Saturday, May 29, 2010

Swiftlet issue to Cabinet Soon

thestar.com.my
This is one of the latest model of Swiftlet House contructed at Agriculture land, in Mukah, Sarawak. If proven successful, your investment cost would be greatly reduce.
SITIAWAN: Guidelines to regulate the country’s swiftlet farming industry will soon be tabled for approval at Cabinet. Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said that the Swiftlet Industry Guidelines would cover all aspects of the sector, from licensing to exporting. Kong, who is also Lumut MP, said that the guidelines would also cover downstream industries, re­stric­­­tions against swiftlet farming in heritage buildings, hygiene and its impact on the public.

“We are finalising the details and they will be tabled soon,” Kong told reporters after handing out aid to his constituents here yesterday. He said that the guidelines would be drawn up jointly by his ministry and the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry and Natural Resources and Environment ministries, with input from both the Health and Information, Communi­cation and Culture ministries.


Kong also said that all state authorities had been given the regulations to control local swiftlet farming while the guidelines were being drawn up.“The local authorities have been given instructions on issuing licences to ‘swiftlet hotel’ operators. “We have also given clear directives on how operators can install speakers to attract the birds and the volume of the sound permitted,” he said. Kong added that operators should comply with the regulations.


Various groups had called for tighter controls of or even a ban on swiftlet farming in urban areas, citing health and environmental concerns.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Ex-tobacco growers urged to venture into birds’ nest sector

May 17, 2010, Monday

KUALA TERENGGANU: Former tobacco growers have been urged to venture into the bird nest industry as the returns are lucrative.Terengganu Veterinary Services Department director Dr Azizul Mohd Sharom said they could turn the former smoking houses into homes for swiftlets.

“Several pilot projects involving former smoking houses in Besut and Marang have made high returns,” he told Bernama here yesterday. Dr Azizol said the former tobacco growers only need to spend RM20,000 each to renovate the former smoking houses.

The department would build a model swiftlet house costing RM10,000 at the Veterinary Training Centre in Cermin Kiri, Jerangau, Dungun. — Bernama