Friday, December 27, 2013

Outlook for captive-breeding of shamas in Malaysia

[Letter from Mohd Anuar to DDS dated 26 Dec 2013]

Dear Sir,
I am a Malaysian and my hobby is the shama. I would like to visit you sir at Singapore to learn more about shama breeding.
Here in Malaysia I am in the fruits and honey business. I have a papaya plantation of about 5 acres on which I make my living.
I am serious about breeding the shama.  I have bought 4 males and 2 females at a total cost of Rm16 K.  I have also invested in building a compound of 20 x 40 ft in which I have an initial 4 (5 x 6 x 6 ) breeding compartments.
Here in Malaysia, I can’t get much information about breeding the shama and I need some expert to help me with my program.
I first got involved in the shama in Sept 2013 when I bought my first shama at a cost of RM1,800.  I received advice from some people that I should not get involved in the shama hobby because the Malaysian government requires the owner of a shama to have a permit to keep it.  Because of this, I tried to sell the shama with 9” tails that had been caught in July through the Singapore shama group website. However, I then did not know the rule that we Malaysians can’t easily sell birds to Singapore without proper document. I therefore decided to keep the bird and to apply for a permit to do so.  I have visited Jabatan Perhilitan (Wildlife and National Parks Department) and I have managed to acquire 3 permits to keep shamas.
Now that I have the permits, there is no need for me to give up the hobby and I am very interested in going deeply into shama breeding.
I have an ongoing discussion with Perhilitan regarding breeding shamas.  Its officers have visited my area and they acknowledge that I have 6 shamas for this purpose.  My understanding is that the officers are in favor of approving a breeding permit for my program.
I give thanks to god that, based on the information on your blog, I have been able to convince Jabatan Perhilitan that the shama can be bred.
Thanks again to you sir for successfully breeding the shama and making the information available for reference on your blog.  I can assure you that without your efforts, the shama hobby is a dead end in Malaysia because to acquire a permit depends on luck (only 100 permits are given a year for each state) and as a hobby we cannot depend on luck to fulfil our desire. 
Lastly but not least many of my friends and relatives ask me a question, “Why Mohd do you get involved in this hobby, which is very difficult to maintain and requires a lot of time to be spent? The answer from me is that the hobby gives me natural peace for my inner self. My heart is far from world gimmicks where people get crazy with clubbing, drinking sexing, etc etc and I get self-peace from bird-keeping.
Still as a shama lover, I am very sad deep in my heart that I have been selfish for my happiness, that I have bought and caged this beautiful wild bird. This beautiful god gifted animal is the first animal in heven to inspire prophet Adam for a life partner as a lover.
Therefore I have set my mind not to buy much more wild-caught shama and this led me, as a bird lover, to breed captive birds in future.
Please reply and thanks
Truly Sincere
Mohd Anuar Amin

Hi Mohd,
You need to be aware that I don't have a bird farm.  I am just a hobbyist with a few birds for my own enjoyment.  Much of what I have to say about shamas is already on my blog so there may be limited usefulness in visiting me.  If you nevertheless think that it may be useful to meet and exchange ideas, you are welcome to visit.
Your email is very informative. May I have your permission to to publish it on my blog.
Best regards,
David

To David
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif
Dear Sir,
A very thank you for the reply. Regarding my email, you have my permission to publish it on your beautiful blog and I am so happy for our friends out there.
Yes I have been through your blog and its very informative.  As mentioned in my earlier email to you, without the information of your experience which has been put into your shama blog, it would have been so difficult for me to convince Jabatan Perhilatan that the shama can be bred successfully.  I did mention to pengarah (director) myself about your best efforts for shama lovers out there.
But let me tell you this sir. I felt seriously unhappy and guilty in my heart using all your information without asking permission from you and that's why I need to meet you and thank you.
Sir you have been a teacher to all shama lovers and we must respect you as a teacher. To meet you in person even without exchanging a single word means a lot in my heart.
We, as shama lovers have benefitted from your loss (afford time money thinking etc).
For that I Thank You Teacher.
Truly from my Heart 

Mohd Anuar Amin

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