Jaythaleela K
MIRI, July 28: Assistant Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin encourages indigenous bird owners to explore into bird breeding programme.
He said such programme would help reduce the risk of of extinction for endangered bird species while for bird species that do not facing such a problem, bird collectors may gradually turn their hobbies into commercial venture.
“We encourage avid bird collectors here to start with the bird breeding programme but they must first apply for licenses for the bird possession.
“Venture into new fields such as breeding programme and commercialise it. This is a new commercial venture that we encourage apart from layang-layang (swiftlet) farming ,” he said.
Lee who is Senadin assemblyman said there are 40 bird collectors in Miri who have been awarded with bird possessions license, while 500 others are waiting for approval.
“In Sarawak, a total 2,000 bird possession licences have been approved by the Sarawak Forest department, and this indicates that it has a big potential to be commercialised via breeding programme,” he said at the opening of the Bird Singing Contest held this morning at Giant Shopping Mall’s car park in Permyjaya.
He was optimistic that the contest could help boost Miri’s tourism industry.
The contest which was organised by Kelab Pencinta Burung Kicau Miri, managed to rope in 300 contestants not only from across Sarawak but also from neighbouring countries such as Brunei and Indonesia with their 600 pet birds of different species participating in the contest.
There were in total nine categories namely Serindit; Murai Batu Kepala Putih; Murai Kampung (A); Murai Batu Kepala Hitam (A) ; Kenari; Murai Batu Kepala Hitam (B); Murai Kampung (B); Pleci and Love Bird.
At the event, Le pledged a grant of RM5,000 to Kelab Pencinta Burung Kicau Miri.
Also present was Kelab Pencinta Burung Kicau Miri chairman Mohd Azahar Bujang. — DayakDaily
