Invited To A Special Meeting !!!

Today received a special official invitation from a Government Department responsible in the drafting of Guidelines in Swiftlet Farming.

I wish I know why but there is a strong chance that I will be able to give my best opinions on what the Government should do to help the farmers.

There are many things that the Government can do but at the same time there are also many things that the farmers can do too.

The date of the first meeting in sometime next week and I will try to advise my blog readers on some of the tangible points that are crucial in the draft guidelines.

To those who have some ideas on what they think the Government should put into the guidelines please forward them to my email address: harryswiftlet@yahoo.com with the title: My Ideas On What are the Things The Government Should Do.

Yesterday I visited a place called Ulu Beranang, N 9. It was more like an agricultural land but were sold in lots.

While visiting a friend's piece of land I saw a 90% completed BH. The owner came over to meet my friend and he have this unique experience.

After starting the project he was trying to be good citizen and went to see the Local Council.

The moment he went in he was told that he cannot built any BH even in his agricultural land.

Two days later he received a letter from the Local PBT requesting him to demolish the BH.

He regretted for being a good citizen. His other neighbors, who stay away from those unreasonable PBT people, until today never receive such letter.

What a joke and these PBT people are making people erecting more illegal BHs. They are supposed to help but not creating the illegal mindset.

However in the case of Kedah, the PBT in the whole state have the opposite way of looking at legalizing BHs.

I was on the phone a few days back with Dr.R from Jabatan Veterinary, Putra Jaya. He was in SPatani when I called him and he indicated that he was on the way to meet the Local Council.

"Harry, some good news. The state of Kedah will issue license to all BH owners".

While in Besut, Trengganu, I received a call from a BH owner who recently received a letter from the local council penalizing him with RM 25,000 for converting his shop to BH. According to him, the local council warn him that they will continue sending more summon until he shut his BH down. Yes a RM 25,000 every month.

In Tanjung Malim (TM) , Perak, the Ketua Pengarah have a move positive attitude. He was there in the morning when GAHP seminar (June2008) was conducted inTM. He lauched the seminar and during its closing he was again there to give away those precious certificate of attendence. During his opening speach he gave the assurance that he was supportive of swiftlet farming and if anyone wanted to invest in swiftlet farming just come over to his office.

You can see what I mean by attitudes.

Someone have to convince them that they are not doing anything good to the Industry. They are in fact going against the call from Dato Najib Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister Who confirmed that the Government encourage this trade.

If I were the Government, I will do the followings:

1) I will set up a special "Lembaga" or "Department" to look into swiftlet farming in Malaysia. It is similar to Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan, Lembaga Penanaman Tembakau, Lembaga Kemajuan Kelapa Sawit Malaysia (MPOB), Lembaga Kemajuan Penanaman Padi and etc. This is due to the fact that this swiftlet farming industry is potentially very huge Industry. Total yearly income might touch a few billion ringgit a year. The Lembaga will be responsible in coming out with the action plans on how to promote the industry and how to help every farmer who are keen to invest in this new and popular farming industry.

2) Legalize all birdhouses in the whole of Malaysia. All BH owners shall be given the appropriate licenses but their license shall be conditional.

3) Once you have all their details you can now be in contact with all of them. You have a data base of BH owners.

4) Each license is valid for at least one year. The longer the better. Every time the license expired they need to reapply.

5) PBT should set up a task force specially dedicated to BH licensing matter. All inspectors who are involved shall be trained to enforce the proper rulings on the right ways of looking after a BH. Only those who comply with these rules will be given a clean bill or else they will be issued with a conditional license.

6) All BH owners must attend a few Courses that are sectioned by PBT. This include the GAHP or a special course conducted by each Local Council. They are compulsory.

7) BH should not be ugly looking. Those building that are converted should be nice looking from the external. They must blend with the surrounding and not a bad sore thumb.

8) Those monkey house on the top of the roof should not be given the license. Open roof entrances should be encourage or preferred.

9) Using open roof will also cut down the noise to the minimum. If they are still causing any nuisance, the owner should use those ultrasonic gadget.

10) BH should never be constructed in any residential home. Good example in a condominium where there are people staying downstairs and birdhouse on the top.

11) In a shop house or a shopping complex, they can be but must follow a strict rules that they are well looked after. A good practice on how to maintain the BH to an optimum condition need to be enforced.

12) Birdhouse can be located in a shopping area but they must not be too close to a residential area. A fair distance of about 20 meters is encouraged.

13) The government should promote the farming to be made on any farm or agricultural land within a limit of say 5 kilometers from main town center.

14) All BH shall be required to post a note on the premise the details of the owner or the caretaker plus their license details and when they expires. The note shall be properly framed in a waterproofed cover to prevent blotting and big enough to read by the inspectors.

15) Beside the owner details each BH shall be required to hang the appropriate certificate of attendance of GAHP seminars or any sanctioned Seminars by the Owner in the premise.

16) Each BH must have a proper log book to record any activities that are very important to the inspection works. Good example is the record of inspection done by the PBT Inspectors. What they wanted the owner to rectify. The owner will then record their rectification works when they carried out and the outcome.

There are a few more and I hope I can get myself ready to work closely with the Department for the sake for swiftlet industry.

We need to find ways to make both the government and the farmers to work together to harvest this special white gold from the sky.