Rediculous 40 Kilometers Radius Guideline !!!

I received a phone call from a BH owner whose BH now is in Banting.

"Harry, what is your opinion on this new ruling that no BH within 40 Kilometers from the airport?"

This was the report form the star online, found at: http://archives.thestar.com.my/last365days/default.aspx?

Swallow breeders to move 40km away from airport
OH ING YEEN at Sepang Municipal Council full board meeting


WHILE birds’ nests are considered a delicacy for some, swiftlets flying into the airplane’s engines as it takes off is a nuisance and a safety hazard.

According to Sepang Municipal Council (MPSp) president Azizan Mohamad Sidin, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) guidelines state that swiftlet farmers must be outside the 40km radius of the KL International Airport (KLIA).

“It is dangerous when the birds fly into the engines as the planes take off as the planes may crash.

“The guidelines say that it has to be done on agriculture land. We won’t allow the activity in shoplots or abandoned buildings.

“There are those that are located within a 10km radius from the airport. We suggest that they relocate to Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, or Sabak Bernam. We can’t be harsh on them because they have to make a living but we have the public safety in mind,” he said.

There will be a meeting with the members of the Sepang Swiftlet Entrepreneurs Association next week to discuss the matter.


My opinions (I might be wrong):

1) How big is the size of a swiftlet? Their body size is a fraction or pehaps 1/10 th as big as those ducks or a crows or a goose or those wild flamingos. They are so small and I am not sure how many thousands of it at one time will damage those turbines of an aeroplane.

2) Swiftlet usually never fly in a big group. They normally fly more often in a group of 2 to 5. Their numbers are minimal and I am confident that those stainless steel turbine blade will easily mince them off. Normally these swiftlets are very smart. They avoid dangerous path back to their home.

3) The only time that they will rush home is in the evening. This might be a bit heavy but not to the extend of damaging an aeroplane.

4) The swiftlet business have been in operation since 1808. That is almost 201 years. How many aeroplanes have been brought down by these wild swiftlet? There is none. So why are these Local Council are trying to proof?

I do not see any relevant in pushing the distance of 40 kilometers. Maybe 10 kilometers is alright.

What concern most of us will be if you have recently purchased a piece of land in Banting for swiftlet farming. Will the local council compensate you for their airport. If your land are taken to built a highway you will be compensated.

If this is allowed in Sepang Airport, what will happen to similar areas 40 kilometers radius from airport in Penang, Perak, Melaka, Johore, Kedah, Kuching, Miri, Sibu, Kota Kinabalu and so on?

All those land owners within 40 kilometers from these airports will be deprived of having a lucrative business.

Will those local authorities covering these towns are willing to compensate those farmers?

Simply rediculous and crazy.

They should at least get a report from Boeing or Airbus about swiftlet downing those planes before enforcing such a drastic guideline.