a residential area. Maimunah, when contacted, said the council had served the operators with a notice in March and gave them 30 days to evacuate, but they had ignored the notice. By Predeep Nambiar

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