Eco Park Development Nightmares !!!

The idea of Eco Park built on either Agricultural land or Industrial Gazetted areas will be something that will be promoted by many local councils and states in Malaysia.

I would say that this will be the best way to meet those stringent requirements imposed in the Garis Panduan Nasional (National Birdhouse Guidelines).

More of these Eco Park should be built in the vicinity of any towns that have lots of birdhouses in operation.

It will be very nice if the local council take part with the developer to promote this concept. With their participation there will be less problems on licencing issues, building design approval, land conversion, less complains from public and properly regulated to meet our country's ambition to be a major exporter of bird nest by 2020.

I have been informed that our Agricultural Master plans do include bird nests export as our major income generator by year 2020. The Ministry is looking at Malaysia exporting 10 billion ringgit worth of nests every year.

In the beginning I am sure that there are hick ups along the way.

Good example is the bi laws related to those internal requirements of a BH.

I was with the Manjung Eco Park Developer last month. He was talking about those bi-laws that are not applicable to swiftlet farming. Current bi-laws are for human protection in case of fire or hazards. But when you built a birdhouse for those birds they do not need those "Keluar" signs and those water sprinkler system on the ceiling.

Birdhouse need open rooftop and perhaps a pond but these are not allowed.

The walls need to have a thicker layers to prevent heating from the hot sun.

There no need to have toilets in each floor. The ground floor is okay but why must we include toilets on the upper floors. The birds do not know how to use those toilets?

Bomba required adequate room for assembly if there is any fire. For a BH complex do you want those birds to come down and assemble themselves?

Also the number of parking bays. Those upper floors are meant for birds. They do not drive to work or find their food. They fly my friend.

The staircase areas need to be covered and plastered. We keep telling them that these are redundant because to bring those birds down the walls need not be there.

Those were the common grouses that were highlighted to me and it make sense.

If you comply to those rules then the cost will be very high.

First you need to built to comply and then you need to tear them down immediately after those COF/CCC were issued.

Can you imagine the wastage that every developer have to endure.

I smile and shook my head in agreement with all those points. I can imagine their problems.

Right now, since there is only one bi-laws, they have very little choice but to comply and loose all those monies which can be used to improve the bird houses.

Perhaps the Vetenary Ministry will form a committee to look at this aspect soon.

If they want Malaysia to be a Major exporter they better do !!!