Good Animal Husbandry Practice for Silabur Cave

The Veterinary Division, Department of Agriculture had conducted the above courses to more than 200 members of the Association of Swiftlet Nest Cave Nest Collection Centre at Kpg Batu Mawang, Tebekang, Serian on 29 November 2014 (Saturday) 8:00 am - 5:00 pm followed by a closing ceremony and the Minister at 6.00 pm - 10.30 pm by the guest of honor YB Dato Sri Michael Manyin, Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, Sarawak .

The purpose of this course is to certifying the practice of harvesting Cave Nest at Silabur including how to planned, monitored and strengthen control in order to be more sustainable in harvesting and improve the quality of bird'nest and raise the incomes of the members to elivate the poverty level through activities such as agro-tourism.

Quality bird's nest cave can be improved by introducing traceability system, proper handling and hygience of the collection center.

Among the topics presented were: -

1. Industry-nest swiftlet Sarawak, Opportunities & Challenges as well as the current status in Sarawak by Bah Industry Vet, DOA

2. Control Harvesting, licensing and related laws by the Forest Department Sarawak.

3. Introduction of Malaysia Swiftlet Industry, Current Status, Opportunities Export to China by the Department of Veterinary Unit Walit DVS.

4. GAHP Cave Swiftlet, responsibilities and authority of Good Practice by BDKK Putrajaya

5. Certification SALT Cave Nest by DKK, Putrajaya

6. Registration ID

Apparatus for harvesting edible cave nest

Dr Fadzillah giving talk on Good Animal Husbandry Practice (GAHP) for cave swiftlet nest. 

Dato Sri Michael Manyin inspect the Persatuan Pengusaha Sarang Burung Walit Gua Silabur or Silabur Cave Bird'nest Association

The replica of traditional way of cave nest harvesting tools

Welcoming Bidayuh Tradisional dance by the local Bidayuh lad.

SK Lobang Batu, Jalan Mongkos

Sekolah Kebangsaan Lobang Batuatau nama ringkasnya SK Lobang Batu, merupakan sebuah Sekolah kebangsaan yang terletak di D/A Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah Serian.

Pada 2009, Sekolah Kebangsaan Lobang Batu memiliki 112 pelajar lelaki dan 120 pelajar perempuan, menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan murid seramai 232 orang. Ia mempunyai seramai 17 orang guru.

My Second Trip to the tip of Mt Silabur, Tebekang

This is my second trip to Mt Silabur, where the Silabur cave situated. Its took me about 3 hours to reach the top ( Sky Park). 

We started at around 10.30 am from Kpg Batu Mawang and the Persatuan Pengusaha Sarang Burung Walit Gua Silabur Centre. 

Kpg Batu Mawang junction off Jalan Mongkos, KM26.

Jungle trekking started here. It take about  30 minutes to reach the first station.

The first station break. A place to replanish and ready for the climbing. Another 30 minutes to climbing to Sius cave entrance.

It took another 1 hours to reach the first chamber called 'Labak Tirason' from Sius entrance.

Turtle head rock at Labak Tirason chamber. One of the exciting chamber entrance for thousands of bats and swiftlets.

Tip of Mt Silabur cave. Panaromic view from the Sky Park. 

The tip of Mt Silabur at about 400 meter and the view from the Sky Park.

It take 3 hours to reach the submit. 

Going down is tougher than going up.

Finally we reach the Siturib cave, the clear under water cave. We will find snake and fishes here.

Clear water cave.

My first trip to Sky Park, Silabur Submit

My first trip to the Silabur submit. 

Homestay A lucrative income generator

KUCHING: Homestay tourism is a lucrative income generator with total earnings of RM379,780 in the first four months of this year.

In saying this, Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Gramong Juna added during the same period, 1,194 visitors had visited homestays in the state. “To make the homestays successful, its operators, villagers, co-ordinators must work together in achieving their goal. They must be ready to ensure the cleanliness and safety of their village so that visitors feel comfortable and safe,” said Gramong at the closing of the inaugural Sarawak Homestay Operators Conference at Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) on Thursday night.

As such, the state government has allocated RM5,687,800 to upgrade homestay facilities in the state in the 10th Malaysia Plan.

For this year, RM11,301,000 is estimated to be channelled to implement upgrading works at five homestays – Homestay Kpg Pueh Sematan, Homestay Kpg Benuk Padawan, Homestay Annah Rais Padawan, Homestay Rh Nyuka Sarikei and Homestay Rh Bawang Assan Sibu, he said.

To further strengthen the promotional effort of the homestays, Gramong reminded the operators to be pro-active in fostering good ties with government agencies.

“I would also like to advise homestay operators to set-up smart sharing programmes with homestay operators in other parts of the state to increase income sources,” he said.

Gramong said the state’s tourism industry is continuing to boom with the income generated for last year at RM2,151,363,20, an increase of 33.47 per cent compared to RM1,611,914.03 in 2012. A total of 16,949 visitors have visited homestays in the state last year compared to 14,310 in 2012.

Earlier, the ministry’s permanent secretary Ik Pahon Joyik said that the state targets the tourism industry income for this year to be RM2.5-2.6 million. Meanwhile, the three-day conference which started on Monday was participated by 31 homestay operators throughout the state. It was held to obtain feedback, sharing the latest homestay status and to co-ordinate homestay related events in the state.

Among those present was State Tourism and Culture Office director Suriya Charles Buas.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/05/17/homestay-a-lucrative-business-gramong/#ixzz322hwaiSg

Annah Rais collects RM120k fee annually by Rintos Mail, reporters@theborneopost.com

KUCHING: Annah Rais longhouse collects an average of RM120,000 in entry fees annually from tourists.

Annah Rais tourism coordinator with the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) Councillor Edward Kurik said the longhouse remains one of the area’s top tourism draws.

“Every year, over 20,000 excursionists, mostly foreigners, visit the longhouse. I can say that the longhouse welcomes visitors almost every day throughout the year. So you see tourism is a potential gold mine in Annah Rais,” he said.

Adult visitors are charged RM8 each, while children are charged RM5 per entry.

Edward, who is from Annah Rais, said the fees are managed by the village security and development committee, which fixes the amount to be divided among the some 150 families.

“Over the last six years, each family has been receiving RM300 every year compared with only RM50 in the past. The RM300 is normally given in May, before Gawai,” he said.

Edward said the longhouse’s homestay programme has also been quite successful.

According to MPP’s records, Annah Rais’ homestay programme collected RM212,000 in 2012.

There are 15 registered homestays at the longhouse. Annah Rais is one of the oldest and best preserved Bidayuh longhouses.

Located about 60km from here, it is also the nearest and most accessible for visitors to the city.

The drive there passes beautiful limestone formations and scenic countryside fringed by hills and farms.

Aside from the unique architecture of the longhouse, guests can also enjoy the hot spring, a three-tier waterfall, jungle trekking or visit the pepper plantation and paddy fields nearby.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/05/03/annah-rais-collects-rm120k-fee-annually/#ixzz30bc8Rw6j