Sabah’s swiftlet ban draws flak

The Star
By MUGUNTAN VANAR


KOTA KINABALU: A state cabinet decision to ban swiftlet farming within major urban centres is drawing flak among entrepreneurs of the lucrative bird nest business.

Swiftlet farmers are arguing that ''health and environmental issues should not be the basis of the ban as World Health Organisation tests and studies had shown that the birds are not carriers of diseases.

Sabah Swiftlet House and Bird Nest Industry president George Ng said that large presence of pigeons in the city’s popular Gaya Street was dirtier then the organised swiftlet farming.

He said major cities like Ipoh and Johor Baru had not stopped such activities and, as such, there was no reason for the state to ban the industry in major state towns like Sandakan, Tawau and the city here.

Ng wondered why the state decided to put in place a ban as the industry was still waiting for federal government guidelines for swiftlet farming practice.

State Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai had said the decision to ban the bird nest farming in the three major towns was also because it was a public nuisance.

''Most swiflet farms in town areas use music to attract these birds to return home and this is turned off at 7.30pm. I think even karaoke centres are noisier then our music, Ng said, expressing hope that the state would reconsider the move.

Meanwhile, Sabah Progressive Party questioned the alleged ''double standards” of Kota Kinabalu City Hall for not acting against two bird nests farms in Gaya Street area despite numerous complaints.

SAPP’s spokesman David Chong said city hall has shut down bird nest farms in Inanam area but refused to act against two similar farms in the city’s central business district.

''The state cabinet’s decision to ban swiftlet farming should be adhered to strictly and enforced, he added.