STAR METRO

Friday October 30, 2009

Entrepreneurs want a one-stop centre

By OH ING YEEN

A one-stop centre for issuing licences and permits relating to the bird’s nest industry will benefit entrepreneurs if it is given the green light.

This was one of the resolutions discussed by the Asia Bird’s Nest Conference recently.

Currently, the farmers have to apply for a premises licence from the local council to build the bird house and then apply for a harvesting licence from the Wildlife Department.

More than 250 participants from various states took part in the two-day swiftlet workshop held at the Paya Indah Wetlands, Dengkil. It was the third and last in a series of workshops that began in 2008.

The objective of the workshop was to get feedback from participants who had ventured into the industry and to discuss the problems they face and come up with solutions.

Other resolutions that were discussed include:

URGING the government to prepare complete guidelines for the industry; Research collaboration bet-ween the government and industry players should be created or continued and government consultancy services provided, if needed; and recognising the industry as an expanding one to market the products through a standardised brand name.

Halim Kepol, 44, from Batu Pahat, got to know about the industry from friends and the Internet and has spent RM135,000 building a bird house.

“I’m interested in this industry as I feel it has the potential to succeed.

“The workshop provided us a platform to discuss swiftlet-related issues and I’ve learnt a lot from the workshops,” he said.

Another participant Abu Hussin, a retiree, said the swiftlet business was booming in Alor Gajah, Malacca.

“It’s a good opportunity as there is guidance and aid provided for swiftlet nest entrepreneurs.

“Moreover, there’s not much competition and the risk is low,” he said.

Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Rasid Samsudin said Perhilitan’s role was mainly in conservation.

When asked for his comments about Sahabat Alam Malaysia’s call to ban swiftlet farming, he said the industry should not be discouraged but should be controlled.

“It has to be done on agricultural land, away from the urban areas,” he said.

A total of 16 public awareness programmes have been carried out from 2008 till June this year.

Seeking Divine Intervention

Ever since I started the design on the swiftlet sanctuary I always have a Buddha statue in mind as part of the hardscape for the garden in front of the dog kennel roving room. I have built a concrete platform for that purpose. While sourcing for the statue I had put a jungle fern in its place. Yesterday, I managed to secure the statue from a friend at the Vihara. It was about 1 feet high though I would prefer a bigger one about 2 feet high. However, this is the best gift that I had ever received. Today, the statue is put at the predetermined place and I have moved the jungle fern to the corner of the pool in front of the dog kennel roving room.

Harry in one of his posts had talked of someone who used the Buddha Statue to lure the swiftlets to enter his birdhouse and it seems to work. Though this is not my main intention, I sincerely hope and pray to Lord Buddha to let my swiftlet sanctuary be a true home to all swiftlets and swiftlets will reciprocate by making lots of nest for me and my partner.



To the Lord Buddha, here's my prayers.

• Namo tassa, bhagavato, arahato samma sambuddhasa
• Namo tassa, bhagavato, arahato samma sambuddhasa
• Namo tassa, bhagavato, arahato, samma sambuddhasa
• Buddham saranam gacchami,
• Dhammam saranam gacchami,
• Sangham saranam gacchami.
• Dutiyampi Buddham saranam gacchami,
• Dutiyampi Dhammam saranam gacchami,
• Dutiyampi Sangham saranam gacchami.
• Tatiyampi Buddham saranam gacchami,
• Tatiyampi Dhammam saranam gacchami,
• Tatiyampi Sangham saranam gacchami.

  Meaning:

  • Homage to Him, the Exalted One, the Worthy One, The Supremely Enlightened One
  • Homage to Him, the Exalted One, the Worthy One, The Supremely Enlightened One
  • Homage to Him, the Exalted One, the Worthy One, The Supremely Enlightened One
  • I go to the Buddha as my refuge.
  • I go to the Dhamma as my refuge.
  • I go to the Sangha as my refuge.
  • For the second time, I go to the Buddha as my refuge.
  • For the second time, I go to the Dhamma as my refuge.
  • For the second time, I go to the Sangha as my refuge.
  • For the third time, I go to the Buddha as my refuge.
  • For the third time, I go to the Dhamma as my refuge.
  • For the third time, I go to the Sangha as my refuge.

Its Blog Action Day '09 Today

Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be one of the largest-ever social change events on the web.

Bloggers and everyone else for that matter have to become responsible and global-minded citizens. While we still have leaders who want to do the right thing, Big Oil, Coal, Finance, Agriculture and even Big Politics (to cite a few examples) continue to pursue narrow short-term and self-serving agendas, and actively conceal and spin the truth.

So it’s up to us to live in a way that promotes values and practices which will perpetuate a balanced and healthy life for all of us, and the planet. The era of indulgence and self-interest is over. It’s now so evident that humans are all one living organism with each other and the planet in undeniable symbiosis, that hopefully this will propel cooperation, consideration and the sustainability of the future.

Let's take action NOW on climate change, Go to www.blogactionday.org and get yourself registered