Kluang town council to regulate swiftlet farming

Swiftlet farm owners in Kluang are now under the watchful eyes of the local authority.

A monitoring and regulating team comprising officers from the Kluang town local council, the health department, the environment department and the Simpang Renggam local council was recently formed to look in to complaints about the health hazard created by swiftlet farms in their residential areas.

The president of the Kluang local council, Ahmad Ma’in said that thirty-four swiflet farms have been identified and will be inspected for possible breach of existing regulations.

Swiftlet farms located in the residential neighbourhood can cause noise pollution and health hazard from the birds droppings.

In Taman Ria, the team found a swiftlet farm located just fifty metres away from the residential houses.

According to the Environment department, the maximum permissible  audible noise for swiftlet farm is forty decibel.

The department has advised the farm owners to switch on the swiftlet enticing ‘sound’ at specific times of the day as permitted which is between 7am to 10am and from 5pm to 8pm only.

Farm owners have also being advised to keep the farm surroundings cleaned-up of birds droppings.

The cleanliness aspect of the farm is very important as swiftlet nests are meant for human consumption.

Ahmad added besides monitoring and regulating the swiftlet farms in Kluang, the team will also be conducting stray dogs catching and other cleaning-up operations from time to time.