KOTA KINABALU, April 19 (Bernama) -- The Sabah government should reconsider its decision to ban swiftlet farming in the city and town areas, the state assembly was told Monday.
Datuk Louis Rampas (BN-Kiulu) said instead the state government should be proactive in boosting the industry which was regarded as one of the three high-impact industries by the state Agriculture and Agro-based Industry besides ornamental fish and seaweed industries.
"Don't kill the people's entrepreneur spirit. We just cannot reject swiftlet business applications (in the urban areas) simply because we do not have any guideline on the industry," he said when debating the Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah's address.
Rampas proposed relevant agencies to formulate the guideline by adopting the practice used in Peninsular Malaysia while the Wildlife and National Parks Department hold briefings on the health aspects of swiftlet farming.
Meanwhile, Datuk Hamisa Samat (BN-Tanjung Batu) said efforts to have 30 per cent women in positions at decision-making levels in government-linked companies (GLCs) and the private sector was slow.
She said despite some women helming certain sectors such as banking, institutions of higher learning and scientific organisations, the number was still small.
On the New Economic Model, she hoped the women's role would be identified and given prominence in its implementation.
-- BERNAMA
