Best of our wild blogs: 19 Jun 13

The marvels of nature macro photography: a workshop by Nicky Bay from Lazy Lizard's Tales

Care to help us with a testimonial?
from Green Drinks Singapore

Save MacRitchie Forest: 6. Eco-performance
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Protecting from rising seas: a role for natural shores?
from wild shores of singapore

First Predawn Reef Survey for CMBS at Terumbu Semakau
from Peiyan.Photography

Ubin As A Compass
from POSKOD.SG

Gemalto Photography Outing @ Pulau Ubin (Part 1)
from Pulau Ubin Tour with Justin

A Suspected Crossbreed
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Pesticides decimating dragonflies and other aquatic insects
from mongabay.com by Jeremy Hance

Read more!

Singapore takes first steps on plan to protect its coasts

Study to include dealing with rising sea levels and saving low-lying areas
Grace Chua Straits Times 19 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE is looking for expert help to adapt to possible sea-level rise.

At the end of last month, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), which is in charge of protecting the island nation's coasts, called a tender for a coastal adaptation study - the most extensive one done here yet - to come up with a framework to keep low-lying areas safe.

It also wants a list of adaptation options, new design-and-maintenance guidelines, an instrumentation and monitoring programme, and suggestions for a coastal flood insurance system.

And it wants contractors - who must have technical and engineering know-how - to work with research institutions that have at least a decade of experience and research data in Singapore coastal and biodiversity work.

According to United Nations climate scientists' last comprehensive report, global sea levels were projected to rise by between 0.18m and 0.59m this century.

The same could be true for Singapore, and mean sea levels in the Straits of Singapore have increased by about 3mm per year over the past 15 years.

Since 1991, all new reclamation projects have been built to 1.25m or more above the highest recorded tide level; in 2011, this was raised to 2.25m or more for new projects.

In addition, the BCA is reinforcing existing hard walls and stone embankments to protect Singapore's coast from erosion.

A BCA spokesman said: "For the long term, we need to understand better how our coastal lands can be further protected. Therefore, we are conducting specialist studies, such as the Risk Map Study and Coastal Adaptation Study, to look into this.

"This is part of the larger inter-governmental effort to advance our understanding of climate change risks, and develop adaptive measures to address these risks."

Professional engineer Chong Kee Sen, who is vice-president of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES), said the study was significant and the first done for Singapore on this scale.

But he declined to identify possible coastal-adaptation options, saying it was premature for IES to comment.

In 2005, Yale University economist Robert Mendelsohn and student Wei-Shiuen Ng concluded in a paper that the cost of building, adding to and maintaining sea walls - to protect Singapore's coasts from various degrees of rising sea levels - would range from US$300,000 to US$5.7 million by 2050, to US$900,000 to US$16.8 million by 2100.

Need for wetlands monitoring in S-E Asia
Straits Times 19 Jun 13;

A rod surface elevation table being installed in a mangrove swamp. -- PHOTO: DANIEL FRIESS, NUS DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY

WETLANDS in South-east Asia need better monitoring, say researchers, to work out which ones are especially vulnerable to rising sea levels.

Mangroves and salt marshes store carbon dioxide and protect inland areas from storm surges, while fish shelter in them, feeding on nutrients there.

But just a metre of sea level rise could destroy more than 60 per cent of the developing world's coastal wetlands, according to the World Bank.

A group of scientists has proposed developing nations use rod surface elevation tables (RSETs), a low-cost existing method, to build networks to keep tabs on coastlines.

This involves drilling a rod into the mud until it hits bedrock. The rod serves as a benchmark with measurements taken by comparing it to vertical pins on the soil surface.

This method is being proposed by assistant professor Daniel Friess and associate professor Edward Webb of the National University of Singapore, plus others at the US Geological Survey.

Together they wrote a paper published online in April in the journal Nature Climate Change.

They think installing sufficient RSETs to monitor all 34 countries with vulnerable wetlands would cost about US$1.3 million (S$1.6 million).

In South-east Asia, there are RSETs in only a few spots in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Few other developing countries use it.

Policymakers could use the information RSETs provide to decide where best to protect the coast and what methods to use.

Dr Gordon McGranahan, of think tank the International Institute for Environment and Development, called the paper "refreshing", but added that "there is a need to go beyond monitoring to ensure that local policy-makers and residents in vulnerable areas are provided with information of value to them, or can collect this information themselves".

GRACE CHUA

Read more!

Let wildlife play a role in killing mosquitoes

Straits Times Forum 19 Jun 13;

I THANK Mr Loh Kwek Leong for his letter ("Redefining dengue clusters"; last Friday).

He made some valid points but I would like to complement his knowledge with some comments.

First, it is impossible to entirely eliminate mosquito breeding in tropical Singapore.

Singapore should attempt to eliminate artificial mosquito breeding, which happens in clean water in homes.

Therefore, there is a need to create areas for the natural breeding of frogs, fish, fauna and insects that eliminate the pests naturally.

Dragonfly larvae destroys mosquito larvae - especially that of the Aedes mosquito - and the focus should be on creating environments where these natural predators can thrive, rather than fogging them all to death.

Many people do not know that the most prevalent way that mosquitoes breed is in curled-up leaves.

While Mr Loh suggests that the National Environment Agency (NEA) increase its checks on rooftop gutters, such an exercise will be rendered fruitless considering the impossibility of checking every single curled-up leaf in Singapore.

Actually, many farmers and workers in Lim Chu Kang do live on their farms but we take necessary precautions such as sleeping under mosquito nets and applying repellent when necessary.

Farmers do not fog their farms so there is a good balance of nature and wildlife that kills off mosquitoes naturally. However, we do create a small "smoke" screen to chase mosquitoes away.

I applaud the NEA for its valiant effort so far but I think a different approach needs to be taken, instead of wasting time and energy with excessive fines and campaigns.

As infected people also become carriers of dengue fever, the authorities should consider quarantine, as was done during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak.

As president of the Kranji Countryside Association, which has 40 member farms, I assure the people that we have a very serious "Mosquito Watch" working closely together with the NEA in the Kranji countryside so that our visitors are safe.

Ivy Singh-Lim (Mrs)
President
Kranji Countryside Association

Redefine dengue clusters
Straits Times Forum 14 Jun 13;

WHILE I am glad that the National Environment Agency (NEA) is stepping up its efforts to combat dengue fever ("Dengue cases expected to surpass 1,000 a week"; Wednesday), I am more concerned that it may be overlooking some of the Aedes mosquito's breeding grounds.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said that the number of dengue infections is worrying because Singapore is just entering the dengue season.

If dengue fever is seasonal, wouldn't that suggest that outdoor breeding is the more likely cause?

I suggest that the NEA concentrate its efforts on outdoor breeding sites.

Scientific studies have found that the Aedes mosquito is just as likely to breed in tree holes as in people's homes.

Roof gutters in private houses and the rooftops of HDB blocks could also be potential breeding sites for the Aedes mosquito.

How often does the NEA conduct checks on these areas?

The NEA defines a dengue cluster as one where two or more dengue cases occur within 14 days, and the homes of the dengue victims are within 150m of each other.

But this assumes that the victims were bitten at home or in their neighbourhood.

As the Aedes mosquito is known to bite at any time of the day, it could be just as likely that the victims were bitten at work or at school.

A better definition for a dengue cluster would be where two or more breeding sites are found within 150m of each other.

This information would be more useful as Singaporeans would then know where they should take extra care.

For instance, I visited several farms at Lim Chu Kang last week and saw swarms of mosquitoes at the back of the farms where the drains are located. But the NEA's website did not list Lim Chu Kang as a dengue cluster.

One reason for this could be because most of the people who work on the farms do not live there.

Dengue fever has plagued the country for many years and this year, it has become a full-blown epidemic that threatens the lives of all Singaporeans.

There is an urgent need to re-examine the methods currently being used to combat it.

Loh Kwek Leong

Read more!

Singapore registers concerns on haze with Indonesian authorities: PM Lee

Channel NewsAsia 18 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has weighed in on the current haze situation in Singapore.

Writing on his Facebook page, Mr Lee said various ministers have called their Indonesian counterparts to register Singapore's "serious concerns" and offer help to fight the fires.

Mr Lee added that Singapore is monitoring the haze closely and is in touch with the Indonesian authorities.

He said: "We are all affected by the haze. Farmers and plantation owners in Sumatra are burning crops to clear land in the dry season, and unfortunately the winds are blowing the smoke all the way to Singapore.

"Ministers Vivian (Balakrishnan) and (K) Shanmugam have called their Indonesian counterparts to register our serious concerns and offer our help to fight the fires. We are monitoring the situation closely and will stay in close touch with the Indonesian authorities.

"Meanwhile, please stay indoors whenever you can, especially children, seniors and those prone to respiratory problems. And do monitor NEA's website (or use their myEnv app) for the latest updates."

Some Members of Parliament have also raised concerns on the issue.

In a strongly worded Facebook posting, MP for Tampines GRC Irene Ng took issue with the Indonesian government for trying to shift the blame for the haze to other countries.

On Monday, an Indonesian forestry ministry official said Singaporean and Malaysian palm oil companies in Indonesia were also responsible for the haze.

Ms Ng said: "Indonesia is being quite disingenuous to try to shift the blame for the haze to other countries like Singapore and Malaysia. It is up to Indonesia to prosecute commercial companies, regardless of ownership."

She added: "All ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, already have domestic legislation which prohibits the use of fire for forest clearance in their own countries. The local authorities must enforce it.

"There are currently no legal sanctions which Singapore can apply against plantation companies whose extra-territorial actions affect our local environment."

She said Singaporeans could apply commercial pressure by boycotting products from these companies and to demand for products that come from sustainable sources.

- CNA/al

Singapore urges Indonesia to name firms responsible for causing haze
S Ramesh Channel NewsAsia 18 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has asked Indonesia to name the errant companies involved in illegal burning.

The primary responsibility to take legal and enforcement actions against these companies lie with Indonesia - as they have clearly violated Indonesian laws within Indonesian jurisdiction.

This was highlighted in a joint statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Minister for Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan had spoken to their Indonesian counterparts - Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Marty Natalegawa and Indonesian Environment Minister Dr Balthasar Kambuaya - to register Singapore's strong concerns about the worsening haze situation.

The two ministers highlighted that Singapore's PSI had breached 150 on Monday, and had entered the unhealthy zone.

The Singaporean ministers emphasised the urgency of the situation while also reaffirming Singapore's commitment to help Indonesia fight the fires in Sumatra.

Dr Balakrishnan requested that Indonesia share relevant information to improve monitoring of hotspots and land clearing activities.

This had been agreed between Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in October 2012.

Both Mr Shanmugam and Dr Balakrishnan referred to the claim by an Indonesian Forestry Ministry official in the media that Malaysian and Singapore palm oil companies that had invested in Indonesia may be responsible for starting the fires in Riau.

They asked Indonesia to share the names of errant companies involved in illegal burning.

Dr Balakrishnan also reiterated that Singapore is ready to continue collaborating with Indonesia at the provincial level to mitigate the haze problem, as agreed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the recently-held Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Retreat in April 2013.

Ministers Marty and Balthasar offered their assurances that Indonesia would address the haze problem.

Mr Shanmugam and Mr Marty agreed that bilateral and regional cooperation could be further strengthened to tackle the haze problem and that Indonesian Environment and Forestry officials could discuss with their Singapore counterparts ways to better cooperate and deal with the haze issue.

- CNA/xq

Singapore leaders want firms causing haze to be named
Neo Chai Chin and David Bottomley Today Online 19 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE — As the air quality in the Republic hovered around unhealthy levels yesterday — a day after the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading hit a record high since 1997 — both Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan and Foreign Minister K Shanmugam called on the Indonesian authorities to name corporations responsible for the fires.

But the suggestion, which Dr Balakrishnan had also posted on Facebook, was promptly pushed back by senior Indonesian government official Sony Partono, who was quoted by Reuters as saying “foreign parties should not be interfering with our domestic affairs”.

Mr Partono added: “The most important thing is that we have attempted to control the damage resulting from the forest fires” and fire trucks had been despatched to affected areas.

The haze, which has also enveloped Malaysia, continued to shroud the Singapore skyline yesterday, with the PSI reaching as high as 134 at midnight. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong posted a photo taken from the Istana on Facebook, with the cityscape “barely visible”.

He added that Dr Balakrishnan and Mr Shanmugam have registered Singapore’s “serious concerns” and offered Indonesia help to fight the fires.

“We are all affected by the haze,” said Mr Lee. “Farmers and plantation owners in Sumatra are burning crops to clear land in the dry season, and unfortunately the winds are blowing the smoke all the way to Singapore.”

In a joint statement, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya and Minister for Foreign Affairs Marty Natalegawa “offered their assurances that Indonesia would address the haze problem”.

The statement added that both Dr Balakrishnan and Mr Shanmugam had, in their conversations with their Indonesian counterparts, referred to the claim by Indonesian Forestry Ministry official Hadi Daryanto — which was reported in the media — that Malaysian and Singaporean palm oil companies investing in Indonesia may be responsible for starting the fires in Sumatra’s Riau province.

“(The ministers) asked Indonesia to share the names of errant companies involved in illegal burning, though primary responsibility to take legal and enforcement actions against these companies lies with Indonesia as they have clearly violated Indonesian laws within Indonesian jurisdiction,” the statement added.

Writing on Facebook, Dr Balakrishnan added that “we need to exert commercial pressure against companies causing the haze”. He also said that Singapore is waiting for Indonesia to publish concession maps which, combined with satellite images, would “enable us to pinpoint the errant companies”.

The 24-hour PSI reading at 4pm ranged from 112 to 123 for various parts of Singapore, while the PM2.5, which measures levels of fine particulate matter, was 149 to 169 microgrammes per cubic metre — concentrations prompting advice to those with heart or lung disease, as well as children and older adults, to avoid all physical activity. The National Environment Agency reported 187 hotspots detected in Sumatra yesterday, up from 113 detected on Monday.

Supporting the suggestion to name errant companies, Singapore Environment Council Executive Director Jose Raymond and Tampines GRC Member of Parliament Irene Ng said consumers could boycott products of these firms. Mr Raymond said consumers “should demand that the names of the business owners be made public” to show collective displeasure at their conduct, and “perhaps this will force them to change the way they operate”.

Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah said the “answer to the problem” lies with the Indonesian authorities. “The ball is not in our court and we can only hope that more will be done to discourage the burning of the forest,” she said.

Some observers had suggested last year for Singapore’s pollution laws to apply to all polluters, wherever they may be located.

But Singapore Institute of International Affairs Executive Director Nicholas Fang pointed out that the Singapore authorities would need to be present on the ground to monitor the companies’ activities. Satellite technology “does not negate the need for on-the-ground surveillance, as solid evidence will be needed if offending companies are to be taken to task”, he said.

Singapore can do more to engage Indonesian provincial authorities, as it did previously in Sumatra’s Jambi province, said Mr Fang.

Meanwhile, two corporations here with palm oil plantations in Indonesia reiterated that they have a zero-burning policy.

A Golden Agri-Resources spokesperson said the company and its subsidiary PT SMART Tbk use only mechanical means such as excavators and bulldozers in land preparation and step up fire surveillance patrols during dry months.

A Wilmar International spokesperson said that, while it is committed to zero-burning, “we cannot prevent local practices of slash-and-burn for agricultural and other purposes”. “This may lead to high incidences of uncontrolled fires which inevitably spread over to our plantations. To minimise the impact of fire and haze in our operations and surrounding environment, we have a fire management programme that is based on principles of prevention and suppression,” she added.

Singapore calls on Jakarta to tackle haze
Republic wants firms causing the situation to be named and punished
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 19 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE has called on Indonesia to name those companies which are causing the haze in the region and take action against them for illegal burning.

It noted that primary responsibility for dealing with these companies rests with Indonesia because they would have carried out acts on Indonesian territory and broken its laws.

Singapore remained ready to work with Indonesia at the provincial level to mitigate the haze problem, said Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who also asked Indonesia to share information to improve the monitoring of hot spots and land-clearing activities.

"We need to exert commercial pressure against companies causing the haze," Dr Balakrishnan said in a Facebook post yesterday, adding that he had spoken to Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya and "expressed our deep distress with the situation".

Yesterday, Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam also spoke to his counterpart Marty Natalegawa twice to stress the urgency of the situation.

Dr Marty told The Straits Times that he hoped experts from Singapore and Indonesia's environment and forestry ministries could meet soon.

"I had a good talk with minister Shanmugam... and hopefully the experts can get together soon to compare notes on what is happening and where, and what is being done," said the Indonesian Foreign Minister.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Facebook last night that the Government would continue to monitor the situation and stay in close touch with the Indonesian authorities.

"Farmers and plantation owners in Sumatra are burning crops to clear land in the dry season, and unfortunately, the winds are blowing the smoke all the way to Singapore," he said.

The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) soared to its highest in 16 years on Monday when it hit 155.

The record was a reading of 226 in 1997.

The smog abated slightly yesterday, with the PSI falling to below 100 in the day before creeping up to 134 at midnight.

Air becomes unhealthy when the index exceeds 100.

Organisers of some activities were not taking any chances.

A carnival on road safety by Shell Singapore today has been aborted, while the Outward Bound School sent more than 300 students home yesterday.

The Education Ministry said schools have to stop all outdoor activities, including physical education lessons, sports and games when the PSI crosses 100.

Other groups like the Singapore Civil Defence Force and Singapore Armed Forces said they would scale back physical and outdoor training if the air became unhealthy.

Singapore expresses ‘strong concerns’ about worsening haze situation
Today Online 18 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment and Water Resources have issued a joint statement saying Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan have spoken with Indonesian authorities on the worsening haze situation.

Responding to the claim by an Indonesian official that Malaysian and Singapore palm oil companies may be responsible for starting the fires in Riau, the ministers asked Indonesia to share the names of errant companies involved in illegal burning.

Here is the full statement:

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam today telephoned Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Marty Natalegawa to express Singapore’s concern about the worsening haze situation. Separately, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan spoke to the Indonesian Environment Minister Prof Dr Balthasar Kambuaya to register our strong concerns.

The Singapore Ministers highlighted that Singapore’s PSI had breached 150 the day before, and had entered into the unhealthy zone. They emphasized the urgency of the situation while also reaffirming Singapore’s commitment to help Indonesia fight the fires in Sumatra.

Minister Balakrishnan requested that Indonesia share relevant information to improve monitoring of hotspots and land clearing activities. This had been agreed between Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in October 2012. Both Minister Shanmugam and Minister Balakrishnan referred to the claim by an Indonesian Forestry Ministry official in the media that Malaysian and Singapore palm oil companies that had invested in Indonesia may be responsible for starting the fires in Riau. They asked Indonesia to share the names of errant companies involved in illegal burning, though primary responsibility to take legal and enforcement actions against these companies lies with Indonesia as they have clearly violated Indonesian laws within Indonesian jurisdiction.

Minister Balakrishnan also reiterated that Singapore is ready to continue collaborating with Indonesia at the provincial level to mitigate the haze problem, as agreed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the recently held Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat in April 2013.

Ministers Marty and Balthasar offered their assurances that Indonesia would address the haze problem. Minister Shanmugam and Minister Marty agreed that bilateral and regional cooperation could be further strengthened to tackle the haze problem, and that Indonesian Environment and Forestry officials could discuss with their Singapore counterparts ways to better cooperate and deal with the haze issue.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES

SINGAPORE

18 JUNE 2013

Singapore pressures Indonesia to identify firms behind haze
Kevin Lim PlanetArk 19 Jun 13;

Singapore pressures Indonesia to identify firms behind haze Photo: Edgar Su
A tourist bumboat cruises past the hazy skyline of the Marina Bay Sands casino and resort in Singapore June 18, 2013.
Photo: Edgar Su

Singapore's worst air pollution in 16 years sparked diplomatic tension on Tuesday, as the city-state urged Indonesia to provide data on company names and concession maps to enable it to act against plantation firms that allow slash-and-burn farming.

Singapore's environment minister made the request to his Indonesian counterpart by telephone as air pollution on the island hit unhealthy levels for a second straight day, with some of the worst readings since a 1997 regional haze crisis.

"We need to exert commercial pressure against companies causing the haze," Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on his Facebook page, without saying what measures Singapore might take.

"We are also waiting for Indonesia to publish the concession maps. The combination of satellite photos, which are updated daily, and these concession maps would enable us to pinpoint the errant companies," he added.

Indonesia's environment minister could not be reached for comment, but senior official Sony Partono told Reuters, "Foreign parties should not be interfering with our domestic affairs."

He added, "The most important thing is that we have attempted to control the damage resulting from the forest fires," and said fire trucks had been dispatched to affected areas.

Plantation companies with land concessions in Indonesia include Wilmar International Ltd, Golden Agri-Resources Ltd and First Resources Ltd.

Singapore's pollutant standards index (PSI) rose to an unhealthy 155 on Monday night, prompting the U.S. embassy to advise Americans planning a visit to consult their doctors about the effects of air pollution.

Visibility improved slightly on Tuesday and the PSI score slipped back to a "moderate" level of 85 after peaking at 123 in the morning.

A map on the site of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) Specialized Meteorological Centre showed dozens of satellite-detected fires on Sumatra island on Tuesday with winds blowing east towards Singapore.

The haze has also enveloped some parts of neighboring Malaysia, with four regions suffering "unhealthy" PSI levels above 100 for a second day.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak took to his Twitter page on Tuesday to advise people to reduce outdoor activities and drink plenty of water, warning that the haze was expected to worsen.

HAZY PROGRESS

Images of smog-shrouded Southeast Asian cities this week have highlighted the limited progress the region has made in fighting the problem since 1997, when the haze caused an estimated $9 billion in economic, social and environmental losses.

The illegal burning of forests to clear land for palm oil plantations is a recurrent problem in Indonesia, particularly during the annual dry season from June to September. Yet Indonesia is the only ASEAN member not to have ratified a 2002 pact on preventing haze pollution.

"Without the (Indonesian) republic, especially since the hotspots are found mainly there, little can be done," Malaysia's New Straits Times said in an editorial on Tuesday.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, has vastly expanded its palm oil plantations in the past decade, overtaking Malaysia to become the world's biggest supplier. In doing so it has cleared huge swathes of forest and peatland areas.

Corruption and Indonesia's decentralized political system have hindered efforts to stem the haze problem, said Jackson Ewing, a researcher at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

"Burning is quick, efficient and requires very little labor to clear land," he said.

"Government actors at the local level are colluding with private interests and central government authorities have difficulty influencing what is happening on the ground."

(Additional reporting by Dhea Renaldi in Jakarta and Stuart Grudgings in Kuala Lumpur; Writing by Stuart Grudgings; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Worsening haze from Indonesia angers Singapore, tourists
Annabelle Liang (AFP) Google News 19 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE — Singapore's smog crisis from Indonesian forest fires worsened Wednesday as air pollution levels reached a 16-year high, triggering a run on medical masks and angry complaints from foreign tourists and locals.

The city-state's Pollutant Standards Index soared to 172 at mid-afternoon, well past the officially designated "unhealthy" threshold of 100, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA) website.

It was Singapore's most severe haze reading since September 1997 when the number peaked at 226. Anything above 200 is considered "very unhealthy" particularly to the elderly, young children and people with heart and lung disease.

"We are going to leave Singapore two days early because we are having trouble breathing," said Zac Kot, 40, a business owner from the United States who was on holiday with his wife and two young girls.

Indignant Singaporeans attacked their own government on the web for its handling of the problem. Disposable medical masks flew off drugstores' shelves as consumers and companies bought them in bulk and placed orders for more.

Even tourists from Indonesia -- traditionally the largest source of visitors to Singapore -- protested about the smoky haze from Sumatra island, where some farmers and plantations deliberately set off fires to clear land for cultivation.

"It's not very good, and it's getting harder to breathe. I just don't know where to go," said Rangga Adisapoetra, 30, a risk management executive from Indonesia's main island Java who was attending a mobile communications and broadcasting expo.

"Maybe tomorrow, I'll visit Universal Studios. Since we are in Singapore, we might as well visit attractions," he told AFP, temporarily lifting a grey face mask to speak as he waited outside a convention centre for his friends.

The pollution problem peaks during the June-September dry season, when monsoon winds transport thick clouds of smoke from Sumatra to neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.

Singapore is a densely populated city-state of 5.3 million inhabitants which welcomed 14.4 million visitor arrivals in 2012 -- 14.5 percent of them from Indonesia.

Air quality also worsened on Wednesday in Malaysia, where readings in seven areas monitored by the Department of Environment entered "unhealthy" levels by midday, mainly in the country's south near Singapore.

Just four areas were rated "unhealthy" the day before.

Southeast Asia's worst haze crisis took place in 1997-1998, causing widespread health problems and costing the regional economy billions of dollars as a result of business and air transport disruptions.

Singapore officials continued to take to social media on Wednesday to address citizens' rising anger over the smog.

Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam strongly rebutted online criticism that the Singapore government was being soft on Indonesia -- a sprawling archipelago of more than 240 million people.

"Every country is sovereign and we can't intervene in the actions in other countries," he said in a Facebook posting on Wednesday.

"The burning is taking place in Indonesia. What do you think Singapore can do about that?" he wrote.

Shanmugam and Singapore's environment minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Tuesday spoke with their Indonesian counterparts to emphasise "the urgency of the situation" and offer help to fight the fires in Sumatra, a government statement said.

On Monday, an Indonesian forestry ministry official, Hadi Daryanto, shifted some of the blame to Malaysia and Singapore, saying their palm oil companies that had invested in Indonesia were also responsible.

Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), a palm oil plantation company listed on the Singapore Exchange with operations in Sumatra, said it has a "zero burning policy" since 1997 that its local contractors must comply with.

GAR's website says it is the world's second largest palm oil plantation company with a total planted area of 464,300 hectares (1.15 million acres) including smallholders and a market capitalisation of $6.0 billion as of March.

"Only mechanical means such as excavators and bulldozers are used in our land preparation," a spokesman told AFP.

"If illegal fires are started near our estates we take prompt action to put them out and report to the local authorities."

Read more!

Singapore: Schools suspend outdoor activities as PSI reaches unhealthy range

Sharon See Channel NewsAsia 18 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE: Most schools and childcare centres suspended outdoor activities on Tuesday when the haze hovered in the unhealthy range. This follows advisories from the authorities to cancel such activities, once the PSI goes above 100.

Outdoor play is a highlight of the holiday programme at EtonHouse -- but not on Tuesday as the haze in Singapore reached unhealthy levels. Thus, teachers were told to redesign lesson plans and have activities indoors.

Mrs Tracey Boyle, pre-school director of EtonHouse Preschool at Newton, said: "The main symptom we're asking our teachers to look for is fatigue, drowsiness, tiredness and even loss of breath. So we're keeping our activities to a minimum, especially any activities that involve a lot of exertion.

"Learning is still happening, but very quiet and subtle within the classroom context."

The school also emailed parents about cancellation of outdoor activities -- a gesture many appreciated.

Tina Ryan, a dentist and mother of three, said: "I'm not going to keep him home though, I think he's fine to be here at school. But I'm really glad they've closed outdoor play -- I just assumed they would, actually, so I'm glad to find today that they have."

Buraya Ng, a mother of two, said: "The teacher has sent us an email to say that they would keep the children indoors, which we were very happy. So that's why we still continue to send them to school. It would probably be better than staying at home and watching TV all day long. At least they can come here, they still have friends, they still do art and craft, so we're quite okay with that."

It was a similar story for schools islandwide. The Ministry of Education requires schools to cancel outdoor activities once the PSI hits an unhealthy level.

Earlier, Channel NewsAsia spoke to a number of schools and many of them have stopped most outdoor activities on Tuesday morning as the PSI hovered above 100. However, being the third week of the June holidays, most schools are already quite quiet on most fronts as they have reduced the frequency of CCAs and remedial classes.

Over at Pulau Ubin, the Outward Bound School also suspended all activities in the afternoon, as some participants felt ill and were sent back home. The 300 participants at the school were later sent back to Singapore.

- CNA/ac

Business at restaurants, sports activities affected by haze
Alice Chia and Patwant Singh Channel NewsAsia 18 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE: Business at some restaurants has been affected due to the haze -- especially for those offering outdoor seating.

Managing director at Suki Group of Restaurants, Kelvin Ong, said: "I think over the years, we have had such experiences, especially for those outlets that have al-fresco dining. Customers actually refuse to sit at the al-fresco areas.

"We are about 20 per cent down, especially when we've got a full-house in the air-con area. So the customers don't want to sit at the al-fresco area. They were telling us that while they were eating, they can smell something burning."

Restaurants are also making preparations for hazy conditions, such as providing information on the haze to their staff and advising them to drink more water.

Some restaurants have also installed air purifying systems in their outlets.

At the Renn Thai restaurant in Clarke Quay, Manager Mary Ann said it is business as usual, although there have been more requests for seats indoors.

She said: "In the past few days, our business this week compared to the other weeks, is the same. Actually, it was more brisk (on Monday)... Most of our customers, 80 to 90 per cent of our customers are tourists. Some people thought it was fog."

Monday's high haze levels also affected Singaporeans taking part in outdoor sports activities.

Among the measures taken -- cutting short training sessions, or staying indoors.

The Balestier Khalsa football team continued training on Monday night, despite the thick haze. However, the normal two-hour session was shortened.

S Thavaneson, chairman of Balestier Khalsa, said: "Like (on Sunday), the smell alone, the haziness was bad, so we cut short training, kept training to about 30 to 40 minutes only. Because we know training under such conditions, 35 to 40 minutes is as good as training an-hour-and-a-half."

When Channel NewsAsia visited Toa Payoh Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, a few brave souls were still in action. But some were cautious, avoiding the outdoors.

Justun Koh, an athlete, said: "We change it more to exercise, biometric and more of mobility instead of running, because we take in less of the dirty (air), the haze."

The gym at the complex also saw heavy use on Monday.

Fitness enthusiast Jacqueline Lee said: "I am very much affected by the haze because the level is more than the usual, it is very unhealthy actually. I am actually an outdoor user, I use to run outdoors but because the haze situation is so bad, I had to do my running indoors."

The Singapore Sports Council has placed notices at its facilities, reminding those with health problems to take extra precautions.

- CNA/ac

Some firms heed calls to protect employees' health & safety amid haze
Alvina Soh Channel NewsAsia 18 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE: Some construction companies are heeding calls from the Manpower Ministry to protect the safety and health of employees at work.

The ministry had advised minimising strenuous outdoor work when the PSI is in the unhealthy range.

Companies like Samsung C&T Corporation have taken that advice.

Besides reducing outdoor activities, it is also advising workers to wear dust muffs and protective masks, and to work under shelter, if possible.

Mohamad Zamri Kamar, the health, safety and environment manager of Samsung C&T Corporation, said: "Those who need to go out, there will be a supervisor around to monitor works. For the workers, we advise them to drink a lot of water to hydrate themselves. When possible, we will also advise them to work indoors. If its outdoors, we advise our workers to carry work out under our temporary shelter."

Sanwah Construction is another company with its own advisory notice.

Supervisors check on workers and advise them to work indoors, if they are not feeling well.

Anthony Ong, managing director at Sanwah Construction, said: "For us, when we do minor hacking works and minor rectification works, my workers they actually wet the surface. They make sure that this very dusty condition does not worsen. If they do not feel well, we have our first-aid room on standby. We also identify our nearest clinics, so we play safe."

- CNA/xq

Read more!

Malaysia: Peat fires and the ever-repeating haze

The Star Says The Star 19 Jun 13;

IT'S the same old script, year after year. Right around this time, the clear blue skies in parts of our country and a few other countries in the region will turn grey.

It is that time of the year when forests are being cleared the easy way by small-time farmers and big-time plantation companies.

And so the fires rage on and, aided by the monsoonal wind patterns, bring unhealthy pollutants into our lives. The haze is no respector of geographical or international boundaries. It simply goes where the wind takes it.

The newspaper headlines will scream, “The haze is back” or, as we declared in our Monday edition, “Hot and hazy days ahead.”

Call it deja vu but almost exactly a year ago, on June 20, the editorial in this same space began with this paragraph: “Today, parts of our country are enveloped by the haze, a perennial problem that invites the usual comments.”

And if we search the archives further back, you will find similar comments from different people on the same topic. As Hollywood might declare, “Same script, different characters.”

And so the plot will play itself out.

But the haze is not a work of fiction. It is a harsh reality story that can bring much grief to all of us if the problem worsens.

Each year, we just hope and pray that the burnt, bitter and pungent smell will not linger too long. And that we will never ever experience anything similar to the worst haze phenomenon ever in 1997-1998 which not only brought untold misery to millions of people, but exacted a heavy cost on the region estimated at close to US$9bil (RM28bil).

The moment the haze appears, the weatherman will tell us about the wind patterns and why the temperatures will soar.

The Department of the Environment will give us the API readings and we sometimes wonder why the figures do not seem to match what we see with our naked eyes.

The health authorities will tell us to take precautions and the school authorities will promptly cancel all outdoor activities..

Politicians will lament about how the haze can affect tourism takings while the politicians who hold office will try their diplomatic best not to be too harsh on the offending parties.

And, as to be expected, the relevant Asean ministers will agree to come together and talk.

There is already one scheduled for this August in Kuala Lumpur.

But talk is pointless if we cannot hold anyone accountable for the economic and social costs caused by the haze.

We need solutions.

It is worth remembering that a ground-breaking Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution was signed here in Kuala Lumpur more than 10 years ago, in 2002.

Malaysia was the first to ratify the agreement on Dec 3, 2002 and another eight countries, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, followed suit. But Indonesia, despite stating many times that it will ratify the agreement, has yet to do so.

But if we despair in not being able to solve matters at the regional level, we should, for a start, look into our own backyard as well.

The most number of hotspots currently are from Sumatra but here in the peninsula, we also have some hotspots. They are often times caused by open burning and peat forest fires. We need to crack down on these as well.

At times like this, the clarion call to “think globally and act locally” should resonate with all of us, either as individuals or as nations.

Four times as many hotspots in Sumatra now
The Star 19 Jun 13;

KUALA LUMPUR: In just one week, the number of hots spot in Sumatra, Indonesia, has more than quadrupled from 46 to 187. With the westerly wind during the south west monsoon season, the haze situation looks set to worsen in Malaysia.

According to the Meteorological Department, the south west monsoon season, forecast to last until September, was expected to bring drier and hotter days with occasional thunderstorms in the evenings.

The department also predicted that there would be less rainfall during the period, which could again worsen the situation.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment website has identified Johor as the most affected by haze, with Pasir Gudang (148), Larkin Lama (122), and Kota Tinggi (126) all in the unhealthy bracket.

The Air Pollutant Index rating is measured as follows: good (0-50), moderate (51-100), unhealthy (101-200), very unhealthy (201-300) and hazardous (above 300).

Transboundary haze from land and forest fires during the traditional dry period during the west monsoon season has been a recurrent feature in the South East Asia region in the past few decades.

As of yesterday, satellite images from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre revealed that there were 187 hot spots in Sumatra.

The temperature in the country is expected to rise to between 34°C and 36°C during the period with the urban areas feeling more of the heat because of buildings and the lack of surrounding greenery.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is concerned with the current haze situation, has advised the public to reduce outdoor activities and drink lots of water.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said he would chair a meeting on Aug 20 with his counterparts from Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, and Thailand to discuss the matter.

3 Johor areas have unhealthy air
Hana Naz Harun and Nurul Izzah Khalil New Straits Times 19 Jun 13;

IMPROVEMENT: Klang Valley areas record moderate readings

KUALA LUMPUR: THREE areas in Johor recorded "unhealthy" Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 5pm yesterday, with winds blowing from the southwest pushing the haze towards the peninsula's east coast.

Pasir Gudang showed an "unhealthy" reading of 148. Its highest reading was 153 at 11am.

In Larkin Lama, the API level increased to 125 at 11am, but improved to 122 at 5pm.

In Kota Tinggi, the API increased from 118 (11am) to 126 (5pm).

In Kemaman, Terengganu, the API level improved from "unhealthy" (103) at 11am to "moderate" (99) at 5pm.

In the Klang Valley, several areas, including Putrajaya, Pelabuhan Klang, Kuala Selangor and Peta-ling Jaya, recorded moderate readings.

The API reading is "good" when it is between 0 and 50, "moderate" (51 to 100), "unhealthy" (101 to 200), "very unhealthy" (201 to 300), and "hazardous" (above 300).

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre satellite image showed 113 hot spots in central Sumatra.

Sumatra had 138 hot spots on Sunday.

The image showed that there was haze in Riau province, central Sumatra.

The ministry said that the Department of Environment would continue to monitor the air quality in the country according to the actions outlined in the National Haze Action Plan.

It would also activate the Open Burning Prevention Action Plan in all states.

"The Department of Environment will improve the enforcement of laws on emissions from motor vehicles and emissions from factories."

Johor bears brunt of smoky air
Teo Cheng Wee Regional Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur
Straits Times 19 Jun 13;

A MALAYSIAN minister has told Indonesia that it needs to really contain the haze, as Johor bore the brunt of the smoky air yesterday.

"When peat soil burns, it is continuous and emits a lot of smoke," Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor told reporters yesterday. "This cannot go on. Every year, it is ongoing and ongoing."

Although the air quality in central Malaysia and the east coast improved yesterday, three areas in Johor registered "unhealthy" Air Pollutant Index (API) readings: Pasir Gudang, whose API reading of 148 yesterday was the highest in the country, Kota Tinggi (126) and Larkin Lama (122).

Mr Harris Ismail, 35, who lives in Johor Baru, said the haze caused his eyes to water and made it difficult for him to breathe.

"I need to buy a face mask soon," he said.

Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan said Malaysia will be talking to its neighbour about the issue. Indonesia has got to "really contain and look at the burning peat soil problem", he said, adding that Malaysia can offer help if necessary.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Ewon Ebin said Malaysia may consider cloud seeding to induce rain. The current dry spell has to do with the south-west monsoon, which is expected to last until September.

The Department of Environment said in a statement yesterday that it will continue to monitor the air quality closely, and warned that Malaysians who start open fires can be fined or jailed.

A commentary in the New Straits Times pointed out that until Indonesia ratifies the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution that was signed in 2002, the haze problem will continue to affect the region.

"The (agreement) must be followed by assertive, definite, practical action by all parties," it said. "Failing which, such an agreement will just be in vain."

Read more!

Indonesia: 'Emergency conditions' in Riau

Zakir Hussain Indonesia Bureau Chief In Jakarta And Jonathan Kwok
Straits Times 19 Jun 13;

WHILE the skies above Singapore cleared a little yesterday, the Pollutant Standards Index reading in the coastal city of Dumai, Riau, hit 341 at 4pm as fires continued to rage in neighbouring districts.

"The situation is very critical. These are emergency conditions," city government spokesman Darmawan told The Straits Times.

Visibility was down to 50m in some parts, he said, adding that local officials will meet today to discuss response measures.

Streets in Dumai were near empty as many people stayed indoors, and health officials reminded residents to drink lots of water and wear masks when outside.

In nearby Mandau district, residents complained of pharmacies running out of masks, saying the government should have stocked up. Officials advised them to use handkerchiefs or shawls for now.

But the haze, which many said was at its worst in at least a decade, drew little attention in the Indonesian media outside Riau.

The Democratic Party MP for Riau, Mr Sutan Sukarnotomo, told The Straits Times that the situation was complex. "Oil palm plantations create employment and drive up incomes in the province. But at the same time, they destroy peatland. And in dry seasons, it is very easy for peatlands to burn."

On Monday, Forestry Ministry official Hadi Daryanto sought to shift some of the blame, telling Agence France-Presse that not only local farmers use the slash-and-burn method, "but also employees of oil palm investors, including Singaporean and Malaysian companies".

"We hope the governments of Malaysia and Singapore will tell their investors to adopt proper measures so we can solve this problem together," he said.

Larger Indonesian companies listed in Singapore said yesterday they have strict "zero burning" policies and use mechanical methods like bulldozers to clear land.

A spokesman for palm oil producer Golden Agri-Resources said the company intensifies its fire surveillance patrols during dry months and reports to the local authorities if illegal fires are started near its estates.

Fellow palm oil giant Wilmar International said the company is committed to a no-burn practice. It also has a fire management programme that includes community awareness campaigns and fire management training.

Dumai airport cancels two flights due to haze
Antara 19 Jun 13;

Dumai, Riau province (ANTARA News) - Dumai city`s airport in Riau province cancels two flights here on Wednesday due to thick haze from the forest fire that hit the area, the airport management`s spokesman, Catur Hargowo, said.

"Current visibility at the airport is below 1,000 meters due to haze. Therefore we are cancelling two flights today namely from Sky Aviation and Pelita Air," he said.

However Catur said the airport will not be closed down. "We only cancels two flights which will carry regular passengers and employees of oil company Pertamina and Chevron," he added.

Meanwhile Dumai city`s Chief of Forestry Office Hadiyono said his staff are still trying to extinguish the forest fire which happen in various locations in the city," he said.

Meanwhile Marjoko Santoso, the head of the Dumai health office, said haze from forest fire in Sumatra has increased the number of respiratory problem cases in Dumai, Riau Province, over the past few weeks.

In the early June 2013, the number of respiratory problems was 351 cases and increased to 393 cases now.

The increase reached around four to five percent every week and 0.8 to one percent per day, he said.

He urged Dumai residents particularly children, pregnant women, senior citizens and asthma patients, to stay indoor when the city is being covered by haze.

The Dumai health office has distributed 25,000 face masks to people on streets.

Some 138 hot spots from forest fire were detected across Sumatra Island, an increase from 83 hot spots on the previous day.(*)

Editor: Heru

Read more!

Thailand: Dugong disappearing fast from Trang

The Nation 19 Jun 13;

Trang's dwindling dugong population is now threatened with extinction as the Seagrass meadows it feeds upon in the waters around Koh Libong have shrunk to 7,306 square rai.

The head of Trang's Marine and coastal resources conservation centre, Prachuap Mokharat, said yesterday that a March survey found Trang's population of dugongs had fallen to between 110 and 115. Most of the dugongs (67 to 70) live in Koh Libong's Laem Chu Hoi and their population is in decline.

Prachuap said a survey also revealed that the dugong's Seagrass fields had shrunk sharply, from 12,173 square rai in 2006 to only 7,306 square rai in 2011. The Seagrass has been decimated by large cargo ships that ply the main shipping route near the island, with increased sediment levels another destructive factor.

Prachuap thus urged all parties to co-operate to prevent the disappearance of the rare mammal from Trang's waters.

Read more!