One more year

Wednesday December 23, 2009
The Star


SWIFLET breeders in Penang can continue their operation for another year as the state government has decided to extend the moratorium on the breeders till December next year.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the state executive council made the decision in its meeting on Dec 16.

In a statement, he said the state Veterinary Services Department and the Town and Country Planning Department were still preparing guidelines on the National Swiflet Industry.

“The state government has been advised to postpone the implementation of the guidelines until the Cabinet approves the National Swiflet Industry guidelines,” he said.

In December last year, the state government announced that the breeders could continue their operation for another year as it has extended the three-year moratorium which would expire at the end of the month.

State Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said the extension would enable the state to review the current industry policies and guidelines.

He said breeders in George Town’s heritage area must stop playing the swiftlet song recordings and also tear down all illegal extensions during the period.