No Compensation for Ecopark Owner
Bernama, 21 Mar 2006

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) -- The government will not pay the owner of Ecopark in the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort after all its 249 exotic birds were culled during the H5N1 bird flu outbreak last week.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the payment would be made only to nearby residents whose poultry and birds    were    destroyed   to    stop  the

spread of the disease.

"We cannot pay Ecopark because their birds are of the exotic species and not listed among those which should be compensated by the Veterinary Department," he told reporters after attending Bank Pertanian's Patriotic Prize presentation Tuesday.

One of the birds destroyed was imported at a cost of RM8,000.

At the presentation, 16 account holders of Bank Pertanian won prizes that included a car, motorcycles, bicycles and CD players.

A Perodua Kancil car was won by Theakkummottil Varughese while two other account holders, Philomena E. Majitan and Dr Joseph Yah Ay Ming, received a Modenas motorcycle each.-- BERNAMA