West Wind,

I have no less than 10 friends attended. Just checked with a few of them. So far feed back is good. Half of them already started own cleaning factory. Seemed to be the only one giving such course successfully and continuously in Malaysia. The courses are conducted very professionally. My friends said the lecturers are very responsible and informatic and not selfish. The company always invite old students back for free refresher courses whenever they have new techniques or inventions. It seems the lecturers and the students have established good personal relationship after the courses. My friends said worth the money. A couple of them before attending this course, had gone to Jakarta and paid alot more in USD and found it not useful. They are happy now and having own factory. Well, hope this info helps you.

tongserseng,
Got it from the website. Alternatively you may contact the person in charge directly at 016-3353 000, Mr Tan (supplied by my friend).

Wow, it must be very serious with your wife get admitted into Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. TTS Hospital is world class regional center for chronic skin diseases and acute contagious diseases, such as Nipal virus, HIV etc. Must have costed u a few kilo of nests.

I have planted many aloe vera in my compound. Very easy to grow. These aloe vera are real fantastic. They can treat almost all exposed cuts or injuries. It has strong antiseptic charateristic. It is marvellous on skin diseases or skin allergy. My mum ever had very stubborn skin disease on her hands and treated by skin specialist with expensive western drugs for a long time. After spending a few kg of nests, still no improvement. A relative recommended aloe vera and she applied for less than a month, all healed. The doctor also shocked. Occasionally, I have allergic and itchy rashes on my legs for no apparent reason, or sometime after returning from BHs, I scratched till bleeding. I just applied aloe vera, all healed. These are my personal experiences of aloe vera.


网址：http://www.damayanwo.com

贵宾热线：006-03-3343 8825

Email:admin@damayanwo.com

59-01， Jalan Batai Laut 5, Taman Intan, 41300 Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

Tel: 006-03-33438825 Fax:006-03-33421196

---

Added on December 22, 2008, 4:10 pmHACCP is a food processing procedure with international regulations that must be adhered to. I do not think you need it unless you are prepared to do bird nest bottling or canning. You can use google to search for it.

Don't know GMP or GHP.

May be you are talking of GAHP. GAHP is a course conducted by the Dept Veterinary Service (DVS or Jabatan Perkhidmatan Haiwan). The purpose of this course is to educate the new BH investers as to how to manage the BH in a proper and hygenic way according to Haiwan standard. The DVS or Haiwan seems to be the only Govt Dept that is very positively supportive and helpful to this industry since the early days. The rest of other dept seemed to be not doing anything positive or fault finding rather than helping. This course was initiated by Dr Fadzilah, a very respectable, knowledgeble, dedicated and very professional lady senior veterinary officer from the DVS. She did it with the good intention and sincerity to help the growth of this industry and to help educate all the BH operators with good knowledge of animal husbantry in the BH. She started this programme in 2005 conducting numerous such courses personally across the country for thousands of farmers. It was a one day course and it was free with everything including lunch provided by the Haiwan and a certificate of attendance was also issued to every participant. They did it just like the ways they help the other animal husbantry industries. They are very sincere in wanting this industry to be successful and progress.

As the industry grows and more new farmers pouring into this industry, the Federal budget is no longer adequate to fund these additionals, thus today, the Haiwan has to outsource and seek cooperation of other professional event promoters to continue this awareness programme to help the new comers by upgrading it into a real seminar with a lot of extra. Now,it seems it is a 2 days seminar with a fee of a thousand or more. Of course, with better food or may be also a taste of bird nest cuisine for the 1st timer.

Today, Dr Fadzilah is being promoted to take charge bigger role. Her succesor is Dr Reduan, another very dedicated and committed gentleman, I understand. He is the one now following Dr Fadzilah's footstep running up and down like a mad but happy man helping this industry. All the old timers who know Dr Fadzilah or who ever attended her course really miss her.



This post has been edited by Lucas 1: Dec 22 2008, 04:10 PM

NEWS BREAKING!!!!!

Some insiders fed me with this info to be shared with you all. It is up to you to believe it or not.

THE LATEST BAD NEWS AND THE COMING GOOD NEWS FOR THE MALAYSIA PRODUCED BIRD’S NEST

Gentlemen,

BAD NEWS

Do you know the main reason why all of the sudden, most of the regular foreign buyers disappeared lately?

8 months ago, the China Custom Department already started secret investigating on the smuggling of the bird’s nest import from Hong Kong. Many decades ago, main bulk of the bird’s nest trade into China is done through the Hong Kong wholesale big boys who controlled the market. 90% of these nests are smuggled by way of engaging of many full time porters of hand carry of a kilo of nest together with other stuff in multiple trips from Hong Kong across the border into China daily. There is many such handling agencies based in Hong Kong acted like courier Service Company. With this way of smuggling, the 25% import duty plus 17% VAT or sale tax is thus escaped. With the recent sharp demand of the nests consumed in China lately, the volume of nests smuggled also jumped many folds. This caught the attention of the Govt and thus, a special task force was assigned to investigate since last April. As many wholesalers in China are being investigated and checked since months ago, many China wholesalers stopped keeping stocks and regular buyers slowed down in buying from the sources, and topped with the latest crackdown on a single syndicate caught with 2,700 kg of smuggled nests worth RMB 47 million with duty unpaid for RMB 15 million reported on 19.12.08, many crackdowns are on the way, the whole buyer market crashed.

So, this is the main reason among many other known reasons that constituted the cause of why all of the sudden, the regular buyers slowed down in buying and eventually halted almost completely now. Expect this no buyer phenomenon will prolong and lap over the Chinese New Year till the first half of 2009, at least.

GOOD NEWS

After the very bad news above, here comes the real good news. The good news is that the China Govt has reviewed the system and revised the tax structure for the import of nests from friendly countries such as Malaysia. China Govt has abolished the 25% import duty but maintained the 17% of VAT or sale tax on the nest imported directly from Malaysia since Sept 2008. In another word, all the Malaysians can now directly export their nests legally into China and sell openly, no longer need to go through Hong Kong agents or through smuggling. But, they must apply in advance the official approval through their solely owned China registered company or any other China company. Previously it was not possible for foreigner to own sole proprietorship in China. It may sound complicated but it is really not that difficult. Moreover it encourages more Malaysian entrepreneurs to do the nest business directly in China, no longer need to go through or depend on third party or agent in the long term. It is a good break through. It is very good and bright for the future of the bird’s nest industry of Malaysia in long term. Except that the BH owners who are now overstocked may have to endure temporary hardship for some time till more Malaysian entrepreneurs establish their foot holds and net works in China.

Actually, this good news is already known to a few old timer committee of a certain Federation Association in August. But they tried suppressing the news from being publicized locally. Their agenda was to exploit and capitalise it to be a monopoly for their own personal company. They intended to strike a secret deal with the China Govt officials through the Association they belong to privatise for the exclusive right for their personal company to handle all the nests intended for export to China from Malaysia. They had secretly gone to China to meet and negotiate with the officials on a number of occasions lately. In another word, they wanted all the Malaysia nests for export to China to be handled and go through only their privately owned company exclusively for a fee or price they dictate so that no other Malaysian can directly export nest to China on their own except through smuggling. Fortunately for the Malaysians, they have not succeeded yet. These idiots cum traitors to the association members are still trying.

In August 2008, when the China Govt decided on the new policy, there was one company known as XYZ, was one of the few early birds who knew it and had full knowledge of the procedure. The XYZ is a Malaysian company having both nest export to China and professionally conducting seminars in teaching the correct method of nest cleaning without chemicals and other related courses to locals for a number of years. This company has been studying the China market to find ways to help Malaysian nest to break into China. It was this company alerted and informed this committee of the new policy of China. XYZ intended to announce the good news to all the Malaysians through the Association. Unfortunately, with the hidden agenda, the committee tried to convince and lure XYZ to conspire with them in their plot of monopoly. Disappointed and shocked in disbelieve of the insincerity of this committee of their unethical agenda under the cover of the Association at the expense of all the other Malaysians, XYZ refused to conspire with them and decided to publicize the good news themselves and in order to help and share with the Malaysians the knowledge of the complicated procedure of direct export of nests to China, the company started to conduct numerous weekly seminars going round across the country since October to benefit all. The company also provides guidance and services to assist in the applications of approval and the details in establishing of outlets in China.

With no less than 80,000 BH owners in sudden desperation and dilemma, hopefully this is a temporary setback. With this timely new policy of the China Govt, the local bird’s nest businessmen must grab this opportunity for self rescue by venturing fearlessly into the China market directly and for own survival as soon as possible without delay. No longer have we needed to rely on foreigners as middlemen anymore. It is time to let Malaysia bird’s nest embark on a new platform to sail into a new era of our own. We believe it is also time for Malaysia Govt to instruct its departments to sincerely assist to groom this only GOLDEN GOOSELET left of Malaysia into maturity by throwing away all the bureaucratic harnesses and red tapes. Prove to the world, the genuine MALAYSIA BOLEH, not with the mouth but with true action.


“燕窝消费热”催生走私 专家：应考虑降低燕窝进口成本
http://www.tech-food.com 2008-12-24 9:05:27 中国食品科技网http://www.tech-food.com/news/2008-12-24/n0221063.htm
　　
燕窝，因其含有人体必需的多种高级蛋白质，一直有着“东方珍品”的美誉；食用燕窝，也由此成了日益重视滋补强身、美容养颜的都市白领们的时尚首选。就在燕窝系列产品消费日渐升温之时，一些不法分子也动起了歪脑筋。记者今天杭州海关获悉，经过半年的追踪侦查，成功侦破一起燕窝走私大案，燕窝走私大鳄戴氏兄弟落网。2人自2003年起走私各类燕窝2700多公斤，案值4745.5万元，涉嫌偷逃国家税款1500万元。
　　蹊跷的100%进口燕窝
　　今年4月初的一天，正在逛街的小张从街面推销者手中拿到了一张广告宣传单：“美丽燕窝新吃法：燕窝炖鸡——病后贫血、养阴补阳，……燕窝100%进口、免费外送、24小時想吃就吃……”类似这样的燕窝宣传单，很多温州人都不陌生。近年来，敢为天下先的温州人流行起了“吃燕窝補身”，一时间温州城内大大小小开出的燕窝堂食店近百家。
　　然而，小张并没有对此一笑置之，身为海关缉私警察的她，敏感地对宣传单上“100%进口”一说产生了疑问。回到办公室，小张立刻在电脑中查询了相关进出口数据。果然，温州并无燕窝进口记录，甚至全国都没有大规模的燕窝进口数据。一个并不出产燕窝、也几乎没有燕窝进口记录的地方，却大刮燕窝“消费风”，那么温州人吃掉的燕窝究竟从哪里来？如果真的像宣传单上所说“100%进口”，为何海关进出口统计数据上丝毫没有反映出来呢？
　　围绕着燕窝，杭州海关缉私部门展开了一轮市场调查。随着调查的不断深入，温州虫草燕窝滋补行业中最具规模的龙头企业——温州晨曦海洋食品有限公司进入了缉私警察的视线。
　　集燕窝生产、餐饮于一体的“晨曦”不仅是温州各大商场、大型连锁超市、商场的指定保健品供应商，还是温州地区数一数二的燕窝原料“批发商”；不仅在省内杭州、宁波、温州、绍兴、台州乃至周边的上海、福州等地拥有数十家燕窝连锁专卖店。“晨曦”一直对外宣称其所用燕窝为“原产地直接进货”，然而调查中却发现，其既没有国内燕窝采购记录，也从未向海关申报进口过一克燕窝。
　　此外，燕窝属于高档滋补品，本身价格不菲，进口的综合税率又高达40%以上，可“晨曦”销售的各类燕窝制品的售价明显偏离市场价格。
　　随着疑点的不断增多，海关缉私部门判断“晨曦”存有重大走私嫌疑。
　　抽丝剥茧走私大鳄露“马脚”
　　今年6月19日，杭州海关决定成立以下属温州海关缉私分局警力为骨干的专案组，正式对“晨曦”及其负责人戴氏兄弟进行立案调查。
　　尽管有所怀疑，然而“晨曦”毕竟是一家在温州市场有着较高知名度的龙头企业，专案组决定采取大胆假设、小心求证的调查策略。“当时我们考虑了很多情况，比如‘晨曦’销售的燕窝来路不明，会不会是假货？‘晨曦’负责人戴氏兄弟经常去深圳、广州，而广东肇庆是我国燕窝三大产地之一，‘晨曦’的燕窝会不会是来自国内市场？”参与侦办此案的徐警官向记者描述了当时侦办工作的设想。
　　当这些假设被一一排除，一些重要线索慢慢浮出水面：虽然从没有“进口”过燕窝，但“晨曦”与一些香港燕窝商行来往甚密，而这些燕窝商行的“顾客”恰好是内地燕窝经销商；经常往返于广州、香港的戴氏兄弟在当地行踪诡秘，回到温州则与一个广州的号码保持着频繁的通话记录。调查发现，这个神秘号码的背后竟是一个颇具规模的“水客集团”；更蹊跷的是，每当戴氏兄弟从香港回到温州后不久，“晨曦”就会收到从广州、深圳寄出的包裹……
　　恰在此时，从深圳海关传来消息：深圳缉私部门在侦办一起水客集团走私案的过程中，发现了一份由香港“水客”集团制作的燕窝发货清单，收货人名单中赫然出现了“温州市晨曦海洋食品有限公司”的名字。
　　“水客”的暴露，引起了戴氏兄弟的警觉，两人密谋要尽快销毁一切证据，甚至开始着手制定攻守同盟。专案组当机立断，即刻实施抓捕行动！
　　6月30日深夜，海关缉私警察兵分两路，迅速出击。
　　一路，连夜赶往杭州，在宾馆“截”住了刚刚做成一笔燕窝配送生意的哥哥戴晨旭，并从他身上搜查出了多张“晨曦”向香港燕窝行购买燕窝的发票。另一路，则直扑“晨曦”，将正在公司加班的弟弟戴晨义抓获，并在其家中、公司、加工厂的多处冷柜中查获了大量尚未来得及销售的燕窝，并在戴氏兄弟住所阳台角落一个伪装得非常隐蔽的抽屉里，找到了侦破此案的关键证据。
　　至此，一条经营多年的燕窝“走私路径”被完全揭开：
　　经营高档滋补品生意多年的戴氏兄弟，为了谋取更多的利润，在向香港泰盛燕窝行、大东贸易公司购买燕窝后，不向海关申报，而是委托“水客”集团以明显低于燕窝正常进口应缴税额的费用，即以每包燕窝（500克）100至200元人民币不等的“带工费”，将燕窝“化整为零”地从香港闯关走私至深圳、广州等地。随后，“水客”集团在广东的接货人分批次将这些燕窝通过货运渠道发往温州“晨曦”，并负责从中周转走私货款。
　　利润+市场行业走私风险凸显
　　令人触目惊心的是，专案组在随后的深入调查中发现，“晨曦”现象在业界并非个案。
　　向“晨曦”供货的香港供货商不过几家，然而，做着类似生意的在香港燕窝商行却多达200多家。这些商行与全国30多个省市区的数百家企业有着业务往来，进口方式大多跟“晨曦”一样，委托“水客”团伙“闯关带进”后，再交由境内物流公司发货到全国各地。
　　究竟是什么催生了燕窝的行业性走私？负责侦办此案的专案组成员陈警官一语道破“玄机”：高额利润和日益庞大的市场。
　　目前，燕窝的进口关税率为25%，进口环节增值税率为17%，综合税率高达46.25%。以500克的4A级白燕盏为例，“晨曦”从香港供货商手中购买的价格是6800元，需要缴纳进口关税、增值税等税款3145元。而目前市场上出售的燕窝以克计，品牌一等白燕盏的售价平均在45元/克左右。粗略计算，燕窝的盈利空间超过300%。
　　除了高额利润，日渐风靡的“燕窝热”带来的庞大消费市场，也是吸引走私分子铤而走险的另一原因。随着国内人民生活水平的提高，对天然的健康滋补食品的需求也越来越高，以上海、江浙一带及广东地区为先，其他地区的燕窝消费也开始走俏。在“燕窝消费热”中，孕妇扮演了“生力军”的角色。因为相信燕窝店宣传的“孕期吃燕窝、一人吃两人补”、“孕妇吃燕窝，胎儿会变白”等说法，在长三角不少城市，孕妇们对燕窝推崇备至，“孕妇吃燕窝”已经成为一种潮流。据《温州都市报》报道，温州市区的鑫鑫燕翅行最多时每天要送20多盅燕窝，客户多半是孕妇。
　　庞大的市场带来可观的利润。值得注意的是，随着燕窝走私行为的增多，燕窝行业出现了“劣币驱逐良币”的趋势。一位不愿透露姓名的业内人士无奈地表示，走私燕窝不仅仅是为了谋求更大的利润空间，更主要的是为了提升竞争能力，获取更好的生存空间，否则将会被市场所淘汰。
　　而有关专家则表示，随着我国居民消费水平的逐年提高，对燕窝等高档滋补品的认同与需求将会日益旺盛，建议国家有关部门考虑适当降低燕窝的正常进口的成本，引导燕窝市场良性发展。

SOS! IDEAS NEEDED FROM ALL IN THE SAME BOAT FOR PROPOSAL TO THE AUTHORITY FOR THE PERMANENT WIN-WIN SOLUTION FOR THE INDUSTRY AND ALL AFFECTED PARTIES.

Dear Engineer Lee,

There is no such ruling in the National Guidelines that requires BH to be done 10 km away from residential area.
Under the NGL, BH can be done in building on agricultural, industrial and commercial land. Only 100% residential houses that serve as 100% human dwellings and living quarters such as apartments, condominium, flats, and residential houses in modern designed housing gardens or estates (Taman-taman) in new townships are strictly prohibited. Shophouse lots on commercial status found in this taman-taman are permitted too. Those semi-residential types in New Villages, pre-war buildings in old townships and buildings found in rural area, which sometimes are not used as 100% residential houses are permitted as well.

As the conversion of these buildings into BHs is growing so fast with many a time, new comers take thing for granted, the new investors fail to address and resolve the environmental problems, such as noise pollutions (75%), illegal extensions plus ugly facades (10%) and hygienic and health issues (10%), etc, created by them. Due to 95% of BH owners don’t live there and also their inconsideration of the welfare of the neighbourhood, complaints to the local councils are thus invited against them. Had the owners also lived or operated business in the same buildings, usually, complaints of this sort are very minimal and can be resolved immediately. Just try to visualise that the timer control of the external sound of a BH opposite your resident where your family live and sleep, is malfunctioned. Instead of 7am-7pm, it becomes 7pm-7am. The owner of the BH only comes once a month to harvest and nobody knows the owner. What would you do? Or how would you react and do even if you yourself are owner of 10 BHs elsewhere? Think, think, think................. Mind you this is only one of the many problems faced in the operation of a BH. It is too lengthy to mention at the moment.

BH operation is a very unique and different from other types of business operation that we know of. The owners of other businesses are usually found in their shops or offices almost daily so any problem or complaints can be resolved immediately without having to complain to the councils. If we can find permanent solution or way of not letting the complaints of our neighbours gone unresolved for days or weeks and reach the council, I think the councils would not give problem to us. Normally, when this sort of complaints reach the council, the council would send staff try to immediately locate the owner. But if the owner cannot be located for weeks, just imagine the mounting pressure faced by the council from the public. This is the main reason why the council or the authority not supportive of this industry and recommend BHs to be ‘shifted’ out to rural.

Don’t keep on blaming the councils or the authorities for not issuing the license or trying to fault finding with us. In fact, if you were to ask me, to be fair, I think we are the ones giving them headache. In order to win the support of the councils and the public, don’t you think that we should be the ones responsible to propose solution to the problems? If we don’t, then the BH owners will eventually be at the losing end.

May I take this opportunity, since the finding of a permanent solution is rather inevitable, imperative and desperate now; invite all of you, who are on the same boat, pool in ideas to be discussed here. Any idea is never a bad idea just as long as it is done with sincerity. More heads is better than one. Who knows and I am sure we can and must find one solution to be proposed to the authority to regulate ourselves for our long term survival with peaceful co-existence with all. Or you want to leave our fate to be decided by others or the authority? I can tell you the best solution suggested by them would be, move out or shut down.
Please don’t be shy to give your idea as soon as possible. We can also talk cock here, just as long as it is not personal or malicious. Any language is appreciated too. We can have it translated if requested.

Hurry! Write in your idea. No one will laugh at you.

Dear West Wing,

Banana or no banana is never an issue. Important is the sincerity in the heart. There are many top bananas who are very egoistic and extremely selfish and always look down on those who couldn't speak well in English. Equally, there are China men who are very cunning and greedy like those old timer committee. In every organization, race and group of people, there are the good, the bad and the ugly. And you are one of the good.

Thank you for confirming what my friends told me. Don't you think this is good news? All of you are not to worry much for we need reasonable time to get things done on right track. The China market is too big for all in Malaysia. More than enough for everybody to have a cup. My friends are finding more info to be shared with all. I will translate into English for all of you. Just bear with me for a little more while.

Meanwhile, try cracking heads for more inputs to my earlier suggestion of how to make proposals to the councils to help us resolve problems in the permanent ways.

LET'S STOP POINTING GUNS INWARD. LET'S POINT OUTWARD!!


LET'S STOP POINTING GUNS INWARD. LET'S POINT OUTWARD


Gentlemen,

Please be humbly reminded that this is a forum for only gentlemen to share and exchange their views, experience, ideas and opinions to help or benefit one and other in one way or another for those involved in this industry. Please remember that all of us are on the same boat and all of us are equal. Some may be newbie in this forum but they could be very much old timers in the trade. Please give them the due respect. Everybody is entitled to his opinion and it is up to others whether to agree or to appreciate. If anybody has better ideas and wishes to be shared here, it is definitely appreciated by all. This is no place for child play here. Child play is only confined to Children play ground or at your own home. Therefore, please do not be abusive, aggressive and getting personal. Respect others so that you will be respected. Respect is to be earned and not be demanded. May I sincerely and humbly appeal to all, please do not spoil the amicable atmosphere here? Let’s get back to normal and continue our serious discussions as to pool in our grey matters to seek appropriate solutions to address the problems that affect this industry in which all of us have a stake in for long term survival. Don’t you think that time is very bad and could be getting worse and get out of hand if we are not united to help ourselves, then who do you think is going to help us? God? Yes, God can only help those on condition that they are prepared to help themselves. Don’t you think this is our priority in this forum now? This is my sincere and humble suggestion and appeal to all. In no way that I intend to direct this to any particular person. My apology if anybody feels so.

In my opinion, the prices of any commodity are subjected to the supply and demand at the time. With the recent negative news and incidents added on in particularly to the most recent case of the China tax evasion investigations on this market that frightened the China importers to buy in, cramped together, the demand naturally becomes sharply lesser than the supply, thus the price of nest drops. If the majority of sellers are having the holding power and prefer not to sell, then the supply becomes lesser than demand, the price definitely goes up. It takes willing buyer and willing seller to transact. It is a fair game. It is just like share market. Nobody is right or wrong neither anybody is smart or stupid. It all depends on the individual’s circumstances. If all of us want a higher and more comfortable price, then the Malaysians must start doing something positive together to create the market and demand soon. 2 weeks ago, I sold a batch at RM2.20. 2 days ago, I sold another batch at RM3.20. For both transactions, I felt happy. Yesterday, I sold 100gm of super grade to one very old and retired couple for only RM50. They were very happy. But, I feel even most happy until now.

If you were to ask me, with my personal observation and experience, I am very optimistic that the prospect and the future of Malaysia bird’s nest industry is definitely bright in long term. The present situation is only a temporary setback and in fact it is a timely wake up call. From the start of this industry almost ten years ago till now, I call it the 1st stage, or the ‘Farming stage’. With this sudden crisis which has awakened us up, this industry is compelled and fastened by circumstances entering into the 2nd stage, the ‘Industrialization stage’ in which it is time and inevitably for some of us to consider to start to move into the local downstream industry or processing industry. Kohloh is saying that we are now producing 4 tons plus of nest monthly. And let’s assume he is right, I estimate it should be more than double in another year. With this amount, we should be able to sustain the local processing industry which previously we could not. Aided and blessed with the recent incentive of exclusively waving of 25% of import duty by the China Authority on the nest exported from Malaysia, some of us may really need to consider capitalising on this golden opportunity to venture into China market and be the Malaysian pioneers. I know of many groups are starting scrutinizing seriously to embark on this. With the success in gaining footing by these Malaysian new entrepreneurs soon in about a year’s time as from now, the Malaysians will achieve what we call in Chinese, ‘ONE DRAGON STRATEGY’ that is, raw materials, processing, exporting and direct sale to the end users, all done by Malaysians. By that time, the price of nest will be naturally up and stabilised at a fairly comfortable level. By that time, the Malaysian bird’s nest industry will then very naturally and sustainably moving towards into a healthy and permanent future. Steadily and gradually, the foreign revenue yielding in from this industry will soon surpass that of the tin ore and truly becomes the 4th largest producer of Malaysia. Isn’t this what we dream of? And the people and the Malaysian Govt, whether be they the ruling parties or opposition parties yearn for?

However, undeniably, there are 2 major issues that warrant our urgent attention and immediate endeavour in order to overcome this which could threaten the only rice bowl for the family of many. One is the internal or the domestic issue that is the BH guidelines and the licensing problems across the country that haunt us. The second one is the external or the overseas marketing of nest. These two are more than enough of nightmares for all involved in this trade. So, let’s be united and stay focus and concentrate on the priority to find ways to resolve them.


Just come across this:-

http://damayanwo.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_28.html
高额利润，日渐风靡的“燕窝热”带来的庞大消费市场，是吸引走私分子铤而走险的另一原因。

在“燕窝消费热”中，孕妇扮演了“生力军”的角色。因为相信燕窝店宣传的“孕期吃燕窝、一人吃两人补”、“孕妇吃燕窝，胎儿会变白”等说法，加之港台明星妈妈们的示范效应，在长三角不少城市，孕妇们对燕窝推崇备至。

孕妇食用燕窝，一般一周吃两次，9个月吃下来花费在1.2万元左右。 中国每年有两千多万新生婴儿，所以，每年花费食用燕窝是 20，000，000 x 12, 000 = 240,000,000,000 人民币，马币是 120，000，000，000 ， 你知道这个数目是多少吗？

My dear fellow Malaysians,

Do you know how big the bird’s nest market in China is? And what is the SHARE of Malaysia’s bird’s nest in this market?
The above is the China news extract copied from http://damayanwo.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_28.html

Let me try to give you a short translation.

Consuming of bird’s nest has become a popular and almost compulsory health food for the pregnant women in China. An average of RMB12, 000 worth of nest equivalent to 0.5 kg in total for 9 months is consumed by a pregnant woman at twice weekly. There is an average of 20,000,000 (20 million) childbirths in China annually.
So, 20,000,000 X RMB12, 000 = RMB240,000,000,000 or RM120,000,000,000 (RM12 Billions)
20 million X 0.5 kg =10 million kg of nest = 10,000 tons/annum consumed in China.
If Malaysia is producing 4 tons of nest per month X 12 months = 48 tons/annum against 10,000 ton consumed in China annually.

The percentage is only 0.48% that means Malaysia is getting not even half a percent of the China market share.


My dear Malaysian brothers, do you now agree with me that our industry’s future is bright? So, please, let’s shake hands and have a good sleep tonight and dream of a beautiful tomorrow.

Dear Chitchai,

Let me share with u and those who wish to know some of my experiences and visions. What u are doing is positive and should be applauded for u are not going to be sitting duck, waiting to be shot or dictated by others. U decide your own fate in your own hand. U don’t wait for opportunity but u create one and prepare to take risk. Nothing venture, nothing gain. This is what we call the spirit of entrepreneurship. 100% of tycoons and successful businessmen possess this spirit. This is how Hong Kong emerges from so tiny an Island to become world leading centre. This is because many people with this spirit who dared to venture and took risk. If u don’t try, for sure u are 100% failed. If u try, there is 50% chance of winning. It is time that Malaysian young men are encouraged to venture out to swim in the oceans. No longer should they depend on the limited and shrinking local market and resources, the sungai.

There are two ways of doing nest processing. One is the amateur way in which few family members doing it with no proper tools and at own pace killing the time. The 2nd way is the serious and professional way in which u employ a team of trained workers, with proper set up and tools. Time means money. Therefore, accuracy in costing is most important. Unfortunately, labour cost in Malaysia is on the higher side. Also the attitude of local workers is always a problem. To do it in the professional way, professional knowledge must be sought before u embark. There are such professional courses available now. U can start from amateur way and as u learn and acquire the professional knowledge then u decide how big u want to do. All the professors started from kindred garden. After that u can consider swimming out to the oceans.

My ways of storing nest. When the harvest is collected, there is bound to have small bugs, lice and ticks in the nest. I will immediately place them in freezer not chiller to freeze these insects for 24 hours at least to death. If u freeze for only few hours, these insects only hibernate and they start crawling again when nest defrosted. I will then open this frozen nest in an aircon room for at least half a day to dry it completely. Then I either place them into any air-tight container or in chiller or freezer. Only when the nest is completely dried and air-tight then the oxidation will be slow and colour will not deepened much. Remember, the nest contains lots of minerals esp iron. If not dried completely, even the super white will become super yellow in just a month exposed to air. The organic matter such as shit stains will decay and become ‘REPUT’. Iron + oxygen + H20 (catalyst) = Iron oxide= rust.

By the way, why so quiet in the forum??? It shouldn’t be especially that there are so many urgent issues and problems faced. All the regular sifus must have gone swimming in the oceans. If there is no more response or active participation from others, then I might as well stop the discussion and waste no more time here. No point I give only and nobody gives me. Better go somewhere to look for personal gains. So, bye-bye.

Waitttt............., Hi, West Wing, U are back! Good, but still, too few in the forum. Might as well we talk through PM if necessary. What s the point we share with others and others don’t share with us. Right? Bye.......

JUST TO SHARE SOME WISDOM


Politician: [B]One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence after?

Committee: Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together.

Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.



Thank you, my friends, never expect to receive so many PM. To some, thank you for revealing the actual problems, dilemma and obstacles encountered by many farmers and traders. I agreed with you that these are rather sensitive and headache issues that obstruct the smooth growth of the industry in long term. Give me some time to crack before I come back with appropriate suggestions to the roots to help all. Somebody must do something serious. I will try to reply you by PM or open letters. Appreciate very much for having confidence in me. Hope not to disappoint you. Not to worry, I will not disclose the sources.
To those requesting personal opinions and advices, please remember, I am no sifu. But I will try to share with you my painful EXPERIENCES and observations. Watch out on my next post of what is EXPERIENCE. Give me a break to try to reply every one of you for I need to start pawning something for survival as times are bad, no one buys nest now.

By the way, see slightly more participations, but still not encouraging enough.

Ha Ha Ha............HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009 TO ALL

YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS MY EXPERIENCE? IT IS AS BELOWS:-


Experience: The name men give to their mistakes.

I gained too many painful experiences in 2008, I did not sell my nests in time.

Hopefully, I don't get this experience anymore in 2009.

Ha Ha Ha...........HOPE AND BLESS ALL OF YOU DON'T LEARN MY EXPERIENCE..........

IN THE PROFESSIONAL FIELDS

Definition of a Consultant: A professionally qualified and certified person in a specialised field academically after practising many years with experience in that particular field and upon official recognition obtained from the organization of the field, only then he is promoted to become a Consultant.

IN THE BIRD’S NEST INDUSTRY

Many of my previous workers, such as the carpenter, the mason, the plasterer, the plumber, the electrician, and the odd job labourer, who were employed and supervised by me to construct my BHs, have today distributing name cards claiming to be BH consultants.

If you happen to walk pass a new BH under construction, a labourer was scooping sands outside, if you were to enquire, he would tell you that he is also a consultant.

If you were to drive into any construction site in progress, and you say you want to build a BH, you find yourself surrounded by all the workers claiming to be BH consultants and they are good in it.

If I were to throw a handful of tiny stones from the rooftop of my 4 story BH located in the town centre onto the crowd below, I bet out ten people I hit, 3-4 would be BH consultants.

Recently, I introduced a couple of my visitors to my Malay gardener who also helps in cleaning, harvesting and doing minor repairs in my BHs, as consultant. The visitors didn’t believe initially. After chatting with my gardener for a while, they were amazed of his knowledge and were shocked to given a name card by my gardener of him as a BH consultant. So, any new investor looking for BH consultant, I can always recommend my gardener to him. I can bet with you, his knowledge would not lose to those xxxxxnest consultants who advertise a lot in the forum and the market. My gardener can do a better job, except that he doesn’t know how to bullshit.

So, my personal conclusion is that anybody who ever touches a BH can be considered a consultant these days. How lucky the new BH investors are today. Those days, when I first started, I had to borrow and import experienced Indo workers. We never heard of BH consultant.

Wow, very good inputs, ideas and positive remarks from Engineer Lee,West Wing, Bobby C and Chiongguo and many more. This is what we need to help the industry. I appreciate all of you personally. Thank you for your positive participation and ideas.

How about giving some ideas and suggestions as to the immediate roles and the functions played by the Associations especially in the tackling of the present crisis of price dropping and the solving of the numerous problems faced from the various authorities such as the councils, the PERHILITAN’s procedures in the export of nests and the numerous harassments and confiscations on the people bringing out nests in the airports?

What do you think how a sincere committee should play his role in the Association?

What are the basic criteria and qualifications of someone being elected to be a committee?

What is your ideal model committee should be?

What is your ideal model Association should be?

Understand there are many cases of harassment being faced and encountered by some farmers given by the PERHILITAN's kaki tangan of being stopped by these kaki tangan while transporting the harvested nests after their visit to their BHs. Could someone who has the personal experience or knowledge of friends being viticmised please tell us the story? Understand many cases happened recently in Rompin. We need to collect these data to determine the seriousness and to find appropriate solutions to stop this nonsence.

May be they are other problems encountered which many of us have no knowledge of should be revealed here too to alert the rest and together we find the solutions?

Aeiou228,


Thanks for the good news. But this is a last minute rush for the raw nest which should end 2 weeks b4 CNY. After this, the demand will drop to its traditional low season. Demand should then start picking up in May. The price should follow suit go up trend. But will it go up to what it used to be which makes all of us very happy that no one could tell. At least, it is expected to be more than now for sure.


There are few factors here that determine whether the price of nests should reach comfortable zone soon enough.
1) Whether our local boys are fast enough to grab and beach through into China setting up direct sale outlets within the next 6 months.

2) Whether the China local importers are smart enough to decide to pay the taxes.

3) It looks like the trend will be that most future trading of nests will be going through proper and legal entry in order to survive.

4) The bird’s nest has today no longer an exclusive and luxurious delicacy to only the richest but has become a recognised popular and trendy health food for the general public in the whole of China especially the pregnant women. Previously, the habit of taking nest is only popular and confined to along the Southern China.


All in all, if you were to ask me, I am very confident and optimistic about the future of the BH industry of Malaysia. The only setback that I regret is that our Federal Govt is still not realising the huge economic impact of this industry has on the country. Neither is the Govt doing much positively for the industry yet. For the moment, I rank the PERHILITAN is the main department that is crippling and dragging down this industry by its unreasonably and unlawfully imposing of exit tax and the tedious bureaucratic red tape and procedure. Somebody needs to highlight this to the top guns real urgently before they kill the golden goose.


On the contrary, I disagree with your statement no. 3. I hold a different opinion that I think the downstream industries such as nest processing industry will be encouraged and boom by 2010. Eco-tourism centres and spots will also emerge and flourish to help in to reverse and sustain the dwindling local tourism industry by 2012.
The demand for the processed nests will increase tremendously in 2010 onwards as it is not only China demand but also other regions outside China such as, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and all the China towns in the West will increase in the demand of the processed nests.


May be some are worried that we could over supply due to the increase in the numbers of BH. That should not be the case as the china population is also increasing proportionally and the truth is more northern China people who previously didn’t know how to eat nest are now eating.


So, my dear friends, not to worry much for the future of the BH industry in Malaysia will be getting brighter. At least, it will last for another 2 generations till you and I no longer exist. Not forgetting that bird’s nest is the only raw material China can never produce locally.

Samgan,
1) For someone to bring bird’s nest whether raw or processed, first of all you need to apply an approval permit (AP) from the China Trade department through a business or company registered in China either under your own sole proprietorship or partnership well in advance. The AP is valid for at least six months. The AP exempts you from paying the 25% import duty but not the 17%VAT, if the bird’s nest is exported from Malaysia with a certificate of origin together with a Health Certificate (HC) certified by our Haiwan (RM3). For the moment, besides Malaysia, import from all other countries is taxed at 25 % import duty plus 17 % VAT at the point of entry.
2) You can apply AP for any amount well in advance. Each time you import into China through their custom point, the custom will value the nests and tax you for the 17%VAT only. The actual amount taxed will be deducted from your AP each time. You can use the AP for multiple imports.
3) If you have the AP and the CO and the HC from Malaysia, you can bring the nests check in as baggage or through cargo. In another word, if you have AP with you, you can just bring in the nests any amount not more than the amount stipulated your exemption from China import duty of 25%, but you will have to pay the 17% VAT at the entry point.
4) But it seems after clearance, you may still need to send sample to the China Health Department for another round of certification. ( this is quite blur for the moment)
5) Our custom clearance at exit point is never a problem as to the Malaysia Custom; there is totally no tax for in and out of Malaysia. Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Trade are very encouraging the export of nest.
6) The main problem that hinders the export or bringing out of nest come from the PERHILITAN, THE WILDLIFE DEPT. The PERHILITAN has very unreasonably and un-ethically misled the Minister with hidden agenda claimed to have quietly passed an enactment on the WILDLIFE ACT in 2003 to impose an exit tax levied on all bird’s nest whether cave or house nest exported at 10 cent/gram equivalent to RM 100/kg. They started implementing it sometime in late 2007 without adequately inform the public and caught many people carrying between 100kg down to 75 gm including foreign tourists with only a couple of hundred grams as hand gift with the pants down and caused too numerous harassments and ugly scenes in the airport. They have very un-called for bureaucratic red tape and lengthy procedure even to pay for the exit tax. Previously, you need only send sample to Haiwan for the Health Cert and within 2 to3 days from the day you purchased the nest till you board the plan. It is because of this PERHILITAN’s new enactment, you are required to send the whole lot of nest to the PERHILITAN’s regional office for physical examination and exit tax paid before you are allowed to send sampling to Haiwan. The whole procedure now needs 10 to 14 days.
7) If you want to know more in details of the procedures in bringing nests into China, there is seminar coming up on 10.01.08. Nonetheless, it is conducted in Mandarin. But the speakers are also well verse in English. You can go to the following link to check for details and make enquiry.
8) http://damayanwo.blogspot.com/
9) The following is an old post which is self explanatory. Hope all these info could help you and those interested.






QUOTE(seeseng @ Jul 27 2008, 01:38 PM)
The banner in KLIA heard from quite a number of souces before so it should be true. Put up by PERHILITAN clowns to show power. Early this year a few cases of nests being brought out through airport was seized. Even an old lady bringing out 1 tael(両) of processed nests as gift also kena seized. Officially they're in charge of Taman Negara and cave nests. But do the clowns have the jurisdiction over house nests? It's an unclear area of the law. There was these 2 cases of 6kg and 1kg seized by them. Later on the bird nest merchant association of state preparing to fight for their rights in courst the clowns immediately dropped charges and returned the nests. (sources from Mr.L of Kedah Birdnest Merchant Association)
So do they really have the jurisdiction on house nests? What they have is on cave nests only. House nests are different story. Just like catching wild arowana is illegal but buying commercially breed arowana is no problem.
Hi,Seeseng,U r very right.Some good volunteer just confirmed the stupid act of the PERHILITAN by emailed to me the photos taken from LCCI inside the departure.I am putting it up here. This is the main reason for the recent drop in prices in the bird'snests in M'sia only.Looks like it will continue dripping downwards till dont know when unless someone/ones are prepared to do something immediately to stop the PERHILITAN from further damaging this with hidden agenda.Every farmer and those involved in the trade will be hard pressed and crying soon.M'sia 's economy will be greatly affected.I bet u if there is any by-election,there will be Tsunami again to defeat the BN Federal Govt due to this small bunch of clowns from PERHILITAN pulling their own master's leg.BN never learnt.Do u know that 80% of the BH owners voted for the oppositions during last election?

1)In the past,without such implementation,there were many foreign buyers from e,g Indon and China,flew in here 4 to 6 times a month to fight for the nests.Becos of this stupid act of the PERHILITAN and its bereaucratic,red tapes, inefficiency,time consuming procedure and system that made thing difficult and inconvenient for the foreign buyers,thus,it deterred them from flying in as frequent as b4.Nowadays,if they do come,they come in submarine,may be once a month.And provided,your selling price is dirt cheap.If u dont sell,others will as they have their bank loan commitment or their children are studying in overseas.

2) A small group of volunteers are presently investigating and researching into the WILD LIFE ACT,suspecting that the PERHILITAN is circumventing the law and abusing their power by implementing such action by misleading the Minister concerned and jumping the gun for hidden agenda.They think that it is illegaL AND ILLEGITIMATE for the PERHILITAN to do that.They are waiting for certain evidences.They confirm those cases u mentioned are true and there are much more which have not been exposed.

3) This small group has highlighted and appealed to the Federation of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce recently requesting them to help to look into the matter seriously by using their established resources, manpower and machinery.Only the Chamber has the experience,calibre,ability,unity, sincerity and the machinery to do that with the past proven records.YOU may ask,where the hell are the birdnests associations and what have they done? Let me tell you this.Most of the committee members from the numerous birdnest associations across M'sia are of no calibres,useless, selfish and what the Chinese say "small People".Many of them can not read or write proper.For those who are of higher calibre and with better education background,wont want to do the dirty job for own hidden agenda.They only want to hold positions with their name cards printed to impress the newbies so they can act as Con-sultants or at the end of the days get nominated for the Sultans'A to Z titles.This also goes to the self- proclaimed Federation President ,a senior Dato from Kedah who is good for nothing.Just imagine,he was the YB and Exco in Kedah for many years,yet,till today,he did nothing during his tenure as Exco to convince the former BN Govt to license the BHs in Kedah.In fact,he himself owns the most BHs with no less than 100s in the region.He should thank to this trade as he was the developer one time burdened with hundreds of unable to sell shophouses b4 this trade emerged.He could have gone bankrupt.In Kedah,almost every farmer got harassed and summoned except his.This is the truth all Kedah BH farmers know and angry with.Understand today,he is blessed with lung cancer due to the too many "good deeds" done.

4)Also that,many associations committee can not see eye to eye due to conflict of interest or crash of business.One worst example is the former unscrupulous 1st President of the M""" Birdnest Association.Of course,not everyone is like that,there are some very dedicated,committed,sincere,prepared to contribute and yet frustrated committee from various associations,except that their numbers are very little,isolated and short-handed and inexperienced. These good men should surface, take the lead widen the gene-pool to hunt down each other and keep in touch with each other,put aside their differences and be united and organised with true sense of commitment,dedication to fight for what they sworn as a committee for the betterment for this industry which in the end of the day,their own interest as well.

5) These sincere committee from various individual associations together with those educated readers with righteousness of this blog should volunteer jointly to help out the Chamber to help this industry and in the end help your ownself,hopefully,b4 it is too late. If everyone were to contribute a little in his own positive way or resource and be united with no personal agenda and with one heart,I think those high-handed clowns from the PERHILITAN would retreat.

6) Just sit back and close your eyes for a while,dont fall asleep,start visualising what will happen if nobody comes forwards and volunteer to help in the situation?Just imagine what will happen to your already spent few hundreds thousands to the millions of yours or your dad's life time saving of investment?There is a saying,becomes water.Or do u want to take chance to count on luck that some samaritan would be sent by god to help resolve your immediate problem?So,u want to help urself or u want someone to help u and what if,that someone forget to turn up?Who has more to lose?Its either u come out to help urself or u assist others to help urself in so many ways.

6) I understand that The Federation of The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in KL will be organising a seminar cum symposium to discuss mainly this issue besides other birdnest related topics on 02.08.08 Saturday from 10 am onwards.I would like to appeal to this blog readers who are concern of the future of ths industry and prepare to contribute and to help out to help urself,please voluntarily call up the following phone to register to attend and for details.Participation is limited.Construtive proposals and actions expected and welcome.Also,spread the msg to persuade those whom u think would be able to contribute.We are on the same 'sampan'now,every single drop of help is important.Everyone of us can contribute in many different ways to reverse the situatiuon to our favour.Only with UNITY,can we win. No point for all of us talk c*** here and do nothing positive. There is a saying,everybody expects somebody to do it,in the end nobody does it and then everybody hugs each other and sink! Do u want that?

Mrs Kam, secretary (FEDERATION OF THE CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE)

GOOD LUCK

Coolandy, thank you for your personal well wishes and your compliment. Happy New Year to You too despite I doubt it is going to be a real “HAPPY” New Year to all. West Wing, thank you for your compliment also. Let’s say welcome and welcome back the new newbies and the old newbies to this forum.

We are glad and honoured to see the increase in the active participations with so many positive inputs from so many good men latetly. Indeed, it is very encouraging and at least, I personally am very touched that there are still so many who are not selfish and who really care and concern of the MACRO problems which is the root to the survival of this industry in this country. The sudden appearance of so many newbies in this forum looks good superficially, but deep in, is a wakeup call to many who are first time feeling the pinch of the coming recession and that there is no demand of our nests which prompted all of us to rush to this forum to see if we can pool in to discuss to find a solution to help ourselves, right? In the good days, everybody is busy making fortune, where could they have the time to chat in the forum? What is the point of owning BHs producing tons of nests and yet unable to sell for even very low price now and probably this may last for the next many months if not for years or in the end facing shutting or closing down or shifting out orders given by the numerous Govt depts for so many controversial reasons.


To my personal opinion, MACRO problems need urgency to tackle. Without this resolved, there is nothing to talk of the MICRO problems such as how to build an ideal BH, how to increase the production etc..... Our industry is very similar to the oil palm and rubber industries. All of us are just like the planters producing the raw materials. Then some middlemen would buy and sell to factories for local processing or to exporters. We are now in the planting stage with not many local factories (processing plants) set up yet. So, like it or not, we are still greatly dependent on the exporters whether Malaysians or foreigners. With the increase in production, more demands will have to be created. Failing which, the price of the nest will gradually be going down. So, more local factories will have to be set up and overseas markets will have to be created as soon as possible to absorb the productions in order to sustain a reasonable and justified price.


It is good to know more Malaysians are ‘forced’ to learn to process the nests locally now and they should be encouraged and not to be discouraged. Soon after this stage, they will be ‘forced’ again to look for new markets to sell their processed nests. Younger generation of the Malaysian entrepreneurs should also be encouraged to venture overseas in particularly, the China to set up chains of direct sale outlets under Malaysian brands to promote true Malaysian 100% pure and unadulterated natural nests.


China market alone is too huge. Presently, the established big boys in China are mainly selling Indonesian nests. They are mainly targeting the upper class which is less than 3% of the consumer population. Their profit margin is many folds. For the vast remaining majority, either it is too expensive to them and something they can’t reach or adulterated or faked nests are sold to them. If our boys could just target this group alone with pure nests at reasonable and affordable price, I think we need not to worry about the future for a long time to come.


At this crisis, many are forced to sell at the buyers’ price due to their financial commitment and thus lack of holding power. If anyone thinks that it is too cheap for them to sell now, why not be a Samaritan, buy it over and keep for a profit in future? It is a win-win too. Therefore, we shouldn’t blame others for selling cheap to drag down the price. There is another way to help in to sustain the price, that is, like my family does, every day we eat nests and eat less rice now so to keep the stock low. If all the BH owners do that, the price may go up a bit. Our heath improves also and that we may live longer to see the price go up to what we want.


The very sad thing is, it seems our Govt is either oblivion to the situation or they are not having the people at their heart as they claimed and promised in the General Election. Not really many concerned departments are doing up to the expectations except the Haiwan under the Agricultural Ministry. Understand that Dr Fadzilah with the blessing from the Agricultural Minister, Dato Mustaffa will be meeting the representatives from the farmers in Putrajaya to discuss ways to help this industry on 09.01.09. A big applause should be given to the Minister and the Haiwan. So far, this is the only department that I personally know of, is really trying best to live up to the expectation positively.


But, how are about the other departments? What have they done so far? The PBT is still very indecisive and controversial. Only a handful out of the 140 plus councils across West Malaysia has done positively, efficiently and constructively to really help their local BHs. I really pity our East Malaysian brothers in Sarawak. They are unable to eat and sleep since 14.10.08 till don’t know when. They are facing the worst as at anytime the forest ranger (equivalent to our Forestry Dept and PERHILITAN combined) under the Sarawak Govt would just move in to ransack and destroyed their BHs. To many of them, this could be their only source of income, their family’s only lifeline, children’s school fee, pension fund, whole life saving, etc.........May god be with them and have mercy for them. Let’s together not pray but ‘curse’ on those who are going to do this sin on the Sarawakian BH owners that do not let those involved ‘SINNERS’ die an easy death. Let them suffer for years in agony and pain in a slow death. Let them pay 100 times more than what they have done onto others.


The worst is the PERHILITAN Department. They are not only not helping, but faults finding and creating a lot of unnecessary procedures and harnesses with probable hidden agenda to pull the legs of this industry all these while. Until now, we still very strongly maintain and reiterate that why should they have anything to do with this industry? In 1990s, the WORLD WILDLIFE FUND (WWF) had in its convention held in Surabaya, Indonesia downgraded the Aerodramus group of swiftlets from TOTAL PROTECTION (1ST DEGREE) to only PROTECTED category. Immediately, all the bird’s nest producing countries amended their WILDLIFE ACT to legalise and to help in the free trading of nests respectively. Our PERHILITAN despites of also a party that had attended the convention did not do it until 2003 after many public appeals and pressures on them. While they reluctantly amended to downgrade it, they had silently without any legitimate justification and consultation from or advance notification given to all the related parties like the farmers, also amended to include levying exit tax of 10 cents per gram or equivalent to RM100 per kg on all type of bird’s nest for export. This made our nest less competitive to others. This was never happened or prevailed before in the ACT.


Our argument is why should they collect this ‘TAX’? Do they have the jurisdiction and the justification? What are the main objectives and the functions of the PERHILITAN? Aren’t they are just like HAIWAN, FISHERY, HEALTH and other similar nature departments under their respective Ministries, in this case, PERHILITAN is under the Ministry of Environment, to be service orientated and to render free services and assistances to help and serve the farmers and the people in this country? Their operation costs are all being fully subsidised with allocation of budget from the contribution of the tax payers paid through the Inland Revenue, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Environment. They do not have any jurisdiction and justification to collect any form of ‘TAX’ under any excuse or pretext. PERHILITAN is only an assisting arm to the Ministry of Environment to give free service and to help the people. In Malaysia, only the Ministry of Finance with its subsidiaries such as Inland Revenue Dept, Custom and Excise etc have the constitutional right, power and jurisdiction to collect legal TAXES. Therefore, in our opinion, it is very wrongful, illegitimate and a very big constitutional mistake and controversy for the PERHILITAN to impose and collect any form of tax, even if enactment is being made. Any new law, if found ultra vires or contradict with the CONSTITUTION through negligence, mislead or wilful intent, whereas it is already passed, is still illegal and illegitimate. It can be challenged in court. Therefore, we strongly protest and object to this gross abuse and misleading mistake of the PERHILITAN. Will somebody in this Forum who has connection or way to bring this to the notice of the highest relevant authorities for them to realise the serious ‘mistake’ and to rectify the situation before somebody challenge it in court and make another mockery and scandal exposed to reveal another stupidity of our Malaysian system again.



Our second argument of why PERHILITAN should not be involved in this BH industry is as follows:-
a) The nests produced from the BH are from the ‘domesticated’ house swiflets. These are ‘cultivated’ nest. This is just like the domesticated buffalo in the padi field, cultivated orchids, home bred pigeons, home bred arowana fish, ayam kampong etc which are not illegal to keep. Whereas, the Seladang hutan (the wild buffalo), the nests harvested from the wild swiftlets inside the natural caves, the wild orchids in the deep jungles, the pulai hutan(wild dove), wild arowana fish from rivers, ayam hutan from jungles are 1st degree total protected under the jurisdiction of the PERHILITAN whereby one needs the prior permission and license from PERHILITAN to keep.
b) The swiftlet’s nests are saliva, just like the excreta or faeces are discarded from the swiflets. They are not ‘PARTS’ of the protected animals as defined in the ACT.
c) In short and in the simplified terms of definitions of the 1st degree or the TOTAL PROTECTED and the 2nd degree or the PROTECTED. In the TOTAL PROTECTED, one needs a license to keep it or handle the ‘PARTS’ of it and cannot harm or kill it. In the PROTECED, you can handle it except you cannot harm or kill it. And these two are referred to strictly on the totally wild type in the wild and NOT on any domestically cultivated or bred.
d) The BH industry has unwittingly assisted the PERHILITAN to conserve and increase the populations of the numbers of the swiftlets in Malaysia through the owners’ own efforts and endeavours and at own costs to the extent that, it is 100% no longer in any way, needed to be classified in the endangered list any more. Previously, prior to the emergence of this BH industry, despites the numerous efforts of the PERHILITAN, still the population of the swiflets kept dwindling to a very alarming level closed to extinction due to the over harvesting of the so called controlled and licensed harvesting in the natural caves supervised under the PERHILITAN’s protection for decades. Therefore, it is time that PERHILITAN should appreciate the BH industry to help them to achieve what they could not achieve.



Judging from these, we think that it is time, the PERHILITAN should voluntarily show real efficiency and professionalism by immediately and urgently rectifying the mistake in the ‘EXIT TAX’ in the ACT to avoid mockery and to further downgrade it or to take it out completely from the ACT in parallel as it is definitely no longer in anyway being endangered. Meanwhile, please show sincerity and genuinely have people in the heart by nullify away the un-called for procedure, licences and stop the collection of the unlawful ‘EXIT TAX’ immediately. The continuity in the implementation of this illegitimate rule and procedure is definitely killing this industry. This is the major obstacle that is hampering this industry domestically. No owner would ever be stupid enough wanting to harm this possibly the only GOLDEN GOOSE left for Malaysia and its people during this global financial recession. Not forgetting, the other 3 foreign revenue spinners, the crude oil, the palm oil and the rubber are already getting worst hit ever. The other manufacturing sectors are dying fast. Malaysia’s economy will not be spared too as we are entering into winter soon. More retrenchments will be announced very soon. Malaysia’s future looks very scary and gloomy. If this trend prolongs, more businesses winding up and more people out of job. More social problems will be surfacing. This is definitely doing the ruling Govt no good as another tsunami could be on the way.

Hahahahahhahaha.................. tong, thats is a good one.......

Just for the sake of participation, my Master designer just happened to walk in and saw and said open B & E and left with no reason given. So don't ask me why....................?????????


You want to know who my Master designer is? She is my 50% partner........Hahahahaha.............


Let me tell you a secret, its up to you to believe, 90% she is right as far as my BHs are concerned. The other 10% she is never wrong too. Only that I didn't follow so it failed and later kena scolded and got to re-do. Hahahaha.....................Most of the time, after my designing, she would be the one who has the final say....thats the reason I always introduce her as my Master designer...Believe it or not ????..Its up to you........

I strongly agree with you on your 2nd statement. But I rather sceptical that our Govt is that smart and caring to have the people at their heart.

I do not agree with the 1st statement. This Industry is already so weak with lesser and lesser of buyers. If this were really implement, it is suicide. We better leave the market to decide. Not everybody has the holding power. The best thing for us to do now is not pointing fingers to any body. Crying over spilled milk doesn't help at all. What we need to do now is learn from the mistake and start to do something positive. It is always better late than never. We must still thank these buyers for buying from us at such low price. Had it not for them, the price could be even much lower.

We must analyse why the price dropped? More supply than demand. The demand is never less. It is the production that has increased. So, in order to expediate the demand, some of us must go overseas to create the markets. In my opinion, just like what I said earlier, don't go and crash with the existing big boys. Leave them continue with the 5% upper class market in the cities. We only want to go to the 95% lower class outskirt markets. The market in China is too big to cater for all of us combined. We could always be coexistance.

May be what we intend to do now could not really help much in the present situation. Nevermind, we are not losing, only that we make lesser than what we expected.At least we start sawing the seeds now and sure to have the chance to enjoy the fruits later. Unless we want to be sitting ducks at the mercy of others?

So, send our young Malaysians to venture out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Don't forget of the spirit of our fore fathers who ventured away from poverty and famine for greener pastures. It is time our children should do the same to seek greener pastures for themselves. This time, our children shall carry the flag of Malaysia to prove to the world 'MALAYSIA BOLEH'. Not by words of mouth but with actions and results. Our country may forget and neglect us, but we never forget and neglect our country.

深圳破走私7億元燕窩案

(明報)1月9日 星期五 17:45 http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/090109/4/a4un.html
深圳 海關 公布，緝私部門日前破獲一宗價值7億多元人民幣的燕窩走私案，拘捕19名疑犯。
2007年底，深圳海關緝私局獲得線索，深圳口岸存在一個以「螞蟻搬家」方式（小批量）走私燕窩等高檔滋補品的集團。該集團統一採用黑色塑膠袋包裹的方式從香港走私燕窩入境。為將該集團一網打盡，海關緝私民警從內地接貨人入手，發現了該集團的貨倉以及運輸方式。
去年2月20日，海關緝私人員在深圳拘捕該集團骨幹成員4名，現場繳獲燕窩、鮑魚、蟲草等貴重貨物一批。緝私人員立即審訊了這4名疑犯，從而掌握了該集團的具體走私渠道等信息，隨後在近10個月的追逃工作中，緝私民警往返珠三角 各地上百次，終於將該集團首領潘某及主要疑犯一網打盡。
據統計，該走私犯罪集團從2007年3月開始，共計走私進口燕窩5.6萬斤，涉案案值7億多元，偷逃應繳稅款2.26億元。
（新華社 ）

TRANSLATION

RMB 700 MILLION WORTH OF SMUGGLED BIRD’S NEST SEIZED IN SHENZHEN, CHINA
Friday, 9 January, 2009

The Custom Dept of Shenzhen had recently succeeded in exposing a case of syndicated bird’s nest smuggling involving RMB 700 million in value with the arrest of 19 suspects.

In late 2007, the Custom Dept of Shenzhen was tipped off of a smuggling syndicate using individual porter system to smuggle in a small amount of nest each trip into Shenzhen from Hong Kong.

Upon full and secret investigation since then, the Custom had uncovered the essential information such as the operation methods and the identity of the key men of the syndicate. Since their first arrest of 4 key men made on 20.02.08, they continue pursued the case for the next ten months till recently that they managed to arrest the ring leaders together with the smuggled goods. With the arrest of all the key ring leaders, the said syndicate has totally been disintegrated.
From the records and evidence seized, it showed that this syndicate had operated since March 2007 and the total nests smuggled for the period amounted to 56,000 Katie or 28,000 kg valued at RMB 700 million with tax unpaid at RMB226 million.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There will be a huge immediate shortage of supply of nest to the China regular consumers as from now for the next few months as the result of the above news. I personally view that this is good timing and opportunity for our Malaysian young entrepreneurs to capitalise on the situation and the China import tax exemption on nests imported from Malaysia to explore the legal procedure to export nest directly into China. Very soon, the demand will increase and the price should start going up even after the New Year.

Please be aware that it is not the Malaysians who smuggled the nests into China. Malaysians merely sell nests to the exporters. It is the China own importers based in HK who smuggled the nests themselves. In Malaysia, there is no export duty for nests exported out of country as our Malaysian Govt is encouraging the exporting of nests in exchange for foreign revenue. At the exit points such as airport, you are required to fill in a custom outward declaration form. This is only for formalities and statistic purpose. Absolutely no exit duty is chargeable by our custom. It is the PERHILITAN that is causing trouble to own Malaysians. This will have to be stretched out and tackled by the representatives of the Associations by bringing this to the notice of the relevant Ministers or higher urgently to repeal or nullify the inconsiderate ACT.

There is no advantage at all to smuggle Malaysian nests into China as nests imported from Malaysia is already exempted 25% import duty by the China Authority. You need to pay only 17% VAT. Recently, a friend had successfully brought in a couple of batch of processed nests. He paid an average of about RMB2, 000=RM990 per kg on the VAT. VAT on raw nest is cheaper. Understand that by way of smuggling, it does not save you much after paying all the porter and handling charges. Moreover, a very good advantage is that you can sell the nest with tax paid in open market with the official tax paid receipt in your hand without fear. The only set back or disadvantage is there is a set of quite lengthy and rather complicated procedure and process to follow, such as AP, China Health Examination Cert etc which is considered quite troublesome and time consuming. But whoever the Malaysians to be well verse in the whole procedure now shall be the pioneers or early birds that catch the worms.

As for the moment, this China tax incentive is only granted to Malaysia, I can anticipate that in the near future, nests from Indonesia, Thailand, and nearby countries will be sending here for transit to China. This will make Malaysia to become an important trading centre.

I hope this finding and information of mine will be of help to the many desperate Malaysian BN dealers and traders and that more markets are open and demand created and nest price would steadily move up, so that our fellow forum brothers will no longer crying.

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Added on January 11, 2009, 1:32 amHey, friends why so quiet?

I thought we are entering a new era soon, so all should be happy......2009 should be a good year.

1988 was a bad year, I remember. Old UMNO was declared illegal. UMNO was split into team A and team B. That caused the economy and social stability into a limbo.
1989 economy statrted to pick up.

1998 was another very bad year after world financial crashed in 1997 and with Anwar kicked out of UMNO and Indonesia racial crisis. It is in 1998 that the modern type of BH farming officially started to embark and emerge in Malaysia when those Indon rich man refugees including those BH farmers running away from Indonesia across the Strait of Malacca into Malaysia. They brought along their wealth and together with the tecniques and knowledge started to join venture with the locals into the BH industry. They started BHs in the North and slowly the momentum picked up and spreaded across whole West Malaysia and crossed the South China Sea into East Malaysia in exactly 10 years by now.

2008 was another rocking year with the numerous political turmoils and the 308 tsunami that saw the rise of the PEOPLE'S POWER in 50 years of Malaysia history. Generally, it was a very good and encouraging year for the Malaysians as many National and political scandals exposed, cleaned or yet to be cleaned. In long term, it is definitely very good for Malaysia. But, 2008, for the business sectors, it is considered a bad year as we faced another worst global financial crisis which affected every country in the world including China which was spared in 1998.

It looks like we are already at somewhere near to the bottom when entering 2009. So just give it sometime, there will definitely be a rebound and gradually start picking up again. Be happy, we are entering the starting point of another round of 8 good years before things becoming bad again by 2018.

Unwittingly, I just realise that our this swiftlet forum has become the champion among all the Lowyat.net Forum topics with a record breaking of 100 pages soon. Probably my this post is entering the 100 pages. Congatulation to all who participated and contributed to this.

This post has been edited by Lucas 1: Jan 11 2009, 01:32 AM

Hahahaha.....Kohloh ya kohloh, let me try also.........I think this is the most open and best forum on swiftlet farming which I feel comfortable with. Can speak form heart. I can feel the sincerity from most of the participants. Should continue keep up that way...........

We can also try to build this forum into a national swiftlet news centre enable all farmers to access to the latest situations,problems faced such as in certain area, BHs broken in either by thieves or licensed robbers, or certain authorities are meeting to discuss ways to help the industry or certain dept kaki tangan is victimising the Bh owners in certain area after their harvest and extorted for money like those cases in Rompin etc....... any thing that is related to the trade and worth to alert the other BH owners......... This is how we can help each other......

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Added on January 11, 2009, 5:21 pmAiyaya, celaka, failed also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Better leave it to others. Well, how about we pool in to send a cake to whoever that makes it to be the last post in the 100 pages???? This cake is made of bird's nest as main ingredient. Be aware, this could be a National or Guiness record in swiftlet forum in Malaysia or the world, we may not know.

This post has been edited by Lucas 1: Jan 11 2009, 05:21 PM

I don’t blame the two thieves for I personally had similar experience of BH being mistaken for bank. Many years ago, I was renovating 2 shop lots into a BH. This BH happened to be the first one in the whole township. That time, BH is totally strange and new to many. In order not to attract the attentions and to explain something those locals would never understand, I instructed the workers to work inside with all doors closed.
A week after the basic renovation completed, I met 2 neighbours enquiring which bank was opening in that building. I replied that I didn’t know as I was only sub-con and renovate according to plans provided. They betted it was definitely a bank or finance as no other business would do such massive renovation with such thick walls and security measure in 2 shop lots.

So, I don’t blame the 2 thieves.

7 years ago, 3 Indian thieves were arrested after successfully stealing nests from a BH on top of a bank. While they were on the way down, they triggered the alarm of the bank. No less than 5 patrol vehicles arrived with 20 plus police heavily armed surrounded the bank. The police initially thought these thieves broke into the bank. The police were puzzled for quite a while why these thieves wanted to take the trouble and risk to steal those white keropok or plastic like stuffs.

In my personal opinion, I do not think that it is necessary to be that formal and serious in the chatting forum, after all it is not writing a job application letter or something to the Minister or taking an examination formally. It is only a very informal, casual, sincere and friendly discussion or chit chat on a certain subject of a particular interest with the good intention to share and learn. Importance here is, it should not deviate away from its original topic and gist. Also it should not be deemed rude, aggressive and abusive. Friendly jokes and cheeky pranks are acceptable. Chatting here whether using capital words or not should not be an issue. The content written whether benefitting the readers is most important.


Of course, a sincere, friendly and constructive input for improvement is always welcome and appreciated. But it should not be mistaken and sound dictatorial and rude. Let me try to re-phrase and to change it to a more amicable and courteous tone which I feel more comfortable with:


Hi, dear friend, can I suggest and appreciate that we try to apply more etiquette in the capital word in the online world in this forum? Posting in all capital words does not give me amicable feeling unless it needs to be emphasised. Please refer to the following link. This is only my humble request. Thank you.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qi...02115526AAZ2gxV

Instead of:-


Hey do you know the etiquette?
What mean by capital word in online world?
Look here http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qi...02115526AAZ2gxV


Anyway, please do not wrong me as I merely suggest this to encourage more to speak out their valuable experiences and constructive opinions related to the topic here frequently to share with us without the uneasy feeling of being restricted to formality and thus refrained and deterred in the participation. It will be a loss to all of us here.