Malaysian Golden arowana needs patent
Written by sham on April 13, 2010 —
Considered as the most precious among ornamental arowana species in the world, the Malaysian Golden needs its identity to be protected.
This is the sentiment echoed by the North Malaysia Arowana Farmers Association (NMAFA) as now, the Malaysian Golden is being referred to by a variety of names. The species is sometimes called Golden Crossback, or simply High Crossback when traded overseas.
The main concern of the farmers association is the word Malaysia that goes missing in the fish name, and may finally be totally forgotten in future.
According to association secretary, Sahibol Anwar Arba é, the problem happens when foreigners trade the fish abroad or when it was bred outside the country.
“When foreign customers refer the fish with names other than the Malaysian Golden, we try to educate them that the fish is a Malaysian thoroughbred, no matter where they acquire it.
“Some even argue that they bought their fish from breeders in Singapore or traders in Taiwan, so it couldn’t be Malaysian. Therefore, we counter them by saying it is more often than not a Malaysian Golden is hatched in Malaysia, and probably here at Bukit Merah.
“The simplest way to know is to scan the chip implanted in the fish,” Sahibol Anwar revealed to PerakNews.com at his arowana breeding complex at Tebuk Panchor, near Bukit Merah dam, Semanggol.
The area is ideal for Malaysian Golden specie because it is within its natural habitat.
The association, Sahibol Anwar said, had brought the matter up to the Minister of Agriculture, Datuk Seri Noh Omar and the Director General of Fisheries Department, Datuk Junaidi Che Ayub.
As secretary, he had suggested to the officials that the name Malaysian Golden be made a trademark when they officially visited the Bukit Merah arowana breeding area last December.
So far, no official statement on the issue has been made except from Perak Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir who said recently that the recommendation from the association is a good idea.
He also assured that the Fisheries Department is taking steps to mend the situation.
“I was told by the Fisheries Department that not only are they working towards making the name Malaysian Golden a trademark, but also on patenting the breed,” Dr Zambry said recently.
Since proving the arowana farming to be a lucrative industry, Sahibul Anwar said he came across reports of unscrupulous people who are taking advantage of the uninitiated.
The chief executive officer of MU Arowana Aquaculture urged the public to be wary of bogus arowana investment plans.
“We advise the public to go direct to the farmers if they are really interested in investing on arowana. We don’t appoint any agent to collect money because deposit taking is illegal.
“The system that we use at MU is profit sharing which is very transparent and not against any law. An investor buys an adult female that is worth RM18,000 each and keep it here for breeding.
“When her fries enter the market, the profit is split 50:50. Mind you, a three-inch Malaysian Golden fry is currently RM1,600,” Sahibol Anwar said and further added that each female arowana could lay up to more than fifty fries at a time.
According to him, all deals that investors do with MU are legally binding and contracts are drawn to protect both parties.
Sahibol Anwar said arowana could bring good investment benefits because demand outstrips supply.
As an example, he cited China where the combined production of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia; the only locations that could breed the fish economically; could only fill 60 per cent of the country’s needs for the ornamental fish.
So popular is the venture now, there are 64 arowana farmers at Bukit Merah registered with the Fisheries Department.
Up to 80 per cent or about 360 acres of the total 450-acre specialised zone are already utilised to facilitate breeding ponds for the fishes.
With about 90 or so acres left at the specialised zone, perhaps the only way to benefit from the lucrative arowana farming is investing in the profit sharing scheme offered by established farmers at Bukit Merah.
Subject: Malaysian Golden Arowana needs patent 
Sat May 29, 2010 10:50 am
