Bird's nest traders, farmers protest new Selangor rule

Outraged by the Selangor government's new policy to regulate the swiftlet farming industry that forces them to move out from their existing premises, swiftlet farmers and bird's nest traders protested outside the state government building in Shah Alam this morning.

The angry crowd of some 200 from Selangor, Pahang and Penang displayed banners, shouted slogans and booed at the official car of senior Selangor executive councillor Teng Chang Khim as it passed by the State Secretariat building.

The protesters also stepped forward to make gestures at the vehicle. The demonstration started at 7am and ended two hours later.

Teng, who is Selangor Local Government, Studies and Research Committee chairperson, had recently released the Rearing of Swiftlet and Manufacturing of Swiftlets' Nest By-Laws 2013, which directs the existing premises in shoplots to move out to agricultural land in three years.

The state government has reportedly ordered the operators to apply for licences before the end of this year, failing which illegal operators would be "accordingly" dealt with.

'A loss of RM500 million to industry in Selangor'

"The industry will dies under the new regulations, " Selangor Bird Merchants Association president Mah Swee Lye said.

"Currently, there are 6,000 shoplots used as operations centres for swiftlet bird's nests. Each premises will need at least RM500,000 to move to agriculture land.

"This will constitute to a total loss of RM300 million to the industry in Selangor," Mah said, and he called on Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to overturn the decision announced by Teng.

He said one bird's nest outlet operator had attempted suicide as a result of a ban on the export of the bird's nests to China.

Mah believes that more of such operators would be forced to end their lives if their livelihoods were put at risk.

[More to follow]