Latest On National Guidelines For Malacca and Penang Unesco Heritage Zones !!!

 Found at:
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=55705

GEORGE TOWN (Dec 29, 2010): All of the unregistered swiftlet farms within the George Town Unesco Heritage zone must close and move out by Jan 1 or face enforcement actions, ranging from being fined to having the birds' nests removed.

Local government and traffic management committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said this is in accordance to the new swiftlets farming guidlines approved by the National Council for Local Government which was chaired by the deputy prime minister.

"The National Council has also decided that all swiftlet farming activities are not allowed within the Unesco Heritage zones in Malacca and George Town," he said in a press conference at his office today.
"This is why the state government has decided that all swiftlet farming activities in the heritage core zone are disallowed," he added.

Chow said so far, there are 129 registered swiftlet farm operators on the island. Out of these, 78 are located within the heritage core zone while it is believed that there are around 32 new or unregistered swiftlet farms within the core zone.

Chow said the 32 new or unregistered swiftlets farms must shut down its operations and relocate elsewhere by Jan 1.

"We will be taking enforcement actions against the new farms and the unregistered farms from Jan 1 onwards," he said.

He added that these farms will be issued notices and compounds of up to RM250 each.

"The next step, we may even take them to court and if they still do not relocate, we will get the assistance from the veterinary department to relocate the birds' nests," he said, adding that the department will be relocating the nests' during certain seasons when the hatchlings have left the nests to minimise harm against the swiftlets.

As for the 78 registered swiftlets farms, Chow said they are given a three-year period starting from Jan 1 next year to relocate.

After the three-year deadline, enforcement action will also be taken against them.

Although they are given a three-year deadline to relocate, the operators are not allowed to play any recordings at the buildings from Jan 1 onwards.

"They must take down the speakers and remove the recordings immediately. The operators who had constructed additional structures must also remove the structures and restore the premises to its original condition within this period," Chow said.