Bird’s nest traders irked by RM1m collateral
The Star, 25 Oct 2002

SANDAKAN: A move to get bird’s nest collectors at Gua Gomantung to come up with collateral of RM1mil if they want to tender for the lucrative contract has ruffled some feathers. 

Bumiputra traders are questioning the state’s decision to impose the ruling. 

“We do not know what is the rationale behind the move,” said bumiputra businessman Asbal Asik, a member of the Gomantung Cave Workers’ Co-operative Board. 

He said that many bumiputra businessman, especially those involved in the traditional harvesting of bird’s nest, would be out of business as none of them could show such a large sum of money. 

“It is unfair. The move prevents locals, who have been collecting bird’s nest traditionally, from bidding for the contract,” Asbal said. 

In 1999, the state, through the Tourism, Environment, Science and Technology Ministry, introduced a tender system for the collection of bird’s nest in an effort to regulate the trade and collect royalty. 

About 20 licences were issued annually after tenders were called and most of them were given to those who had been traditionally involved in the trade. 

But this year, the state announced that companies interested in bidding for the tender must prove they have RM1mil in their bank accounts to qualify. 

Another businessman, Murni Kamrun, in questioning the RM1mil requirement, asked: “How many bumiputra businessmen in the Kinabatangan area have such a large sum of money?” 

Claiming the move would only provide more opportunities for the rich to get richer, he said the state should realise it had a moral obligation to give business opportunities to locals from Kinabatangan, based on historical links, although the Gomuntong cave was public property. 

A senior official of the state Ministry, which oversees the Gomuntong cave through the Wildlife Department, said the move was to provide collectors with a three-year licence instead of the current one-year licence. 

He said it was also aimed at improving revenue for the state and enhancing tourism facilities at the cave and the Sukau proboscis monkey sanctuary in the Kinabatangan area.