KUALA LUMPUR: An association representing businessmen involved in the bird's nest trade will lodge a police report against unscrupulous ones who produce red bird's nest and sell fake bird's nest.
Members of the association were not involved in producing red bird's nest, widely known as blood nest, which were high in nitrate and could cause health problems, said Federation of Bird's Nest Merchants Association chairman Datuk Beh Heng Seong.
“We are making the police report on Monday to prove our innocence and to protect our interest because many allegations have been made against us,” he said here yesterday.
A separate police report would be lodged with regards to a press conference held in Hangzhou, China, where two bogus officers who claimed to represent the Malaysian Government were present.
It was reported that recently, a press conference was held in China to clarify the “misconceptions” of blood nest, which had been found to contain a high level of nitrate.
A third Malaysian at the press conference claimed to be representing the Malaysian Bird's Nest Exporters Association.
China's Xinhua news agency said following a tip-off from a reporter who attended the July 26 press conference, it was discovered that the two people, who presented themselves as Malaysia Export Veterinary Inspection Agency director-general Datuk Khairul Hashim and head of the Malaysian Endangered Species Import and Export Administration Datuk Ahmad, were bogus officers after a check showed that the two agencies did not exist.
The Chinese press who attended the media conference were told by the two officers that 99% of the alleged fake blood nest imported from Malaysia were genuine.
They also claimed that the nitrate content in these products were within the permissible levels and could be removed by soaking them in water for several hours.
Beh said the federation would travel with the Veterinary Department to China on Thursday to explain the matter to the Chinese authorities.
“We hope to reach an understanding with the Chinese Government.
“Hopefully a mechanism can be set up to ensure that all bird's nest exported to China are genuine and safe for consumption,” he said.
Obtained from The Star Local Malaysian Newspaper and found at:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/21/nation/9340715&sec=nation
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