Monday, January 13, 2014

Simple But Effective Bird House

One of the many cheap but well manage swiftlet house in Serian. Cost less than RM30,000 to built in 2010.




Days of illegal swiftlet farms numbered

KUCHING: The state government has not gone after swiftlet farms in shophouses in towns for a long while, but it would be foolish of operators to take this silence as consent.


The government will eventually act as such farms cannot be located in shophouses, cautioned Assistant Environment Minister Datuk Len Talif.


The Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 clearly states that if any species were to be bred, it must be done in its natural habitat.


Len said the state government maintained its stand on prohibiting shophouses to be used as swiftlet farms, and the Forestry Department is still the authority in charge of this matter.


“Shophouses should not be used as swiftlet farms. In the first place, it is a nuisance. The noise made by the swiftlets or by the machine is very irritating.


“Secondly, it is a nuisance because of the smell. Most importantly, the farms’ proximity to human habitat may pose as danger because the swiftlets may carry diseases.


“Some swiftlet farmers may argue they keep their farms clean. However, the swiftlets may be subject to diseases. So the farms should not be too close to the human habitat,” said the Belawai assemblyman to The Borneo Post yesterday.


He was told of an observation where a lot of shophouses in small towns such as Tanjung Manis, Balingian, Mukah, Dalat, Matu Daro had been converted into swiftlet farms.


Len said towns in the central region, such as Sibu, Sarikei, Mukah and Bintulu, had the most number of such cases.


“Just imagine you are at a coffeeshop that is next to a swiftlet farm. How do you feel?”

To swiftlet farmers whose farms are in shophouses, Len, who is also Promotion of Technical Education Assistant Minister, advised them to move their operations to the rural areas.


To those who plan to convert their shophouses into swiftlet farms, he advised them not to risk losing their money for they would be flouting the law.


Len said when he was head of the Forestry Department, action was taken against swiftlet farms in shophouses.


“We submitted an investigative paper to the state Attorney-General for the owners of the shophouse swiftlet farms to be charged, but until now we are still waiting for his recommendations.

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Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/01/11/days-of-illegal-swiftlet-farms-numbered/#ixzz2qIurLhXv

Saturday, January 11, 2014

George Town Finally Free From Swiftlet Farms


After George Town received its world heritage status, Unesco had advised the Penang state government to take firm action against swiftlet breeding in the inner city. — Picture by K.E.OoiAfter George Town received its world heritage status, Unesco had advised the Penang state government to take firm action against swiftlet breeding in the inner city. — Picture by K.E.OoiGEORGE TOWN, Jan 7 — Three years after the Penang government ordered all swiftlet breeders to clear out from pre-war buildings in the heritage zone, the state has finally declared the inner city clear of all bird nests.

A total of 128 swiftlet breeding farms were cleared out in four phases over the three-year operation, which was ordered to safeguard the city’s Unesco heritage site status.

The multi-million ringgit bird’s nest industry had been growing from within the inner city, especially in converted pre-war houses even, before the city was inscribed as a Unesco heritage site in 2008.

After George Town received the status, Unesco had advised the Penang state government to take firm action against swiftlet breeding in the inner city.

“Some of the operators have been cooperative in relocating their farms elsewhere but there are also some who had refused to move and tried to appeal,” Chow said in a press conference today.

He added that Penang would not risk its Unesco heritage status for the few operators so those who had refused to relocate had their swiftlet-breeding equipment seized and additional structures removed by local council enforcement officers.

“As at December 31 last year, all swiftlet breeding farms in George Town heritage city have been removed and all these premise owners were instructed to restore the buildings,” he said.

He added that the Unesco World Heritage Committee would soon meet to deliberate on the action taken by the state government to tackle the swiftlet breeding problem within the heritage zone.

“We have to take action to show that we have fulfilled the requirement of ensuring the zone is free from swiftlet farming,” he said.

This photo taken on July 13, 2009 shows dried bird's nests preserved in a plastic box at a shop in Pulau Ketam off Port Klang, west of Kuala Lumpur. — AFP picThis photo taken on July 13, 2009 shows dried bird's nests preserved in a plastic box at a shop in Pulau Ketam off Port Klang, west of Kuala Lumpur. — AFP pic

Earlier, the Penang Island Municipal Council heritage department head Noorhanis Nordin said the enforcement action taken was also in line with the federal government’s Swiftlets Industry Guidelines, which were introduced on September 2, 2010.

Under the guidelines, swiftlet homes should be located at least 50 metres from “fully residential buildings” and those located inside heritage buildings should be subject to conditions drawn up by relevant authorities.

She said the council have held discussions with the Association of Swiftlet Nest Industry, operators and building owners to get the bird’s nest breeders to relocate their farms outside the heritage zone.

“We have seized and remove swiftlet breeding structures and can now say all of the 128 identified swiftlet farms have been removed,” she said.

Starting this year, the council will check on the former swiftlet breeding premises to ensure that no breeding activities resume illegally and that building owners have started restoring the buildings.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/george-town-finally-free-of-swiftlet-farms#sthash.2AxASZXi.dpuf

China has lifted the ban on Malaysian bird's nests imports.

PUTRAJAYA: China has lifted the ban on Malaysian bird's nests imports.

Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said swiftlet operators can export their raw clean edible bird nest to the republic.

He said the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) had received an export approval letter from the republic's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) via email.

"So far, eight companies have been given the certification to export their products to China and we are encouraging more swiftlet operators to apply for the permit from VSD or Health Departments," Ismail Sabri added.

The ban was officially lifted on Dec 25, 2013.



Read more: China lifts Malaysian bird's nests import ban - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/china-lifts-malaysian-bird-s-nests-import-ban-1.453164#ixzz2pbk3MwrJ