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.

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

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.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 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

Happy New Year 2014

To accomplish great things,
We must not only act,
But also dream,
Not only plan but also believe,
Best wishes for New Year 2014

AMG finalising plans to open Sandakan Bird's Nest Park

AMG International are in final discussions with a Chinese conglomerate partner to invest USD50 million (about RM160 million) to create Sandakan Bird’s Nest Economy Park (Sandakan Eco Park), which will be the world’s biggest managed agricultural centre.

Known as a fully integrated swiftlet farming investment management company, AMG International has been working closely with Sabah Swiftlet’s Nest Industry Association (SABA) since 2011 and currently owns 100 swiftlet farm houses in Sabah.

According to the Founder and Executive Chairman of AMG International, Woo Tiam Onn, the planned Sandakan Eco Park will be combined with integrated swiftlet house management, high tech processing facilities, state-of-the-art biotech R&D facilities, the Sandakan Government Regulated Inspection family and a series of leisure outlets such as a bird’s nest restaurant and exhibition tour centre.

AMG is targeting 3,000 farm units in accordance with the 10th Malaysia Plan to increase bird’s nest shipments to 30 per cent of world supply.

Woo, who made the announcement in his speech at the AMG Harvest Event which took place at Four Points Sheraton Hotel here yesterday, also said that AMG is planning to build another 200 houses with partners from China and Taiwan.

“This will be one of the most significant milestones for Sabah and Sandakan government,” he added.

Woo later shared the success of the AMG swiftlet project by announcing that a total of 5 tons of swiflet’s nest produced in Sandakan houses have been exported to China to date.

Meanwhile, SABA Chairman Datu Faisal Datu Bachtiyal, who is no stranger to Hong Kong, Singapore and China’s large-scale companies, said that SABA received increasing interest and demand from the China market on the swiftlet industry in the state.

He pointed out that with supportive government policies, business partners from Hong Kong, China and Singapore are poised to develop superb quality bird’s nest to meet the growing demand.

“By providing products with excellent quality, we can prove to the consumers that we are reliable, thus making Sabah’s bird’s nest known for its quality, especially in China,” he added.

Out of the four South East Asia bird’s nest supply countries, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, only Malaysia is classified as a ‘non bird-flu’ region.

During the event, AMG also launched their AMG brand of bird’s nest products, Shanhaiyan, which is produced by local bird’s nest and will be marketed to China.

Selangor the First State to Approve Swiftlet Licence

SHAH ALAM, 8 Nov: Selangor became the first state to approve the granting of licence for the farming and operating industry of swiftlet nests through an intensive package offer that is fair to existing farmers and operators, with effect from 1 January 2014.

Executive Councillor for Local Government, Studies and Research, Datuk Teng Chang Khim, said that implementation of the policy was decided by the State Government Council Meeting (MMKN) after holding a dialoguesession with associations and operators of the industry on 25 September.

He said that the implementation will be done through the enforcement of Rearing of Swiftlet and Manufacturing of Swiftlets’ Nest By-laws 2013 in all Local Authorities in the state of Selangor.

“In the consideration process, the state government took into account several factors including the interests and problems of operators, in addition to the interest of the public in terms of hygiene, disease control, sound pollution, negative impact on property prices as well and building a comfortable city,” he said in a press statement at his office here today.

At the same time, Teng explained several key points of the implementation of the licencing policy which needs to be observed by swiftlet farmers and operators as decided at the MMKN.

“All breeders and operators on agricultural land will be granted licence starting 1 January, 2014. Breeders and operators of existing business premises will receive licences starting form 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016, while breeders and operators on paddy fields will be given licences from 1 January 2014 to 1 December 2020.

“For breeders and operators in business premises as well as paddy fields, they will be given incentives which includes licensing fees, free quite rent and assessment for five years at the new site if they move their premises to existing farming sites within the period the licence is granted,” he said.

Chang Kim said that the granting of licence is subject to conditions provided for under the by-laws and all operators and breeders have to submit licence application no lter than 31 December this year.

“Licence application for operation in business premises and paddy fields, whether existing or new, will not be considered after 31 December this year and all applications will be submitted to the relevant local authorities.

“We hope that with the granting of this licence, breeders and operators of the swiftlet nest industry in Selangor will grow in an orderly manner, thus benefiting the economic development of the state,” he said.

Edible nest swiftlet house model in Malaysia

Edible nest swiftlet house model displayed in the Department of Veterinary Services, Livestock Industry Division, Putrajaya, Malaysia. The cost varies between 100,000 to 250,000 depending on materials, sizes and number of floor. Malaysia is well known for it high quality, established standard and safety of edible birdnest in the world.