Found on The Star at : http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/31/focus/21941583&sec=focus
Unfair to swiflet farms
I NOTE with great interest the letter by ML “Keep swiftlet farms out of George Town” (The Star, July 16) and other letters printed by your paper over the last two months which have painted a negative picture about the swiftlet farming industry in Malaysia in general as well as in Penang in particular.
These complaints provide very negative and one-sided views that level accusations against the mostly law-abiding and dedicated SME businessmen who are contributing to the swiftlet farming industry in the country.
Swiftlet farming in Malaysia is governed by the Guidelines for the Application of Premise Licences for Swiftlet Farming Businesses (Garis Panduan Permohonan Lesen Premis Purusahaan Sarang Burung Walit) that was issued and published by the Housing and Local Government Ministry in October 2005 to regulate the industry.
Based on these guidelines, the Federal Government actively permits and encourages swiftlet farming to be carried out in any building (except for Heritage Buildings classified as Category 1 buildings) located within any legally gazetted commercial area as stated in the structure plans of each and every state.
At the same time, the guidelines also contain requirements and detailed prohibitions as to the operations of these swiftlet farms that have been so licensed. For example, the decibel levels of the swiftlet mating sounds emitted by outside speakers must be 40 decibels and below measured exactly six meters from the lateral direction of the said speakers and the hours of operations must be between 7am and 7pm only.
The hollowing out of George Town in the state of Penang due to the repeal of the Rent Control Act back in 1998 has resulted in many pre-war buildings becoming abandoned, resulting in decay due to the lack of care and maintenance.
Relying on these guidelines, many SME businessmen in the state have invested a large amount of money to purchase such buildings. They renovated and improved the structures of these buildings and have fortified the security to carry out swiftlet farming.
These SME businessmen have, solely by their own efforts, significantly contributed to the slowing down of the urban decay of abandoned pre-war buildings in the state and at the same time helped protect the surrounding buildings from fires and other fatal nuisances that may be caused by drug addicts and other trespassers.
The three-year grace period for the moving out of swiftlet farms from George Town highlighted in ML’s letter does not exist under the guidelines. Any swiftlet farm that is operating from any gazetted commercial zone and in direct compliance with the many detailed requirements as stated in the guidelines is completely legal.
There is, however, a three-year grace period for swifltet farms that operate in residential zones. The SMI Association of Penang fully supports and encourages the Government to move these farms out of residential areas.
To pressure the state and the local authorities to move out SME businessmen who have established swiftlet farming businesses in George Town that fully comply with the requirements of the guidelines by the end of 2008 not only ignores the economic benefits and its associated multiplier effects that have been contributed by these investments to the state, but is also illegal as such investments were made in those areas that are actively encouraged under the guidelines for the establishment of swiftlet farms.
Under the guidelines, stagnant pools of water are prohibited, the decibel levels of swiftlet mating sounds are already predetermined and cleanliness and hygiene levels properly described for all swiftlet farm operators to follow.
DR KENNETH KHOO,
Secretary-General,
SMI Association of Penang.
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