AS A bird enthusiast, I am disappointed with the actions taken by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) as the regulatory body in the import of animals and birds.

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What kind of enthusiasm does a "bird enthusiast" have in urging for lifting imports of ornamental birds which are kept in small cages?

As a bird enthusiast, Mr Lim Zi Xun, I suggest that you do yourself a favor and live up to that self-proclamation. Bird enthusiasts usually care for the welfare of the birds and would most definitely prefer to go bird-watching than to have them caged up in extremely small confined spaces. Birds are creatures of flight and, if you are a true bird enthusiast, you would realise that they need space to fly and do what they are destined to do - FLY, not SING for your listening pleasures only. What hypocrisy and nerve you have.

Besides, just because there hasn't been a bird flu incident recently doesn't justify the rationale for AVA to relax the rules. Imagine... If your request has been acceded and your bird carries the virus, would you be willing to accept full liability if the virus spreads and causes human deaths? Yeah, I didn't think so.

on this matter I believe ava is smart to impose ban from malaysia. Recently there were reports of bird flu outbreak in Thailand and Indonesia. A lot of illegally captured wildlife come in from these countries into malaysia and could easily enter singapore bypassing quarantine and health checks. get it? it's time all the self proclaimed animal enthusiasts open their eyes and see that singapore used to be and could still be the hub for illegal traded wildlife. but i suppose some people find looking at hundreds of birds cramped in a tiny cage pleasing.

ok what i meant was if ava eases up on the ban, a lot more smuggled birds and animals will also come in thus bypassing quarantine. illegals disguising as legals come in through back door.

"What kind of enthusiasm does a "bird enthusiast" have in urging for lifting imports of ornamental birds which are kept in small cages?"

For your information, ornamental birds does include birds which are generally warm to humans in nature. Perhaps to you, it simply meant birds like mata putehs kept by people in a cage that provides them more than sufficient space to fly around in. This also includes parrots and budgies, which contrary to your belief that 'ornamental birds are kept in small cages', they can be in fact, kept outside a cage and allowed to roam freely, because they are intelligent enough to be trained to identify their surroundings.

Furthermore, if you were to realise too, there are birds sold in numerous bird shops that are meant for release. To Buddhists, this is a form of gathering good karma and is part of some of their religious practices. But with this draconic ban, they are forced to pay absurd amounts just to release wildlife for goodwill. Why are they subjected to such factors that would limit their intentions just because they can't afford higher prices of such birds due to the tyrannical ban by AVA?

"Bird enthusiasts usually care for the welfare of the birds and would most definitely prefer to go bird-watching than to have them caged up in extremely small confined spaces."

Once again, I do not have to repeat myself. Refer above for your reply and perhaps you should look outside your house and go on a walk to realise that some birds are actually not be kept in cages.

"Birds are creatures of flight and, if you are a true bird enthusiast, you would realise that they need space to fly and do what they are destined to do - FLY, not SING for your listening pleasures only. What hypocrisy and nerve you have."

That is very true, but what makes you think that they are not allowed to fly freely at home? Dogs and cats can and will roam in the wild, turtles and hamsters will have absolute freedom in the wild, but does that mean all pet owners are not enthusiasts and in fact, 'torturing' their pets? Your view is even more naive than Mr Lim's, if you were to realise the same situation relating to another species.

To further emphasize my point, do you happen to eat chickens? Is you do, I might like to inform you that they are meant to be roaming around kampungs, eating seeds and NOT meant to be your dinner or laying eggs in a battery farm so that you can have cake or a breakfast. In your own words, 'What hypocrisy and nerve you have'.

"Besides, just because there hasn't been a bird flu incident recently doesn't justify the rationale for AVA to relax the rules. Imagine... If your request has been acceded and your bird carries the virus, would you be willing to accept full liability if the virus spreads and causes human deaths? Yeah, I didn't think so."

I may like to inform you, in the Constitution, under the Animals and Birds Act, AVA should lift any suspensions that were enforced due to the avian flu when a country is free from the virus for 6 months. Go check it out if you do not believe me. Furthermore, what is the use of quarantines and checks when AVA has to ascertain a country is completely free of the avian flu, especially in a country that is rather large such as Malaysia and Indonesia? Furthermore, in the case of Indonesia, bird flu cases come from as far as Java and Jakarta, yet imports from the whole country is banned when the birds that were allowed in was from some island several hundred kilometres away. Simply because it is under the sovereignty of Indonesia, imports from those islands were also banned.

Your response simply epitomises the 'kiasi' attitude amongst Singaporeans. Citing the example of USA beef imports into South Korea by their government, South Koreans are shocked at the absurity of their government because 'USA cows have the mad-cow disease. Mad Cow Disease will FOREVER be in USA cows, I refuse to eat USA beef'. Such ignorance towards the actual situation in society is unbelievable, and you have proven how mature and ignorant you are, towards society. But as you would eventually realise by now, South Koreans have been slowing warming up to USA beef. So why are we still being so ignorant and 'kiasi'? It's not a huge risk taken by the AVA because of the stringent checks and quarantines. If bird flu was such a threat, so is beef, mutton, chicken, dogs and basically any wildlife and flora. We might as well starve to death in this little island instead.

"ok what i meant was if ava eases up on the ban, a lot more smuggled birds and animals will also come in thus bypassing quarantine. illegals disguising as legals come in through back door."

If you consider there is a lack of supply, there would be a greater risk of smuggling. Sufficient supply to meet demand will in fact, discourage smuggling. Basic economics. And if you were to believe smuggling will lead to illegals trying to enter Singapore, you might as well ban all imports as they all carry such risks. After all, anyone entering Singapore could be an illegal immigrant as long as he/she doesn't possess a Singapore passport, right? It's not just those who are delivering the birds in, you know.

Happy crippling Singapore's economy with your ridiculous idea.

"Recently there were reports of bird flu outbreak in Thailand and Indonesia."

Oh, since the avian flu can be transmitted by air and via humans, we might as well ban all travellers from Thailand and Indonesia too. After all, they possess the same risk as any bird from those countries. Oh, ban the Germans, Malaysians, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Chinese and a whole lot of other nationalities from entering Singapore too, in your context. Everyone possesses the same risk, unless you insist on denying that humans will never have avian flu, which is of course false.

"it's time all the self proclaimed animal enthusiasts open their eyes and see that singapore used to be and could still be the hub for illegal traded wildlife. but i suppose some people find looking at hundreds of birds cramped in a tiny cage pleasing."

Oh wow. That is so relevant. Singapore can be a hub for anything, including illegal CD roms, DVD roms or anything that is against the law. Hence, the Immigration and Customs Authority is there for a reason. To avoid such situations.

For your information, nobody is going and can keep 'hundreds of birds cramped in a tiny cage'. Firstly, it is physically impossible for both humans and birds since you can only squash so many birds without letting them suffocate in there.

Next, nobody humane would do such a thing. Why would you want to waste thousands just to watch your birds die in a cage? It makes no economic sense. If they were so cruel, they might as well hunt for prey since it would be free of charge too.

Think before you post, I am laughing at how you're making a fool out of yourself with your various exaggerations and hasty generalisations.