There are always 2 sides to a coin.

All human residents have their respective rights so we should respect theirs too. Remember, swiftlet farmers are a minority !

As for diseases, even though H1N1 has not been found in A. Fuciphagus, it does not conclusively prove that there will not be an incident are that there has never been an incident gone undetected.  The fact that these birds are not living in or around pools of water as in ducks, geese etc. from known research,  lessens the chances of them transmitting H1N1

Note that none of the swiftlet farmers/associations have been constructive in finding a solution that will be acceptable to everyone.

Heritage once lost cannot be recovered. Heritage Architecture destroyed can never be restored and that loss will be a loss to mankind forever.

Given the way some swiftlet farmers have acted in the past, would anyone dare openly criticise swiftlet farmers without fear of painful repercussions ?

Hi Guy, me still enjoying my vacation in Thailand. Just dropping by to see any new news 
Maybe we can leave some comment on the anti-swiftlet blog and steer the blogger to the 'correct' path.  'pro' or 'anti', to me information given MUST be correct. Either back up with studies of data or thru' person experiences.

Cheers
Have a relaxing day......

Please note that EBN swiftlets were nesting in coastal Malaysia when these 'Heritage' Buildings were built. Unfortunately no hard evidence is available but from memory of people who observed this phenomenon and stories passed down, we know.

I have seen EBN nesting on the walls of the Standard Chartered bank, Khoo Kongsi and many other buildings around the Penang Weld Quay area when I was younger till perhaps 20 yrs ago when building owners decided that they had  to keep these pests away. Khoo Kongsi now resorts to fish nets around the temple.

On the contrary, UNESCO should be informed of this living heritage and if UNESCO accepts this, that will be the end of the anti swiftlet lobby. Remember, Heritage listing is not only about buildings.

Facts and evidence is of utmost importance, and you find that many of the "Heritage' supporters are extremely well informed, much more so than most Swiftlet House owners.

Keep the mistakes and weaknesses of our opponents as our secret, only to be used as ammo in the future. Reveal and criticise them and they can make the necessary corrections.

I hope you can all see what I mean. We have in recent weeks exposed to everyone, the inhumane practise of culling, building irregularities, etc. all can be and will be used by our opponents. This is not a closed forum. It will make things even more difficult in the very near future.

Quote: West Wing
4. I appreciate that many leaders like DL are trying very hard to push thru all BHs @ towns to be allowed to remain but it shall be a uphill task because we can never get 100% of what we want even if we have opposition parties as government and it maybe worst as DAP is 100% against the BH@Town; PAS is OK if for the money to fill their coffer ..........pls. do correct me cos I hope that my statement is wrong.
Just discussed with DL and some old vanguards of the above and they have the followings to clarify and they wish to refresh the memory of some old comrades who might have forgotten. DL and his comrades have been fighting for the rights for not only the BHs in towns but also for the whole industry as a whole as this bird’s nest industry is a god sent to all Malaysians regardless of ethnic and this is a new resource that will definitely bring in a lot of much needed foreign revenue to do good for Malaysia and its people during this dwindling economy of Malaysia. Actually all of us are fighting against a small group of LITTLE NAPOLEONS hidden inside the Malaysia Civil Service who are trying to create a lot of unnecessary bureaucratic lengthy and crazy procedures to, instead of helping to tap its potential for the people and the country, crippling and killing it slowly for their personal hidden agenda and gains. Why couldn’t the Civil Service just treat this industry like any normal petty trade and cottage industry and simplify all the procedure with existing by-laws? DL has attended and resolved countless BH cases and incidents involving the Local Govt across the country. He could literally read out their mindset. By creating lengthy and complicated bureaucratic procedure putting the owners into troubles and difficulties, these LITTLE NAPOLEONS have been fishing something out. Mind you, this small group happens to be those in the positions that could mislead the leaders in their respective departments. They are supposed to be professionally trained but do not act or practice professionally. This group is the ones that are giving this industry the real problems and are misguiding the top leaders and the people to Holland. DL and his comrades are not fending for those selfish BH owners who are causing nuisances to the neighbourhood. They only fight for those who behave and abide the laws.
It is not fair to jump in to allege that a certain political party is 100% against the BHs in towns. There are leaders in all the political parties who are for and against this industry. Most of the leaders who were against this industry were actually new, misinformed and misled initially. Eventually, after having a clearer picture and better in-depth understanding of this industry, they started to support this industry.
Just to quote a few incidents to substantiate. The first incident in the history of going against BH in Malaysia happened in year 2000 in Nibong Tebal of Penang. There was a group of Pre-war shop-house tenants asked by the landlord to vacate the buildings after the DE-CONTROL OF PRE-WAR BUILDING ACT came into force in 2000 felt unsatisfied and formed a ANTI SWIFTLET HOUSE TASKFORCE picketing against an existing BH of their old landlord in N. Tebal. This landlord was an active MCA member. The leader who led the protest happened to be the lady YB ADUN of N.Tebal and who is also MCA and a rival in the PARTY to the landlord. There was speculation that it was caused because of the MCA team A and team B.
Again it was in 2004/05 that the same group instigated by the same lady YB pressurized the former Penang Gerakan led BN Govt to clamp down on all BHs in Penang. This State Govt under the leadership of Dr Koh Tzu Koon and Dr Teng H. N was in great dilemma as they also viewed this was a good industry benefitting the people and the state and more over many of the BH owners are members from MCA, UMNO, GERAKAN, MIC as well as DAP, PAS and PKR. While the State Govt was also misguided and misled by a certain LITTLE NAPOLEONS in the Council in particularly MPSP trying to start clamping down the BHs, DL and his comrades were approached and requested by the majority Penang BH for help. They organized and formed a taskforce with counter action by nightly picketed rotating in many towns with the turnout of hundreds BH owners nightly and concurrently pressured the Exco in charge for a dialogue. Finally an agreement was reached and licenses were issued to the existing 1000 odd BHs in 2006.
Again in Perak in 2005, the LITTLE NAPOLEONS from the Councils were causing a lot of hardship and victimizing the BH owners who were members from all political parties. DL and his comrades were requested and they spearheaded and pro-actively conducted numerous meetings with both the BN Sate Govt and the DAP and the hundreds of owners in closed door as well as open dialogues. Finally an official meeting cum open dialogue was arranged amicably in Sitiawan between the then Exco Dato Chang from Gerakan, YB ADUN and now Dato Geh from DAP, DL and His comrades and the hundreds of Perak BH owners. Immediate after the meeting, the State Govt instructed all the Councils to accept license applications from all BH owners in Perak.
In 2002, in Melaka, the competition in attracting of birds among just a few BHs belonged to a certain local taikoh and some outsider new comers caused a near to disaster for all the other hundred BH owners. Their competition in the indiscriminate blasting of the bird sound almost round the clock disrupted the peace of the neighbourhood and invited complaints from all the locals. There were pickets cum protests against the BHs by the hundreds of the locals wanting the State Govt to shut down all the BHs in Melaka. The best part is this was organized jointly by both the MCA and the DAP of Melaka. The Melaka State Govt passed a resolution in June to inform all the BH owners giving them six months ending 01.01.2003 to either voluntarily close shop or face forced eviction. DL was requested to go to Melaka to help. After a meeting was held between DL and his comrades and the Exco in charge, Dato Wira Gan, the issue was settled with peace returned to Melaka and the existing BHs remained status quo till today.
In the past till very presently in Johor, Why no BH license was issued?  Who are the BH owners? Mostly members from all the political parties. Who are in the ruling parties in the Johor State Govt? The UMNO and the MCA. Who are the Johor ECO-PARKs owners? Mostly belong to Govt-Linked Companies (GLC) or privately owned Companies. Who are sitting inside the Board of Directors of these companies? The UMNO and MCA YBs or strong men.
Our dear friend, Mr WW, you have put up a rather serious allegation which in the opinion of the old timers cum vanguards that you could be misinformed or slipped of the mind. You asked for correction if your statement could be wrong. So, we just want to refresh your memory with the above factual incidents and events for your wisdom to determine who the real culprits and enemies to not only this industry but also Malaysia as a whole are.
May be some of you here could have participated or involved in either one or all these historical incidents or events mentioned or know about it from your seniors would like to confirm that the above stories are not fabricated.

What you said might be true. But all boil down to 99% Bh owner are Chinamen.

If 99% are Malay then it would be different. Then it would be free land, free farm from MARA, easy loan that no need to pay back, subsidy, they might even provide free egg for fostering technique. Also 100% buy back nests at the price of 10 times high than market price.

1Malay!

No point denying it and struck our head in the ground and pretending nobody could see the chinamen butts.

This is the truth and it will never change. Accept the reality and work together and see what we could do about it.

Thank you Brother Luke for your endless effort.

THE MAIN OBSTACLE THREATENING THE SURVIVAL OF THE BIRD NEST HOUSES IN HERITAGE ZONE

Regarding the rather imminent problems faced by the BHs in Heritage zoning of Penang. In our Opinion, the BHs and the Heritage building could actually co-exist with absolute no problem at all. The swiftlet is also a living heritage of Penang. The Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) only has the jurisdiction, duty and interest to ensure that all heritage buildings should have the external look or façade intact. In another word, the PHT only wants those heritage buildings with their external look as old as possible but not run down. They do not have the jurisdiction or legal right to dictate the owners of what they should or could do inside the building. So, as long as the owners could agree or ensure to cooperate to re-renovate or maintain the outlook of their heritage buildings as heritage as possible, we do not see any valid reason why the PHT want to continue to object? Just like if a owner leaves the building idle or operates an illegal 4-D operation or a prostitute den inside the building, the PHT has absolutely no jurisdiction or authority to say yes or no. We do not think that the officials inside PHT are unreasonable people as all of them are known highly respectable and professional volunteers. Question here is, have both the parties ever sat down peacefully with real sincerity for a friendly dialogue or interaction wanting to resolve the situation for a win-win to co-exist for the good of Penang? So far, it is to our knowledge that no such important formal meeting has ever been held yet. Why not? We would suggest that the representatives from the BH owners should initiate to request PHT for such a dialogue. In this case, the recognized representatives should be committee or recognized respectable persons from the existing Associations.
There are presently two Associations in Penang, the Penang Bird’s Nest Merchants Association (MERCHANTS) and the ASNI. It seems the MERCHANTS is almost dormant, ineffective and inactive, so it is left with only ASNI to spearhead. If the committee of the association is really committed and living up to the expectation and have the welfare and interest of the members and owners in their hearts sincerely, they should start doing something positive pro-actively to interact with the PHT by now to clear the misunderstanding rather than waiting like sitting duck for the official announcement of the launching of the 1GP which may not materialize in the near future as we have been promised far too many times. Please bear in mind, BHs under Heritage Law is very unique and different a lot from the others. Also remember that such dialogue is to seek win-win and not to win all nor for war. 
WE HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS BUT MUST ENSURE THAT OUR RIGHTS DO NOT INFRINGE ON OTHERS’ RIGHTS, AND THEN ONLY OUR RIGHTS ARE RIGHT.
The BH owners do not have the right to cause misery and nuisance to the neighbourhood. Once, they infringe that, the BH owners already lose the right to operate the BH. The PHT has the right to ensure that all heritage buildings must be maintained and look like a heritage building externally. But the PHT does not have the right to dictate the owners what they should do inside their own buildings.
If the related association/associations is too weak, too slow or ineffective to spearhead, may we suggest the SMI Association of Penang to get involved and take active role. The SMI Association does have the obligation and duty to be involved as they do have many members owning BHs inside Heritage core zone of Penang. And the bird nest industry also falls under its jurisdiction. Understand that, before the formation of ASNI, the SMI was the sole main organization and representative on behalf of the BH owners participated actively in the earlier official dialogues and meetings with the State Govt. Why is SMI not continuing its duty now? We think that the SMI with its vast experience and resources and much bigger member base and better organized with a lot more talents should take the leading role as from now again.