Cabinet to endorse swiftlet industry guideline?

The Swiftlet Industry Guideline (1GP) is expected to be tabled to the cabinet next week, giving the industry its much needed framework to operate in a sustainable manner.

The guideline, if accepted, will put Malaysia ahead of leading bird's nest producers like Indonesia and Thailand.

"The 1GP will be the first swiftlet industry guideline in the world," Veterinary Services Department director-general Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin told Bernama .

This meant that the industry, which was sparked by the migration of birds from Indonesia since 2000 and now a thriving business worth RM1.5 billion annually, would have its own standard, he said.

The 1GP would provide the framework to supervise the industry in a holistic way including in terms of licensing, sampling, production and export of swiftlet bird's nest abroad particularly to China.

Aziz said 1GP had the full support of the Health Ministry, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry and the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Swiftlet bird's nest, ornamental fish and seaweed are non-food high impact sectors which the ministry is focusing on to contribute to the nation's economy.

The speed at which the industry grew over the last few years has brought about a major dilemma in terms of licensing of swiftlet-rearing premises in shophouses in towns such as in Penang, Melaka and Sarawak due to the health risk, smell and noise.

Federation of Switflet Nest Merchants Association chairman Beh Heng Seong said 1GP would resolve the problem as premise owners would have to agree with the conditions if they wanted to remain in business.

"It will become a standard for all local authorities," he said in reference to the Good Animal Husbandry Practice (GAHP) for Swiftlets written by Fadzilah A'ini Abdul Kadir which was used since 2005.

The GAHP, which attained the MS2273(P) standard from the Standards Department of Malaysia early this month, is among components of the 1GP to overcome smell, noise and diseases associated with swiftlet rearing.

For instance, to address noise, the volume of loudspeakers used to attract the bird would be limited to a maximum of 40 decibels.

To address the problems of smell and health risk, operators would be required to clean the premises regularly to provide a conducive environment for the bird species.

Most states are waiting for the guideline, including Sarawak which has laws preventing rearing of birds in urban areas.

Melaka and George Town in Penang, which are recognised as world heritage sites by Unesco, are also home to swiftlets. Melaka has 17 swiftlet premises in the heritage zone.

Malaysia has about 50,000 swiftlet premises producing over 12 tonnes of bird's nest monthly. One kilogram of bird's nest can fetch RM4,000.

- Bernama