Why We Need (to be) Treehuggers
Saving MacRitchie
Courtship dance of the Pin-tailed Whydah (video)
Bird Ecology Study Group
ICCS Haze Advisory for Organisers: At air quality readings above 100psi, please consider cancelling your event!
News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore
Choking smog from Indonesia could make for a limp finish for an already-weak Q3 following soft manufacturing data and market volatility
Kelly Tay Business Times 15 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE'S already weak economic outlook is getting even more foggy. As a stubborn blanket of haze engulfs the island, economists expect retail sales to take a hit - even with the F1 festivities ahead - driving the wobbly third quarter to an even softer finish.
OCBC economist Selena Ling told The Business Times: "It's just going to add to the deteriorating picture. It's such bad timing . . . Coming on the back of manufacturing weakness, financial market volatility and the equity market going on a bit of a roller coaster ride.
"The more negative factors stack up, the higher the chances of a technical recession. We still expect (the services sector) to show positive growth and contribute to Q3 overall growth - but it's going to lend less support now."
Singapore's air quality continued to deteriorate on Monday, extending a two-week long period of haze due to the burning of Indonesian forests and land. As at 10pm on Monday, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) was 242; the 24-hour PSI was 131-165.
On the same day, Indonesia declared a state of emergency in Sumatra's Riau province, with its air quality having reached dangerous levels from forest fires.
The worsening conditions have heightened concerns over the possibility of a technical recession in the third quarter, which is defined as two straight quarters of sequential contraction in gross domestic product (GDP).
On its own, the haze may seem too small a factor to weigh heavily on Singapore's growth outlook, but economists told BT that the smog only compounds existing economic headwinds.
On the manufacturing front, July's industrial production contracted far more than expected, with factory output declining 6.1 per cent year on year. That was the sixth straight month of contraction.
The shaky global economy has also clouded earlier optimism for most services clusters, given the ongoing pullback in sentiment surrounding China and the US interest rate uncertainties.
CIMB Private Banking economist Song Seng Wun said: "Net-net, there will be some overall drag on economic activities in general. The question is the extent of it, mainly because of the intermittent nature of these weather conditions."
With the air quality at unhealthy levels, economists expect to see a decline in domestic spending, as more consumers choose to stay indoors and outdoor events are cancelled. Already, several running races have been called off or scaled down into walks; food & beverage (F&B) establishments are also expected to suffer, with a slide in demand particularly at alfresco eateries.
Despite concerns over how the haze would affect the staging of Formula One's Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix - to be held from Friday to Sunday - organisers have stressed that they are well-equipped to handle the situation. F1 attendees from overseas are also unlikely to be deterred by the smog, especially since tickets have been paid for and hotels booked.
Indeed, economists do not think the haze will have a marked effect on the race festivities, although DBS economist Irvin Seah thinks that the publicity could prove to be a double-edged sword, given that it will be broadcast to millions worldwide. "The impact is more likely to be longer-term in nature. This race is going to be aired globally, and (the haziness) could affect a potential tourist's impression of Singapore," he said.
Still, economists say some e-commerce outfits could stand to benefit during this period - specifically, they expect haze-busting products, such as N95 masks and air purifiers, to see a boost in sales online or off.
Said Mr Song: "At the end of the day, we could see an even softer end to Q3 if these hazy conditions continue to persist. But there's not much we can do over here, except just gripe about it. In fact, just go have a beer and boost our F&B sales."
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday (Sep 14) called his Indonesian counterpart and reiterated Singapore's offer to help Indonesia battle forest fires.
Channel NewsAsia 14 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE: Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday (Sep 14) spoke with Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar and reiterated Singapore's offer of help to combat forest fires, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a statement. The offer came as the number of hotspots in Indonesia's Sumatra island soared to a two-month high of 982 on Monday, and a state of emergency has been declared in Riau province.
Indonesia had earlier accepted the Singapore Armed Forces' offer to send C-130s for cloud seeding and Chinooks for large water buckets to douse fires, only to decline it later. "While the Indonesian authorities accepted our offer of assistance initially, they have since expressed appreciation for the offer, and said they have sufficient resources of their own for now," Singapore's Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
"WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING": INDONESIAN MINISTER
Dr Siti Nurbaya told Dr Balakrishnan that Indonesia has already deployed a host of resources to tackle the fires but said she would consult Indonesian President Joko Widodo who is personally overseeing the effort again on Singapore’s offer.
"We have deployed soldiers. We have conducted water bombing in Riau with 18 million litres of water, in South Sumatra and Jambi with 12 million liters of water. Cloud-seeding in Riau with 120 tonnes of salt and 56 tonnes of salt in South Sumatra," Dr Siti Nurbaya said.
"We have done everything. I was trying to convince the minister that we are serious in putting out the fire."
NEA said Minister Siti Nurbaya agreed to Dr Balakrishnan’s request for Indonesia to share the names of companies which are suspected to be causing the forest fires once they are able to verify this with checks on the ground. She also said she would inform him if there are links for these firms to Singapore.
As of 9pm, the 3-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) is 249 and the 24-hour PSI is 133 - 166. This is the highest 3-hour PSI reading this year.
NEA noted that there was a brief respite in hazy conditions on Monday morning, but haze from Sumatra was again blown in by the prevailing winds in the afternoon.
Thundery showers are expected in the pre-dawn and early morning hours of Tuesday, but NEA said the 24-hour PSI in the next 24 hours is still expected to be the mid to high sections of the Unhealthy range, and may enter the Very Unhealthy range.
WILL A "TOUGH COP" APPROACH PAY OFF?
Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Associate Professor Simon Tay said being a "tough cop" may not be the best approach for Singapore when tackling the transboundary haze issue. NEA on Sunday said it would conduct investigations into the situation.
"I think in any investigation of this nature, the temptation is to say you have to play a really tough cop," said Mr Tay. "But while the Singapore Government could do that, it probably isn't the best approach.
"In the end, many of the companies now - the bigger ones in Singapore - have actually put their maps online. They've taken steps, they have firefighting equipment that even the provisional officers don't have. So I would hope, in a sense, that the first response must be cooperation.
"In many of these cases, the companies may claim whether it's true or not, they didn't start the fires, the fires came on their land. So I think the first step we can agree on is that, for whoever started these fires, are the companies able and willing to try and put these fires out? Then, and again we have to give them some room because the scale of these fires and the scale of the land won't make it easy, even if they're trying their best."
Under Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act which came into effect in 2014, fines of up to S$2 million can be imposed on companies which cause or contribute to haze pollution in Singapore.
Haze pollution is said to have occurred if the 24-hour PSI remains at 101 or higher for 24 hours or longer. NEA said this had taken place from 10am on Sep 10 to 2am on Sep 12 - a full 41 hours.
NEA said it is closely monitoring the hotspots in the region. It is also drawing on information from maps, meteorological data, and satellite imagery in its investigations.
- CNA/dl/ek
S’pore renews offers to help Indonesia fight fires
VALERIE KOH Today Online 15 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE — With the haze situation worsening — and culprits potentially in breach of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act — Singapore has renewed offers to help in firefighting operations, while pressing their Indonesian counterparts for more information on the cause of the fires.
Cautioning that air quality could creep into “very unhealthy” territory tomorrow (Sept 15), the National Environment Agency said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan spoke with his Indonesian counterpart Dr Siti Nurbaya Bakar this afternoon, expressing his concern over the serious haze situation and reiterating Singapore’s offer of help to Indonesia.
In its advisory today, the NEA forecasted that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) to be in the mid to high end of the unhealthy territory (101 to 200), and could edge into the low end of the very unhealthy range (201 to 300).
As at 11pm, the 24-hour PSI reading ranged from 128 to 160. The three-hour PSI reading was even higher — at 181. The one-hour PM2.5 reading — tiny particles in the air that are two-and-one-half microns — was 142 to 238 mcg/m3.
The NEA said Dr Siti Nurbaya, who is Indonesia’s Minister of Environment and Forestry, has agreed to provide Singapore a list of companies suspected to be behind the land and forest fires once the information has been confirmed.
On Singapore’s offer of help, the NEA said Dr Siti Nurbaya explained that the Indonesian authorities had already deployed a host of resources, but will consult Indonesian President Joko Widodo — who is personally overseeing Indonesia’s effort —again on Singapore’s offer.
Last year, Singapore passed the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which states that haze pollution has occurred if the 24-hour PSI — for the same or any part of Singapore — remains above 100 for at least 24 hours. It further stipulates that it is an offence for any entity to cause or contribute to haze pollution here.
Over the past week, this has occurred at least twice. The 24-hour PSI lingered in the unhealthy range for 41 hours from 10am last Thursday till early Saturday morning. It re-entered unhealthy territory at 8pm on Saturday, and has remained in or above it since.
The NEA said it has been monitoring the situation closely and is investigating. More information will be shared when it is in a position to do so.
Under the Act, local or foreign firms can be fined up to S$100,000 a day for causing or contributing to haze, capped at S$2 million.
Experts felt that the reach of the legislation and the authorities’ investigative powers were hampered by the lack of maps showing plantation concessions — which could help identify culprits.
National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor Alan Tan said identifying the culprits to enforce the Act will not be easy, as the Indonesian government has not shared the plantation concession maps. Even if these are shared, they are likely to be unreliable. “The problem on the ground is that boundaries are uncertain and there are often local communities who encroach into the plantations’ lands to start fires there … In such situations, it is difficult to tell who is responsible,” he said.
Due to the presence of cloud cover and nearby fires, satellite images could be inaccurate. Identifying culprits would require ground evidence and time is needed to compile this, he added. Suggesting any investigation would likely begin with a Singapore-linked company, he said: “Whether this will deter other perpetrators is hard to say … It is the enforcement of domestic laws by the Indonesia authorities that will make a real difference,” he said.
Dr Santos Salinas, a senior research scientist at the NUS Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing, felt that the maximum fine of S$2 million was “small change” to larger firms. “A better deterrent would be the withdrawal of their concession rights for a number of years,” he said.
Dr Erik Velasco, a research scientist at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology’s Centre for Environmental Sensing and Modelling, felt the recent haze episode proves that a unilateral law enacted by the Government “has not worked”. Instead, tabling a law among Association of South-east Asian Nations member countries to hold firms accountable would “get some success”, he added.
However, Singapore Institute of International Affairs chairman Simon Tay pointed out that certain clauses in the Act were “quite powerful”, granting the authorities the rights to request firms to deploy fire-fighting personnel, and to obtain relevant information from firms.
Haze: Singapore Reiterates Assistance To Indonesia, Seeks Names Of Suspected Firms Causing Fires
Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah Bernama 14 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Environment and Water Resources Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan spoke with Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Dr Siti Nurbaya Bakar this afternoon as a follow-up to his letter last week.
In a statement, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said Balakrishnan expressed concern over the serious haze situation and reiterated Singapore's offer of help to Indonesia.
Siti Nurbaya explained that the Indonesian authorities had already deployed a host of resources, including aircraft and helicopters as well as military and police forces, to control the fires and conduct law enforcement.
However, she would consult Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is personally overseeing the efforts again, on Singapore's offer.
Siti Nurbaya also agreed to Balakrishnan's request for Indonesia to share the names of companies suspected to be causing the fires, once they were able to confirm the information with checks and ground truthing.
Singapore and several parts of Malaysia are currently hit by haze due to forest fires from Sumatra, Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the NEA said as of 7pm today, the 24-hour pollutant standard index PSI was 121-152, in the low to mid sections of the unhealthy range, and the one-hour PM (particulate matter) 2.5 was 97-195 g/m3.
For the rest of today and tomorrow, the prevailing winds are forecast to blow from the southwest, and the current hazy conditions are expected to persist.
-- BERNAMA
Singapore says Indonesia to share names of companies causing forest fires
Reuters 15 Sep 15;
Indonesia has agreed to share with Singapore the names of companies suspected of causing forest fires that have led to a deterioration of air quality in the city state.
Indonesia's Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, told Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Vivian Balakrishnan, that the names would be shared once the information had been verified, Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a statement.
Haze has engulfed Singapore and Malaysia for several days, pushing the PSI air quality index to unhealthy levels of over 100 in the city state on a 24-hour basis. The three-hour gauge of PSI hit a high of 249 late on Monday night, the NEA said.
Singapore passed a cross-border air pollution law last year that makes those who cause haze both criminally and civilly liable. The law also provides law enforcers with a relatively low threshold to prove that a company outside Singapore has polluted the air.
The haze this week is also clouding the build-up to the city-state's glamour sporting spectacle -- the Formula One night motor race that will be held next weekend.
($1 = 1.4073 Singapore dollars)
(Reporting by Saeed Azhar; Editing by Mark Potter)
Today Online 14 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE – The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the mid to high sections of the unhealthy range, and may enter the low end of the ‘very unhealthy’ range if denser haze from Sumatra is blown in, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a Monday evening (Sept 14) update.
As at 11pm today, the 24-hour PSI was in the low to mid sections of the unhealthy range at 128-160. The 3-hour PSI was 181.
Hazy conditions improved this morning, but the respite was brief as haze from Sumatra was again blown in by prevailing winds in the afternoon.
The current hazy conditions are expected to persist, as prevailing winds are forecast to blow from the southwest for the rest of today and tomorrow, and the situation could further deteriorate if the unfavourable wind conditions continue, said the NEA.
Thundery showers are forecast for Singapore in the pre-dawn and early morning hours, but this may only bring a brief respite to the hazy conditions, the agency added.
Hotspots could not be detected in Sumatra today due to partial satellite pass and cloud cover, but the NEA said that "widespread moderate to dense" smoke haze was observed in central and southern Sumatra. The haze has spread to the surrounding sea areas.
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan reiterated Singapore’s offer of help to Indonesia this afternoon as a follow-up to a letter sent last week, after expressing concern over the haze situation.
In reply to Singapore’s offer, Indonesian Minister for Environment and Forestry Dr Siti Nurbaya Bakar said that she will consult Indonesian President Joko Widodo again, as he is personally overseeing the effort.
She explained that the Indonesian authorities had already deployed a host of resources, including aircraft and helicopters as well as military and police forces, to control the fires and conduct law enforcement.
Meanwhile, Dr Siti Nurbaya had agreed to Dr Balakrishnan’s request for Indonesia to share the names of companies which are suspected to be causing the fires, once they were able to confirm the information with checks and ground truthing.
HEALTH ADVISORY
The health impact of haze is dependent on one’s health status, the PSI level, and the length and intensity of outdoor activity. As such, reducing outdoor activities and physical exertion can help limit the ill effects from haze exposure, NEA has advised.
Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, healthy persons should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, NEA added. The elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise outdoor activity, while those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid outdoor activity. Persons who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should seek medical attention.
In addition, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) today urged employers to take special care of their workers as the haze situation in Singapore reaches unhealthy levels, especially those whose work requires them to be outdoors for a majority of the time.
In a media statement, the NTUC reminded employers that it is their duty to ensure all necessary precautions are taken to minimise risks posed by haze exposure during this period. “Discretion should be exercised when deploying workers outdoors, such as ensuring that the appropriate protective gears are issued for outdoor work,” said director of NTUC’s Workplace Safety and Health Secretariat, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang. “On the part of workers, we urge everyone to exercise self-care, which includes making sure that the protective gears issued to them are used, and used correctly.” WONG PEI TING
Air quality may enter low end of the ‘very unhealthy’ range if denser haze from Sumatra is blown in
AMANDA LEE Today Online 14 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE — The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index on the first day of school after the term break is expected to be in the mid to high sections of the unhealthy range, and may tip into the very unhealthy range — above 200 — if unfavourable winds bring in denser haze from Sumatra.
The National Environment Agency first gave this update just after 6pm yesterday, when the 24-hour PSI was 126 to 146, the low to mid sections of the unhealthy range. By 1am, it had gone up to 143 to 168, with the three-hour PSI at 222.
At 6pm, the 24-hour PSI is in the 119-147 range, while the three-hour PSI is at 150.
Thundery showers forecast in the late morning and early afternoon today may bring only a short, temporary respite, noted the NEA.
The current haze is the worst in two years, and several public events scheduled for yesterday were cancelled. The Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society Race Against Cancer was called off the night before “for the safety and health of runners, volunteers, staff and beneficiaries”, said organisers. The POSB PAssion Run For Kids had its 10km Adults’ Competitive race and Kids’ Run categories pulled from the line-up at 5am, when the 3-hour PSI was 147.
However, as the focus shifts to pupils heading back for classes today, schools and parents seem prepared, with precautionary measures at the ready.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) and schools have a continuity plan in place to ensure the well-being of students and staff during a haze situation.
For example, teachers will be on the lookout for students who are unwell and ensure that they receive prompt medical attention.
“Schools are ready to respond and take appropriate haze management measures based on a set of guidelines corresponding to the health advisory,” the MOE said on its website. Some principals told TODAY their schools have masks and air purifiers, which would be used when the need arises.
Ang Mo Kio Secondary principal Abdul Mannan said his school has more than 10 air purifiers and a list of students with respiratory problems. The school will install them in those students’ classrooms if the PSI reaches the very unhealthy level.
He added that the school will use the 24-hour PSI range to decide on its contingency plans. “If it (remains) consistently high, then we’ll do something about it. That’s why we always use the 24-hour number as a more accurate gauge,” said Mr Abdul.
Punggol View Primary principal Kelvin Tay said that when the PSI is in the unhealthy range, the school reduces strenuous activities and moves Physical Education lessons indoors.
His school will issue a letter today to inform parents about their plans to deal with the haze situation.
Mr Tay added that parents should also be mindful of their children’s condition. “It’s important that the children are hydrated and to encourage them, if they feel uncomfortable, to wear a mask,” he said.
Parents TODAY spoke to have been equally prepared for the worsening haze situation and are hoping schools act accordingly.
Mr Adrian Koo, whose son is in Primary Four, was worried that the haze might cause health issues for students. “For the entire school holiday period, we have kept him indoors,” said the 38-year-old. “Schools should stop all PE lessons or sport activities until the haze situation improves.”
Human resource practitioner Shirley Tan, however, is not “too jumpy” about the haze situation, compared to the record high three-hour PSI of 401 in June 2013.
Still, the 42-year-old, who has two children aged nine and 11, has masks at home for her children to wear “if they are having respiratory problems” or if the PSI level reaches “close to 200”.
Firms, govt agencies take steps to protect staff
MARISSA YEO Today Online 15 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE — As the haze continues to remain at an unhealthy level, various government agencies and companies have swung into action, by implementing safety measures or taking steps to protect their staff.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore issued a port notice last week on the possibility of restricting the movement of harbour craft and pleasure vessels in port waters should visibility be affected by the haze.
Due to the poor air quality, the Pawfect Health Day, which is organised by the National Kidney Foundation, has been postponed to March 6.
Amid concerns over the health of workers who are exposed to the haze, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said protective gear would be issued for those who are deployed outdoors.
Several companies in the construction, landscape, security and cleaning sectors told TODAY that they have taken several steps to protect their employees during the current haze, such as distributing masks to them.
The workers have also been advised to avoid being outdoors for long periods, encouraged to drink water, and to inform their supervisors on-site if they feel unwell.
At least two security companies have been distributing N95 and disposable masks to their workers, especially those assigned to work outdoors.
Mr Indhiran Thangaraj, Eagle I Security Services’ operations manager and workplace safety ad health coordinator, said: “We are also in the midst of discussion for a split shift — for a worker to be slotted in between another worker’s shift.”
“So instead of a one-hour break, workers get a four-hour break ... (Thus), they will only be working eight hours on the ground instead of the (usual) 12 hours.”
Reachfield Security and Safety Management has reduced the frequency of outdoor patrolling in schools and buildings for its staff.
Meanwhile, Esmond Landscape and Horticultural, a landscape company, said it plans to stop all activities if the haze worsens to the extent that visibility is affected.
Several construction companies said they have contingency plans in place.
Ms Ivy Tijin, human resource manager of Feng Ming Cooperation, said: “In the event that the haze worsens, we will try to minimise outdoor work or rearrange the schedule based on the urgency of the jobs.”
Mr Kelvin Ho, senior manager of BBR Holdings, noted that this is not the first time that the company is dealing with a haze situation.
“We have learnt from the past and should more (workers) fall sick, we will (shift the focus) to key jobs and stop all minor jobs.”
It’s all systems go for F1-trackside hotels
NOAH TAN Today Online 15 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE — The worsening haze situation in the Republic may have cast a pall over this week’s Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, but a check with hotels in the Marina Bay circuit vicinity showed that the poor air quality has not affected business over the race weekend.
The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) level hit the “very unhealthy” range of 249 – the highest reading to date this year – tonight (Sept 14), and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said today that a decision on whether it would be safe to race would be made after consulting with drivers and teams.
Despite the gloom caused by the haze, hotels in the race vicinity told TODAY that they are close to full occupancy for the weekend.
“The hotel is booked close to capacity and we anticipate running full over the race weekend,” said Andreas Kohn, Director of Sales & Marketing, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. “The booking pace this year is on par with the same time last year and we are still receiving enquiries.”
Ng Sok Hia, Executive Assistant Manager of Sales & Marketing for Swissôtel The Stamford said that reservations were currently at over 80 per cent, with the hotel expected to hit full occupancy due to “an incremental pick-up of last minute booking.
“With the exciting build up to the night race this weekend, and the world-class entertainment acts taking place, it is unlikely that the haze situation will dampen the spirits of our guests,” said Ng. “Room reservations over the race weekend are unaffected. However, we will most definitely take into consideration any advice or guidelines set by the National Environment Agency, should the conditions change.”
While the Marina Mandarin Singapore expects to be fully booked by the time race weekend comes around, Patricia Yong, director of marketing communications for the hotel, admitted that the haze could make it hard to predict if tourists would still travel to the Republic for the Singapore Grand Prix.
“Due to the haze situation of late, it is hard to say whether it would actually be fully booked by this weekend,” said Yong. “However, we are not too worried, because based on the past years’ experience when the F1 race was also shrouded in haze, it did not have any adverse impact in our hotel bookings.
“Fans know that attending F1 race in itself carries with it the risk of bad weather, be it of rainy weather, or haze and are prepared for that.”
While it may be business as usual for hotels near the Marina Bay circuit, some merchants in Marina Square Shopping Mall are expecting a downturn in customers during the Singapore Grand Prix.
Many of the shops have already been hit hard by the ongoing renovations at the mall, and with road closures from the F1 race set to restrict traffic flow into the area, shop owners TODAY spoke to are bracing themselves for another quiet weekend.
A salesperson from African Jamaican store, Rastafari, who declined to be named, said: “There’s nothing we can do about this because it’s a yearly event. So we’ll keep a positive mindset, and probably just continue our SG50 promotion throughout this weekend in order to try and boost our business a little.”
However, one merchant is hoping to leverage on the race to help boost sales during the weekend. “From past experience, our business over the F1 weekend will drop by about 30%,” said Tina Zhang, a store supervisor at Action City. “But we found out last year that our portable fans sell particularly well during the F1 period, probably because spectators feel warm watching the race. So we’ll try to push the sales of our portable fans this year.” ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ADELENE WONG
NTUC urges employers to take care of workers amid haze
In a statement issued on Monday (Sep 14), NTUC says employers should step up vigilance amid the current haze situation and ensure the welfare of workers is not compromised.
Eileen Poh, Channel NewsAsia 15 Sep 15;
SINGAPORE: The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has urged all employers to take special care of their workers as haze conditions in Singapore reached Unhealthy levels.
In a media statement issued on Monday (Sep 14), NTUC said employers should step up vigilance amid the current haze situation and ensure the welfare of workers is not compromised.
"Employers are reminded to continually assess haze-related risks and adopt appropriate measures to safeguard the safety and health of their workers, especially those whose work requires them to be outdoors for a majority of the time," said director of NTUC's Workplace Safety and Health Secretariat Yeo Guat Kwang.
Mr Yeo, who is also the chairman of the Migrant Workers' Centre, added that it is the duty of employers to ensure all necessary precautions are taken to minimise risks posed by haze exposure during this period, and to exercise discretion when deploying workers outdoors - such as ensuring that appropriate protective gear is issued for outdoor work.
"On the part of workers, we urge everyone to exercise self-care, which includes making sure that the protective gears issued to them are used, and used correctly," Mr Yeo said, adding that both employers and workers should monitor the situation closely and look out for advisories issued by relevant authorities.
HAZE CONTINGENCY PLANS ALREADY IN PLACE
Companies are keeping a close eye on the situation and some have started to activate their haze contingency plans.
Over at construction firm Kori Holdings, supervisors will update workers on the PSI levels and ask if anyone has health concerns, before work begins on a site in the morning. N95 masks are also available for those who are not feeling well. Kori said it has so far not received any report of workers requiring medical attention due to the haze, but if the situation worsens, it expects business to be affected.
"If we are at the level which is very unhealthy for a prolonged period of time, it would have some impact on our productivity," said Kori Holdings CEO Hooi Yu Koh. "And naturally if productivity drops, it would have an impact on delays. And if delays come into the picture, it may have cost implications."
"Apart from that, we need to switch on spotlights more often due to visibility issues, so there will be an increase in cost in terms of consumption of electricity, and potentially more workers requiring to seek medical attention," added Mr Hooi.
Meanwhile, at Changi Airport, about 2,500 free masks and antiseptic wipes have been given to taxi drivers queuing to pick up passengers. This is an initiative by the National Taxi Association to help cabbies combat the haze.
It is not the first time the association is handing out these haze kits, and its executive advisor Mr Ang Hin Kee said drivers do go in and out of the car to help passengers with their luggage or to wash and refuel their cars.
"Over the last few days, we have monitored that the haze levels have hovered between the Unhealthy range and Moderate levels, so it is timely for us to restart our initiative to give out masks and antiseptic hand wipes to our taxi drivers," he said.
At WestGate Mall, employees and outsourced staff working outdoors have been asked to put on their masks when the air quality reaches Unhealthy levels.
"When the haze reaches a certain level, for example 100, we will distribute masks to them, and if it exceeds a certain higher level like 150, we will reduce the rotation shifts, and reduce some of the work required," said Mr Jason Loy, head of operations in Singapore at CapitaLand Mall Asia. "For example in a particular mall, if they need to do outdoor cleaning for four to five hours, we will reduce it to two hours."
CapitaLand Mall Asia, one of the biggest mall operators in the Republic, said its haze management plan covers all of its 19 shopping malls in Singapore. The firm will also close outdoor playgrounds and gardens at its malls, when the PSI crosses 150.
It is also giving out haze kits, comprising masks and bottled water, to patrons who are feeling unwell.
- CNA/dl/ek
ROY GOH New Straits Times 14 Sep 15;
KOTA KINABALU: Not so long ago, hopes were high on finding the Sumatran rhinoceros in the wild in Sabah. It was one of the rarest species in the world and an all out effort was undertaken to prevent it from becoming extinct.
Despite the optimism, backed with a belief that there could be about 30 or more wild rhinos in the state, only three were caught in the last 20 years. Flags were raised recently to urgently conserve the species as reality sank in.
In May, state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun revealed that the three captive rhinos were possibly the only ones left in the country.
“We are facing the prospect of our Sumatran rhinos going extinct in our lifetime,” he said.
The following month, an international scientific journal on conservation, Oryx, published a report with a similar conclusion, confirming what Masidi said.
Conservation efforts began in 2000 by an organisation called SOS Rhino, later renamed SOS Rhino Borneo, and eventually became the Borneo Rhino Alliance or Bora.
For more than a decade, teams of trackers, rangers and scientists were routinely despatched into jungles to track down Sumatran rhinos at the slightest word, or evidence, of its possible existence.
Two potential areas identified as the animal’s habitat were the 120,000ha Tabin Wildlife Reserve and 80,000ha Danum Valley conservation area, both in Lahad Datu. But surveys were also conducted in other forests in the east coast of Sabah.
Soon, telltale signs began appearing and by 2008, a male rhino was caught outside of Tabin at a plantation owned by Kertam Holdings, where it got its namesake.
A captive female known as Gelugub was available back then, but all attempts failed to produce any offspring from the two.
The age of the female rhino, caught in Kinabatangan in 1994, might have been a factor that contributed to its infertility.
Then, in 2011, a female with a severed front left hoof was caught. This was four years after it was first discovered within the Tabin Wildlife Reserve. Hopes withered as it was discovered that it had cysts in its reproductive organs.
Last year, another potential mate was found for Kertam at the Danum Valley conservation area, but like the others, Iman, as it was eventually named, had a tumour as big as a football in her uterus.
Bora executive director Datuk Junaidy Payne, who is also co-author of the report published in Oryx, had said a number of baby Sumatran rhinos must be produced to save the species from extinction.
“The only way now to achieve that is to use in vitro fertilisation to produce the embryos, and to have a few fertile females in well-managed facilities and excellent care for the surrogate mothers.”
To do this, Payne had suggested that all parties work together as each rhino needed to be closely managed to ensure the survival of the species.
Echoing similar sentiments in a statement recently, Rasmus Gren Havmøller, the lead author of the Oryx report on the rhinos, said the key to saving the species relied on whether “all remaining Sumatran rhinos are viewed as a metapopulation”.
This meant that all should be managed in a single programme across national and international borders in order to maximise the overall birth rate, including individual animals held in captivity, he said.
In Indonesia, there are about 100 Sumatran rhinos in the wild and five in captivity. There is also a male rhinoceros at the Cincinnati Zoo in the United States.
Sperm and egg cells had been collected from the three rhinos in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in the hope that a surrogate mother could be found someday.
Experts from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Serdang, Selangor, and Leibniz Institute of Wildlife in Berlin, Germany, are working with Bora to achieve this. An obvious option to save the rhinos from extinction would be to work with Indonesia.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he would bring up the possibility of a rhino breeding programme when he meets his Indonesian counterpart, Siti Burbaya of the Forestry and Environment Ministry, soon.
Sabah Wildlife director William Baya had said to save the rhinos from extinction, Malaysia and Indonesia had to work together.
“I hope this will happen sooner rather than later as the Sumatran rhinos are living on borrowed time.”
Keepers can’t bear thought of species they share a bond with becoming extinct
New Straits Times 14 Sep 15;
IT is hard to convince Wilson Kuntil that there are no more rhinoceros in Malaysia. The 35-year-old caretaker of possibly the last three Sumatran rhinos in the country refuses to believe it.
“It’s hard for me to accept this. I know many scientists say it’s going extinct, and I know many out there in the jungle looking for the rhinos will say the same thing. But I can’t get myself to say they are gone. I don’t want it to go extinct,” said the head keeper at the Borneo Rhinoceros Sanctuary at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu.
“If you have looked after one as long as I have, maybe you will feel the same way,” said the Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) worker with a faint smile.
For five years, Wilson has looked after Kertam, the only male among three living in the sanctuary. He is hoping against all odds that things will turn out for the better.
The two females are Puntung and Iman, both deemed by experts as incapable of naturally bearing any offspring for Kertam.
“I am no expert but if it’s one thing I know, it’s how to look after Kertam and I will make sure he is in the best of shape when a suitable partner is found for him.”
Then, he turned and called out to Kertam: “Boleh kan Tam Tam?”
Kertam turned its head, snorted and went back to wallowing in its mud pit.
Wilson and six other keepers look after the three rhinos round the clock. They feed, clean, nurse and protect them within a paddock that leads to an enclosed jungle, where the trio roam.
The keepers live in quarters just a few metres away from the paddock. Everyday, they take turns to inspect the three fenced jungle areas, one each for the rhinos.
During bad weather, they risk their lives going inside the beasts’ territories to make sure all three are safe from fallen trees. Another team is in charge of growing plants of leaves, shoots and fruits to feed the rhinos.
Since Bora began its programme in 2010, more than 120 species of plants have been identified as food for the rhinos, although each of the three has its own preference.
Ronald Jummy, who chats with Iman during feeding time, says it has become a habit for him as he considers the rhino like his own child.
“Sometimes, Iman will be choosy, sometimes moody, but there are days when she can be friendly and playful,” said the 29-year-old keeper, who rewards the rhino with a rub on its ears if “she is a good girl”.
Despite his attachment to Iman, which has been under his care for over a year since its capture in Danum Valley, he knows his limits.
“A rhino is a big animal and a small nudge can knock you down. Iman is the most aggressive of the three because she’s not used to people, unlike Kertam and Puntung, that have been in captivity much longer.”
Samat Gubin, who looks after Puntung, says they prepare the food and hand-feed the rhinos twice daily.
“After feeding, the rhinos will go back to their jungles and wallow in mud,” he said, adding that food will also be tied in branches nearby in case “they get hungry at night”.
Apart from occasional snorts and faint squeaks they make while eating, the rhinos do not make much noise.
“It’s only when they see each other or mate, then you can hear them from as far as 1km away,” Gubin said, describing the eerie bellowing that rhinos make when they fight or warn their enemies.
Bora field manager and veterinarian Dr Zainal Zahari Zainuddin says there have been a few unsuccessful attempts by Kertam to mate with Puntung.
“For big animals, mating is a complicated process and for rhinos, in particular, the male needs to win over Puntung before she will allow any advances. To do that, the two will fight. The act of mounting a female, too, is a big effort for a male as it will need to conserve its energy for that .”
Dr Zainal says the rhinos will also be protective of its own territory and react to the slightest whiff of “intruders” with its strong sense of smell. For now, with Puntung or Iman not in the best of health, the field team has to collect the sperm from Kertam and eggs from the two females.
“We have a highly-dedicated team here who treats the three rhinos with great respect and care. We just have to,” he said.
The Star 15 Sep 15;
PETALING JAYA: Thirty-four areas nationwide recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as at 8am Tuesday.
The affected locations in the peninsula are in Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor, Perak, Penang, Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, according to the Department of Environment’s website.
Jalan Pegoh, Ipoh recorded the highest API at 188, followed by Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur (185), Jalan Tasek, Ipoh (182) and Banting, Selangor (181).
Other areas with unhealthy API readings in Peninsular Malaysia are Nilai (179), Seremban (173), Port Klang (171), Seri Manjung (166), Shah Alam (159) and Petaling Jaya (155).
Haze worsens in west coast areas
The Star 14 Sep 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of areas in the country with an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) has risen to 33 as at 7pm today, compared to 31 areas at 2pm.
Areas in Selangor that were severely affected by the haze were Banting (188), Port Klang (181), Petaling Jaya (168), Shah Alam (167) and Kuala Selangor (137).
Adverse haze conditions have also enveloped the capital, with Batu Muda recording an API of 183, Cheras (161) while Putrajaya had a reading of 164.
Other areas affected were the Malacca City (161), Bukit Rambai (182), Nilai (187), Port Dickson (183), Seremban (175), Balok Baru in Kuantan (135), Indera Mahkota (118), Jerantut (125), Jalan Tasek (153), Kampung Air Putih, Taiping (141), SK Jalan Pegoh, Ipoh (167), Seri Manjung (173) and Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani (127).
In Sarawak, three places recorded an unhealthy API, namely Samarahan (104), Sarikei (126) and Sri Aman (136).
According to the Department of Environment (DOE), two new areas which recorded unhealthy air quality were Sibu (106) and Pasir Gudang (103).
In Terengganu, Kemaman and Paka recorded unhealthy readings of 134 and 112 respectively while in Johor, it was at Larkin Lama (105) and Muar (140).
In Penang, the three worst affected areas were Seberang Perai 2 (150), USM (145) and Georgetown (124).
An API of between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 to 100 (medium), 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy) and 300 and above (hazardous).
Members of the public can refer to MOE's portal at http://apims.doe.gov.my to find out the latest API readings.
Sumatra`s haze shrouds Kuala Lumpur
Antara 14 Sep 15;
Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - The haze arising from Sumatras forest and plantation fires has blanketed Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a local weather analyst stated.
"The visibility is one thousand meters. It is getting worse compared to that in the previous days," Ardhito, the weather analyst of the Tanjungpinang meteorology office, noted here, Monday.
A visibility of one thousand meters usually affects air and sea transportation operations, he pointed out.
However, flights in Malaysia have not been cancelled as it most likely has sophisticated equipment to address the problem, according to Ardhito.
Haze has also affected Singapore as the wind blew from the southeast to south and then drifted in the northeast direction toward Malaysia when it reached Pekanbaru.
Malaysia, Singapore, and Riau Island have been shrouded by haze from forest fires in Jambi, Bangka Belitung, and Riau Provinces.
In the meantime, German news agency DPA reported that Malaysias maritime and aviation departments on Sunday issued warnings over poor visibility caused by the worsening haze in the capital and elsewhere.
At least two international flights were diverted during the past two days due to poor visibility, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai stated.
He added that some maritime activities would be suspended if the visibility dropped below one nautical mile, or 1.8 kilometers, but he did not specify what would be affected.
The smoky haze hovering over Malaysia is caused by the ongoing plantation and forest fires in the nearby Indonesian provinces of Sumatra and Kalimantan, where fires are often intentionally set to clear land areas, DPA reported.
The environment department stated on Sunday that the air pollution index in Kuala Lumpur and almost all areas on the peninsula had reached unhealthy levels.
The haze is also blanketing Singapore, according to reports.
Some 1,887 hotspots, comprising 575 in Sumatra and 1,312 in Kalimantan, were detected by the Terra and Aqua Satellite on Sept. 11 afternoon.
(f001/INE)
EDITED BY INE.
Southern S’wak air quality slightly better
The Star 15 Sep 15;
KUCHING: The air quality in southern Sarawak has improved slightly, but elsewhere in the state, the haze has worsened.
At 2pm yesterday, the air pollutant index (API) for Kuching dropped to 98, the first time it has been below the 101 unhealthy level since last Thursday.
Visibility in the state capital increased to 1km from 600m the day before.
Nearby, in Samarahan, the API reading went down to 102 at 4pm, from a high of 179 last Friday. In Sri Aman, the API increased to 138 yesterday, up from 100 on Sunday.
Miri and Limbang had moderate API readings of 85 and 64 respectively.
Most other air quality monitoring stations in the state reported unhealthy levels.
Heavy haze affects flights over Penang
CHONG KAH YUAN The Star 15 Sep 15;
SEVERAL flights were disrupted as the visibility level in the northern region fell to its lowest this year because of the haze.
A spokesman for AirAsia Berhad said two flights were unable to land at the Penang International Airport.
“Affected passengers were notified and attended to.
“We will monitor the situation closely and keep all passengers informed,” the spokesman said yesterday.
At 4pm, the horizontal visibility level at Bayan Lepas was 900m while Butterworth and Prai both recorded 1km.
Alor Setar did not fare any better with the visibility at 2km while Langkawi escaped with visibility above 10km.
Over 60 people were also affected when a Malindo Air flight from Penang to Malacca had to be diverted to Johor Baru.
The Star assistant chief sub-editor Derrick Vinesh, who was among the affected passengers, said his plane landed in Senai Airport at 12.40pm.
“The pilot said he could not land in Subang as the haze there was equally bad.
Many passengers missed their appointments.
“The airline declined to get a bus or van to send us to Malacca but later offered to fly us back to Penang.
“Many took a cab and shared the fare to travel to Malacca,” he said.
Penang International Airport senior manager Mohd Ariff Jaafar said no other flight was affected at press time.
Yesterday, the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading at all three stations in Prai, Seberang Jaya 2 and Universiti Sains Malaysia at 4pm was 115, 138 and 137 respectively.
The reading at Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani was 120 while Alor Setar and Langkawi recorded 78 and 59 respectively.
An API reading of between 0 and 50 is considered good; 51 to 100 (moderate); 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy); and 301 and above (hazardous).
The Consumers Association of Penang has urged the states to take immediate measure to close all schools due to the worsening haze situation.
“We need to be cautious and wear masks,” its president S.M. Mohamed Idris said in a statement.
Penang Health director Datuk Dr Zailan Adnan said face masks would be given for high-risk respiratory cases.
“To date, there is no significant hike in the number of patients with respiratory problems and conjunctivitis at the sentinel clinics,” she said.
Poor visibility forces several flights to be diverted
The Star 15 Sep 15;
GEORGE TOWN: Several flights were disrupted as visibility in the northern region of the peninsula fell to the lowest this year.
An AirAsia spokesman said two flights were unable to land at the Penang International Airport as the haze caused visibility to drop below the minimum level.
“Affected passengers were notified and attended to. We will monitor the situation closely and keep all passengers informed,” the spokesman said.
At 4pm, the horizontal visibility level at Bayan Lepas was 900m while Butterworth and Prai both recorded 1km.
Alor Setar did not fare any better, with visibility at 2km, while Langkawi was much better at above 10km.
More than 60 passengers were also affected when a Malindo Air flight from Penang to Malacca had to be diverted to Johor Baru.
The Star assistant chief sub-editor V. Derrick Vinesh, who was among the passengers, said the plane landed at Senai airport at 12.40pm.
“The pilot said he could not land in Subang as the haze was bad. Many people missed their appointments.
“The airline declined to get a bus or van to send us to Malacca, but later offered to fly us back to Penang. Many of us took taxis and shared the fare to travel to Malacca,” he said.
Penang International Airport senior manager Mohd Ariff Jaafar said no other flights were affected as at press time.
The Air Pollutant Index (API) in Prai, Seberang Jaya 2 and Universiti Sains Malaysia at 4pm was 115, 138 and 137 respectively.
The reading at Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani, was 120 while Alor Setar and Langkawi recorded moderate levels at 78 and 59 respectively.
An API reading of between 0 and 50 is considered good; 51 to 100 (moderate); 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy); and 301 and above (hazardous).
The Star 15 Sep 15;
PETALING JAYA: After days of worsening haze, the Meteorological Department, National Security Council and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) are moving in.
The Meteorological Department will begin cloud seeding operations today to bring relief to Klang Valley and Kuching. The department’s atmospheric science and cloud seeding division director Maznorizan Mohamad said the operation was targeted to start by noon.
“It will depend on the availability of clouds.
“If it is favourable, we can start,’’ she said, adding that one aircraft each will be based in Kuching and Subang airports.
Maznorizan said each cloud seeding flight would cost between RM30,000 and RM40,000.
She said cloud conditions have not been ideal over the past few days. At 5pm yesterday, 32 areas nationwide recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.
These included Banting (180), Nilai (179), Port Dickson (174), Seremban (170), Bukit Rambai (174), Port Klang (175), Putrajaya (161) and Batu in Kuala Lumpur (175).
An API reading between 0 and 50 is considered good; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy; and 301 and above, hazardous.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said based on satellite images, two hotspots were detected in Sarawak on Sunday, three in Sumatra and 407 in Kalimantan.
However, Dr Wan Junaidi said the actual number of hotspots was not known due to cloud cover.
He said he will meet his Indonesian counterpart on Sept 25 to ask him if assistance was needed from Malaysia to put out the forest fires there.
“The smoke from hotspots in central and west Kalimantan is expected to travel to west Sarawak in the next 48 to 72 hours,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry will assist in the distribution of face masks to high risk patients in states severely affected by the haze.
Children, the elderly, the pregnant and those with heart and respiratory problems and those who are sensitive to haze will be given priority.
Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the face masks will be distributed in Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak.
“The face masks will be distributed through government hospitals and clinics in those states.
“The ministry will continue to monitor the haze levels and will distribute the face masks to other states should the situation require it,” he said.
The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) president Dr Steven Chow said high risk patients should see their doctors to review their medication if their symptoms worsened.
Cloud seeding expected over Klang Valley, Sarawak Tuesday
The Star 14 Sep 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: Cloud seeding is expected to be carried out Tuesday over the Klang Valley and Sarawak, said the Malaysian Meteorological Department.
"However, this depends on the haze situation Monday afternoon, which may improve due to the changes in winds which are stronger," said National Weather Centre senior meteorological officer Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip.
He stressed that the Department was ready to carry out cloud seeding operations to reduce the haze which has affected several areas in the country.
Meanwhile, according to the Department of Environment website Monday, Bakar Arang in Sungai Petani, Kedah, was the latest area which recorded an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 112 Monday afternoon.
The API reading in Banting, Selangor, remained the highest in the country at 171, followed by Port Klang (164), Shah Alam (149), Petaling Jaya and Kuala Selangor (145).
In Sarawak, Sri Aman recorded a reading of 138, Sarikei (122) and Samarahan (111).
An API reading of between 0 and 50 is considered safe, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy and 300 and above as dangerous.
Members of the public can visit the Department's website for the latest API readings. - Bernama
Schools closed in haze-hit areas
KAREN CHAPMAN The Star 15 Sep 15;
PETALING JAYA: All schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan and Malacca have been closed today due to the haze.
Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan said minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid conveyed the decision to him.
“We will update when schools need to reopen, first thing in the morning,” he said when asked if students need to return to school on Thursday.
The school holidays are set to start this Saturday in all states and a day earlier in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
The announcement was made close to midnight yesterday.
A mother who wished to only be known as Julia said there should be a total ban on activities outside classrooms.
She said she was worried about her son, Juhan, who would be sitting for his SPM examination in November.
“I am very concerned as he is an active photographer and also plays basketball,” said Julia.
Khalid Mohd Nor, a father of two, also agreed that all non-classroom activities should be stopped.
“Our children’s health can be affected if they have to be outside,” he said.
Serena Lo said the private school in Kuching, which her children go to, has suspended all activities outside the classroom, including physical education and extra-curricular activities.
“The air-conditioner in the classes are also switched on earlier in the morning, before the first lesson instead of after morning recess,” she said.
Fauziah Mohd Johar, whose son has just finished sitting for his UPSR last week, suggested that the Education Ministry bring forward the school holidays so that children could avoid going out in the haze.
The holidays are scheduled to start this Saturday for all schools and a day earlier for schools in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
“Since my son is not doing anything in school after his exams, I hope the ministry will consider bringing the holidays forward,” she said.
The Education Ministry has issued a statement urging schools to stop all activities outside the classrooms when the Air Pollutant Index (API) is more than 150.
It also said that schools in areas with API of more than 200 must be closed.
“The school must inform parents if their children are having health problems at school as a result of the haze.
“They also need to refer to the district health office or the nearest health clinic,” the ministry said.
The ministry also advised all school heads and teachers to continually monitor the API readings.
Schools have also been told to refer to the ministry’s Aug 7, 2013 circular on the haze or guidelines on caring for students in hot weather issued on Feb 26, 2014.
Schools must close once API exceeds 200
KAREN CHAPMAN The Star 14 Sep 15;
PETALING JAYA: Schools must be closed once the Air Pollutant Index (API) exceeds 200, said the Education Ministry.
In a statement Monday, it also said that schools must not carry out activities outside the classrooms when the API is more than 150.
“Heads of schools must inform the district education office and state education departments if there is a need to close their schools,” it said.
The API in Klang Valley was highest in Banting 176 and in other areas Kuala Selangor (Selangor) 145, Port Klang 174, Petaling Jaya 153, Shah Alam 156, Batu Muda (Kuala Lumpur) 169, Cheras 155, Putrajaya 159.
In Malacca, Bandaraya Melaka reads 151 and Bukit Rambai (Malacca) 169, and in Negri Sembilan, Nilai was Nilai 175, Port Dickson 170 and Seremban 167.
In Perak, Jalan Tasek 145, Kampung Air Putih, Taiping 131, SK Jalan Pegoh, Ipoh 154, Seri Manjung 171.
In Penang, the hard hit areas are Perai 115, Seberang Jaya 2 138 and USM 137.
Other areas: Larkin Lama (Johor) - 103, Muar 132, Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani (Kedah) 120, Balak Baru 126, Indera Mahkota (Pahang) 111, Jerantut (Pahang) 117, Samarahan (Sarawak) 104, Sarikei 123, Sri Aman (Sarawak) 138.
Air quality with API readings of 0-50 is categorised as good, 51-100 (moderate), 101-200 (unhealthy), 201-300 (very unhealthy) and 301 and above (hazardous).
The ministry said it was monitoring the haze situation in areas where the API was more than 100.
“The schools must inform parents if their children are having health problems as a result of the haze. They also need to refer to the district health office or the nearest health clinic,” the ministry said.
School heads and teachers were told to monitor the API readings.
The school authorities can also refer to the ministry’s circular on the haze dated Aug 7, 2013, or guidelines dated Feb 26, 2014, on caring for students during the hot weather. The guidelines are still in place.
Malaysia to begin cloud-seeding as schools shut due to haze
Today Online 15 Sep 15;
KUALA LUMPUR — A layer of heavy haze has forced Malaysian authorities to shut schools in three states and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, with officials to begin cloud seeding operations to try to induce rain to help clear the air.
The thick, dirty white haze blanketed many parts of Malaysia early today (Sept 15) — an annual phenomenon that is mostly caused by the burning of forests in Indonesia to clear land for farming. Some 34 out of 52 air quality stations recording unhealthy air levels.
A plane equipped with chemicals it aims to release in the air that will help clouds produce rain was due to take off later today to cover Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas, said Dr Maznorizan Mohamad, a meteorological department senior official. A second aircraft was scheduled to fly over Kuching in Sarawak state on Borneo island.
She said the cloud-seeding is planned for three days but will depend on cloud availability and weather conditions. Dr Maznorizan said both the Kuching and Subang airports will each have one aircraft stationed there for the operation, which will cost between RM30,000 (S$9,760) and RM40,000 per flight.
The inter-monsoon season is expected to start in late September, bringing more rain over peninsular Malaysia to clear up the haze.
“It will bring temporary relief but whatever it is, we have to address the source of the problem,” she said.
Late last night, the Education Ministry ordered the temporary closure of all schools in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
The haze worsened yesterday, with the Department of Environment registering Air Pollutant Index (API) readings exceeding the 100 mark in several states across the country.
According to statistics by the Department of Environment, 34 areas were recording unhealthy readings on the API. Under the API system, 0 to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, while 201 to 300 is very unhealthy and those above 301 is hazardous.
Some of the highest readings were recorded in Perak’s capital Ipoh — SK Jalan Pegoh (189) and Jalan Tasek (183), Pahang’s Balok Baru in Kuantan (180).
In Sarawak, five areas recorded an unhealthy API, namely Sri Aman (151), Sarikei (136), Sibu (117), Samarahan (115) and Kuching (109).
All five areas in Selangor have unhealthy API, namely Banting (177), Pelabuhan Klang (168), Shah Alam (155), Petaling Jaya (151) and Kuala Selangor (113).
The federal capital is also shrouded in haze, with Batu Muda recording an API of 183 and Cheras, at 153, while the administrative capital of Putrajaya recorded an API of 169.
In Negri Sembilan, Nilai recorded an API reading of 179, Seremban (171) and Port Dickson (160), while in Malacca it was 165 at Bukit Rambai and Bandaraya Malacca (153).
The haze affects the region every year, and is largely caused by slashing and burning forests to clear land for agriculture in Indonesia.
Indonesia's Riau province has declared an emergency that shut schools and set up health posts to treat those suffering respiratory problems after its air pollutant index hit extremely dangerous levels.
In Singapore, air pollution reached very unhealthy levels. Organizers of this weekend's annual Formula One night race are keeping a close watch on the situation to decide whether it will be safe to race. The Singapore Grand Prix has always been held at this time of year, and while there has been some haze in past years due to the forest fires, it has never prevented the race from going ahead.
Indonesia's government has dispatched planes and helicopters for cloud seeding and water dropping, along with more than 1,000 soldiers sent to Sumatra island to help extinguish the fires. AP, MALAY MAIL ONLINE
Bernama 14 Sep 15;
KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- The Terengganu state government has been urged to introduce a law to ban sales and eating turtle eggs across the state.
Terengganu Tourism Association deputy chairman Alex Lee Yun Ping said even though the state government has banned the sale or eating Leatherback turtle eggs, no law has been introduced to prevent the eggs from being sold in the market.
"Why not we also ban selling turtle eggs of other species as well, like Hawksbill, Green and Olive Ridley turtles? Is it because those three species seldom land at our shores?," he said at the Terengganu International Seminar on Eco-Tourism and Marine Tourism (Temco) 2015 here, today.
Alex Lee said as a tourism industry player himself, he sometimes felt ashamed and wondered how turtle eggs are being sold in the state.
Hence, he added that Temco would submit a resolution to the state government to take appropriate action against such activities.
-- BERNAMA
The Star 14 Sep 15;
JAKARTA: Indonesia on Monday declared a state of emergency in a province choked with thick haze from forest fires, as fears mounted that worsening air quality could affect the upcoming Grand Prix in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.
The emergency announcement in Riau province on Sumatra island came as aircraft were deployed to water-bomb the raging blazes and conduct “cloud-seeding”, which involves chemically inducing rain.
Smog-belching fires are an annual problem during the dry season in Indonesia. Vast tracts of land are cleared on Sumatra and the Indonesian part of Borneo island, using illegal slash-and-burn methods to make way for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations.
The blazes intensified in the past fortnight, sending smog over Sumatra and Borneo that has left tens of thousands ill, forced people to wear face masks and prompted the cancellation of flights and school closures.
Although there were more fires in other provinces, Riau has been one of the worst-hit as smog blows in from the surrounding areas.
Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar announced the state of emergency and said that more heath posts would be set up in Riau.
Arsyad Juliandi Rachman, Riau acting governor, said assistance would now be requested from the central government, state-run news agency Antara reported.
Air quality has also been worsening in Singapore just east of Sumatra and Malaysia. Authorities in Singapore said it was in the upper end of the "“unhealthy” range late Monday, with smog shrouding the city-state and a smell of burning wood.
There were concerns about the potential impact on next weekend’s Formula One, with organisers saying they were monitoring the haze.
“In the event that the haze caused visibility, public health or operational issues, Singapore GP would work closely with the relevant agencies before making any collective decisions regarding the event,” a Singapore GP spokesman said in a statement. - AFP
Emergency declared as Indonesia air quality plummets
Today Online 14 Sep 15;
JAKARTA — Indonesia declared a state of emergency in Sumatra’s Riau province today (Sept 14) after forest fires put its air quality at a dangerous level.
The worsening situation in Sumatra, west of Java, prompted the Indonesian military to step up efforts to extinguish the fires and assist residents facing health issues caused by the smoke.
An assessment is being made to determine if more troops should be deployed, Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar told Channel NewsAsia.
The government is serious about putting out the fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, but that would take up to three weeks, she added.
According to Ms Nurbaya, her Singaporean counterpart has been in touch to find out if any Singaporean companies were affected by the fires.
The ministry is still studying the data, but revealed some Malaysian companies were involved in the
Kalimantan fires.
The Riau Acting Governor Arsyadjuliandi Rachman told local media today that following the declaration of a state of emergency, he would further increase the number of health posts, and ask all community health centres in Riau to open for 24 hours, with at least one doctor available in each.
In addition, Riau would also ask the central government to take immediate action to help it tackle the problem, since the majority of the hot spots originate in other provinces.
Earlier today, Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said that more than 1,000
Indonesian troops were sent to the provinces of South Sumatra and Jambi, two of the main hot spots.
“We have mobilised national resources to put out the fires,” newly appointed BNPB chief Willem Rampangilei said in a press release earlier today, adding that the agency would also send in additional helicopters to help water-bomb fires if necessary.
Today, it was reported that hot spots in Sumatra rose to 982 — the highest in two months — with satellite imagery showing most of the hot spots in the provinces of South Sumatra, Jambi and Riau.
Air quality in the three provinces has reached hazardous levels, which means the Pollutants Standard Index (PSI) is above 301.
The very high levels of pollutants has forced schools and airports to close.
The seriousness of the situation has also prompted health experts to urge authorities to evacuate residents from affected areas.
South Sumatra, one of the main centres of the fires, has alone reported 22,585 cases of acute respiratory tract infections since Friday.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia today, 30 of the country’s 52 air-quality monitoring stations tipped into the
“unhealthy” range, with the town of Banting in Selangor recording the highest Air Pollution Index (API) reading of 171, while the administrative capital of Putrajaya recorded an API of 161.
Singapore experienced its worst haze in two years last Friday, with the three-hour PSI breaching the 200-mark, hitting 207 at 11pm and reaching a high of 248 at 3am early Saturday morning.
The haze is at its worst since 2013, when the PSI soared to a choking 401 in June that year.
The smog blanketing the region put pressure on Indonesia to take action, but progress has been slow in enacting measures such as a regional haze monitoring system.
Singapore last year enacted the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which allows entities causing or contributing to unhealthy levels of haze here to be fined up to S$2 million. AGENCIES
Haze Emergency Declared In Riau
Bernama 15 Sep 15;
JAKARTA, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian government today declared a state of emergency in Riau after the haze situation in the region was reported to be at a dangerous level.
The local media reported the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in the region to exceed 900 with a visibility of less than 100 metre, hence paralysing all economic and social activities, including at the Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport.
Riau local daily, Tribun Pekanbaru, quoted Acting Riau Governor Arsyadjuliandi Rachman as saying that the capital of Riau, Pekanbaru, is in a very unhealthy situation.
He said the air quality had reached a dangerous level with API reading exceeding 1000.
Meanwhile, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar was quoted as saying that the local authorities in Riau had been instructed to open health posts.
She said the authorities were also monitoring operations to douse the forest fires and in plantations in Jambi and South Sumatra.
Thick smoke due to forest fires in both the areas was said to have caused serious haze in Malaysia and Singapore.
Siti Nurbaya said efforts douse the forest flames were being intensified using aircraft to water-bomb the raging blazes and conduct cloud-seeding.
"As of now, 18 million litres of water has been poured in Riau and 12 million litres in South Sumatera for the water bomb, and for cloud seeding, 120 tonne of salt has been used in Riau and another 56 tonne in South Sumatra and Jambi," she added.
President Jokowi, who is now visiting the Middle-East countries, was reported to have directed authorities to take action against those responsible for the forest fires.
-- BERNAMA
Indonesia: Nearly 1,000 hotspots detected in Sumatra as haze thickens
Air quality levels deteriorated in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore as satellite imagery detected 982 hotspots in Sumatra on Monday.
Sujadi Siswo, Channel NewsAsia 14 Sep 15;
JAKARTA: Hotspots in Sumatra rose to 982 on Monday (Sep 14) the highest in two months. Satellite images showed most of the hotspots, suspected to be caused by forest fires, were in the provinces of South Sumatra, Jambi and Riau.
Air quality in the three provinces has reached hazardous levels which means the Pollutants Standard Index is above PSI-301.
The very high levels of pollutants has forced schools and airports to close. The seriousness of the situation has also prompted health experts to urge authorities to evacuate residents from affected areas.
Smoke from the forests fires has affected neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, blanketing parts of both countries in haze in recent days, with air quality reaching to unhealthy levels of more than PSI-101.
Jakarta has set up a task force to tackle the situation and has also deployed more than 1,000 soldiers to south Sumatra to help extinguish the fires. Several provinces in Kalimantan are also experiencing forest fires and just like Sumatra, most of the fires were found to be on plantation land.
"It's not easy to put out the fires in South Sumatra," said Dr Siti Nurabaya Bakar, Indonesia's Minister of Forestry and the Environment. "They are in peatlands and cover a huge area. There are also difficulties getting water and extending the hose. But we can still do it. We are trying to reach the difficult areas. There are 1,050 soldiers in South Sumatra already."
The Indonesian central government has yet to declare the situation in Sumatra a national disaster, which would then trigger a massive mobilisation of personnel and resources from Jakarta to tackle the forest fires.
However a state of emergency has been declared in the province of Riau in Sumatra. The Indonesian military has now taken over efforts to extinguish the fires and help the population to cope with health issues that accompany the smoke-filled pollution.
Dr Siti Nurbaya said an assessment is being made to determine whether extra troop deployments are necessary.
"Today an emergency has been declared in Riau," she said. "But in South Sumatra, visibility is not a problem. Aircraft can still operate. In Jambi, the situation is fluctuating. The big fire in Jambi was put out last Saturday."
Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, Dr Siti Nurbaya said Indonesia is serious about putting out the fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan which could take up to three weeks. She added that she has been in contact with her Singapore counterpart Mr Vivian Balakrishnan.
"I was on the phone with Singapore's environment minister and he requested Indonesia do its best," Ms Siti Nurbaya told Channel NewsAsia. "I explained what we have done so far. We have deployed soldiers. We have conducted water bombing in Riau with 18 million litres of water. In South Sumatra and Jambi, we have conducted water bombings with 12 million litres of water.
"We have done cloud-seeding in Riau with 120 tonnes of salt and 56 tonnes of salt in South Sumatra. We have done everything. I was trying to convince the minister that we are serious in putting out the fire."
Singapore's National Environment Agency said Dr Siti Nurbaya agreed to Dr Balakrishan's request to name the companies suspected of causing the forest fires.
Said the Indonesian minister: "He asked if he could have the names of companies especially those linked to Singapore - be them investors, shareholders or management," she said. "I said the data is still being prepared and I will inform him whether there are links to Singapore."
More than 70 people have been so far been arrested on suspicion of burning their land. However, only one was reported to be from a plantation company despite authorities claiming that such companies were the main culprits for starting the fires.
- CNA/jb
Haze causes chaos at Pekanbaru airport
thejakartapost.com 13 Sep 15;
Nineteen flights were canceled at Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Sunday because of thick haze, airport authorities have said.
“Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Sriwijaya and Fire Fly have informed us of the cancellation of their flights for today,” said the airport’s duty manager Hasnan as quoted by Antara.
The four airlines, Hasnan said, which had cancelled their flights since Saturday, served both domestic and international routes, including from Pekanbaru to Jakarta, Medan and Kuala Lumpur.
He added that 68 flights should have departed from and arrived at Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport, Pekanbaru, on Sunday, but as of noon, no flight activity had taken place, with visibility reduced to between 300 and 500 meters on Sunday morning. At around 10 a.m., visibility increased to around 1,000 meters.
Citing data provided by the airport’s information center, Hasnan said two airlines had informed the authorities that their flights would be ready for landing despite limited visibility of around 1,000 meters. The flights in question were an AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur and a Citilink flight from Batam. (ebf)
Indonesia water-bombs forest fires to fight haze
AFP AsiaOne 14 Sep 15;
An Mi-17 helicopter dumps water on a burning forest at Ogan Komering Ulu area in Indonesia's south Sumatra province September 10, 2015.
JAKARTA - Helicopters Monday water-bombed raging forest fires that have cloaked parts of Indonesia in thick haze and pushed air quality to unhealthy levels in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.
Fourteen helicopters were dumping water on blazes on western Sumatra island and the Indonesian part of Borneo island and "cloud-seeding", which involves using chemicals to induce rain, the country's disaster agency said.
Authorities had struggled last week to start such operations as the haze was so thick that it was too dangerous for aircraft to fly.
Smog-belching fires are an annual problem during the dry season in Indonesia, where vast tracts of land are cleared using illegal slash-and-burn methods to make way for huge palm oil and pulp and paper plantations.
The blazes intensified in the past fortnight, sending smog over Sumatra and Borneo that has left tens of thousands ill, forced people to wear face masks and prompted the cancellation of flights and school closures.
Air quality has deteriorated in the city-state of Singapore and Malaysia in recent days, as wind carries the smog from Indonesia.
Smog continued to shroud Singapore Monday, with air quality at unhealthy levels.
Two outdoor races scheduled for Sunday were cancelled, while organisers of the Formula One due to be held in the city-state reportedly said they are closely monitoring the haze in case it affects the event.
Haze levels have steadily been rising in Malaysia, with buildings more than a kilometre (0.6 miles) away in the capital Kuala Lumpur appearing as vague silhouettes. On Monday, 29 of the country's 52 air-quality monitoring stations tipped into the "unhealthy" range.
As of late Sunday, more than 1,100 "hotspots" - areas with high temperatures that are either already on fire or likely to soon go up in flames - were detected by satellites on Sumatra and the Indonesian part of Borneo, said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
"Even when blazes are successfully extinguished, people then start new fires," Nugroho said, adding that the police were investigating 26 companies and scores of people over the illegal blazes.
Pressure to stop the annual outbreaks of smog has increased since 2013 when Southeast Asia suffered its worst air pollution crisis for more than a decade, but joint attempts by countries in the region to find a solution have moved slowly.
Antara 14 Sep 15;
Pekanbaru (ANTARA News) - The Riau health office has recorded that 25,524 people have fallen ill due to the haze as the air quality has reached unhealthy levels in the province.
"Most of them, or 20,901, suffer from respiratory ailments," Head of the Riau health office Andra Sjafril noted here, Monday.
The figure was obtained from the number of people visiting community health centers and hospitals in 12 districts and cities in the province, from June 29 to September 12, 2015.
Some 454 people suffered from pneumonia, 893 ailed from asthma, 1,356 from eye irritation, and 1,920 from skin irritation.
In Pekanbaru, 3,548 people are suffering from respiratory ailments, 2,831 in Kuantan Singingi, 2,576 in Siak, 2,503 in Dumai, 2,227 in Rokan Hulu, and 300 in Meranti Islands.
"I urge the inhabitants who need to venture outdoors to wear face masks of N95 type," he stated.
From September 14 until September 24, four health command posts will remain open respectively at the Sultan Syarif Kasim II airport, the ex-MTQ building complex, the Central Market, and Rumbai in Pekanbaru.
Each post, manned by a doctor and two nurses, will offer first aid to those being affected by the haze.
"Besides this, the command post will also provide face masks and consultations regarding the effects of haze on the health of the residents," he noted.
The authorities have advised the people in Riau to stay indoors, to wear face masks while venturing outdoors, and to stay amply hydrated and eat nutritious food to stay healthy amid the haze problem.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has ordered every stakeholder to help extinguish forest fires and to tackle haze engulfing parts of Indonesia over the past few weeks, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Head Willem Rampangilei stated.
"The presidents instruction on the ongoing haze disaster is to extinguish the fires and to end the haze problem immediately," Rampangilei remarked while visiting the command post of the forest fire task force at the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base, Pekanbaru, recently.
"Within two weeks, plantation fires must be put out," he quoted Jokowi as saying.
(Uu.F012/INE//KR-BSR/A014)
Haze causes more sickness in Riau
Rizal Harahap, thejakartapost.com 14 Sep 15;
The Riau Health Agency says as many as 25,524 residents from 12 different regencies and municipalities have suffered from illnesses caused by haze from forest fires, which has blanketed the province since the beginning of September.
The agency’s head Andra Sjafril said that 20,901 people had suffered from respiratory illness; 1,920 from skin irritations; 1,356 from eye irritations; 893 from asthma; and 454 from pneumonia.
“All of them are receiving out-patient medical services. Pekanbaru has the largest number of patients, followed by Kuantan Singingi and Siak regencies. Meranti Islands regency has the lowest number of patients,” said Andra.
Riau acting governor Arsyadjuliandi Rachman declared an air-pollution emergency for the province on Monday due to the thick haze from land and forest fires that has blanketed the area since the beginning of September.
Commenting on the recently declared air-pollution emergency status for Riau, Andra said that he had prohibited all doctors and paramedics from leaving the province for indefinite period.
“I have also discussed with the Military Region Command (Korem) 031/Wira Bima and the Riau Police the possibility of using their health workers if we face a shortage of medical professionals at our health posts,” he said.
“Every healthcare facility and health post must have a doctor. Treating victims of haze requires medicines and they can only be prescribed by a doctor,” said Andra.
He also said that Riau was facing a shortage of face masks. It was proving difficult for the province to source masks because five other provinces are facing similar smoke problems.
“We still have around 40,000 masks. We have asked for more supplies from the government but they have not yet come through,” said Andra. (ebf)
Walhi to assist haze victims in taking legal action
Antara 14 Sep 15;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) has opened command posts for suing plantation companies responsible for forest fires that have caused widespread haze in a number of provinces.
In a press statement on Monday, the NGO urged the public to actively fight for their rights for a good and healthy environment, which is free from haze, and their rights for living healthily, as well as the rights of the future generations.
Walhi also called on people living in haze-free regions to show their solidarity to those impacted by the haze, and support the move to sue the authorities.
Most of the hotspots are located inside plantation areas; both oil palm and industrial forestry areas (HTI), as well as mining companies. Walhi pointed out.
Companies must be held accountable for their bad practices, the NGO said.
It also criticized the government for its reactionary response to tackling forest fires and for not addressing the root of the problems that are causing the haze.
The government should review or even revoke the business licenses of companies operating in places where hotspots are found frequently, whether it is their plantation or mining areas, it noted.
The governments negligence and the companies corporate crimes have claimed many victims, particularly children, who have fallen ill due to the haze. Their future is being threatened because they are exposed to the haze, the NGO added.
Walhi said it will provide assistance to individuals wanting to file law suits because the countrys Constitution has clearly stated the right of every citizen to live in a healthy and clean environment.
The command posts will also entertain complaints made by victims of forest fires.
The NGO has set up the posts in haze-prone provinces, such as Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, South Sumatra, Riau and Jambi.
(T.M040/Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
Forest fires - President instructs thousand military personnel to Riau
Antara 15 Sep 15;
Doha (ANTARA News) - President Joko (Jokowi) Widodo has instructed (concerned parties) to send 1,000 military personnel to Riau Province in order to help extinguish forest fires in the region.
"Although I am on a visit to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar I continue to monitor the development relating to the forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan," the president told journalists in Doha on Monday.
The head of state said "I have just ordered the dispatch of 1,000 soldiers to Riau immediately to overcome the thick smog".
Last week, a total of 1,000 soldiers were sent to help put out the forest fires in South Sumatra.
"Previously, 1,000 soldiers had been sent to Ogan Ilir, Musi Banyuasin, Banyu Asin because concentration of the forest fires were in the tree districts. Now we add 1,000 military personnel to Riau," Jokowi stated.
In addition, the president has also received information about rainfall in Riau.
Although it rained and extinguishing efforts continue to be made but the president insisted that law enforcement efforts should be conducted so that forest fires will not recur every year.
"I have asked chief of the National Police to uphold the law enforcement, so it (forest fires) will not occur every year. I also ask the local government and citizens to jointly extinguish the fores, he explained.
Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had ordered every stakeholder to help extinguish forest fires and to tackle haze engulfing parts of Indonesia over the past few weeks, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Head Willem Rampangilei stated.
"The presidents instruction on the ongoing haze disaster is to extinguish the fires and to end the haze problem immediately," Rampangilei remarked while visiting the command post of the forest fire task force at the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base, Pekanbaru, recently.
"Within two weeks, plantation fires must be put out," Rampangilei quoted Jokowi as saying.(*)
Indonesia president mobilises more personnel to fight forest fires
President Joko Widodo says he wants all related agencies to mobilise available resources to the fullest in tackling the raging forest fires causing transboundary haze.
Sujadi Siswo, Channel NewsAsia 15 Sep 15;
JAKARTA: Indonesia's president on Monday (Sep 14) instructed the police and military to send more personnel to douse the forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Riau province in Sumatra has declared a state of emergency and nearly 1,000 hotspots were detected in Sumatra on Monday.
In a statement released from Qatar where he is on an official visit to the Middle East, President Joko Widodo said he wanted to see a speedier and more coordinated efforts from various agencies.
President Widodo said he is following closely developments at home and wanted all related agencies to mobilise available resources to the fullest. Indonesia has already deployed 1,050 soldiers to south Sumatra to tackle the forest fires.
The Indonesian leader also urged law enforcement agencies to take very stern action against the perpetrators, including revoking the license of plantation companies.
The fires have caused haze to drift over to the country's neighbours Malaysia and Singapore. Close to midnight, haze readings in Banting, Malaysia were in the "Very Unhealthy" levels. Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur were not far behind. In Singapore, the 3-hour Pollutants Standard Index reading hit a high for this year of 249 at 9pm.
- CNA/ec
Thousands flee Pekanbaru as haze hits record high
The Star 15 Sep 15;
MEDAN: Thousands are fleeing Pekanbaru as the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the Riau province capital, which is about 280km away from Singapore, surged to a record 984 yesterday.
Many have taken to the roads, trying to find their way north to neighbouring Medan, or west to Padang, to escape the thick haze that has rendered their hometown unliveable.
The exodus via land includes people who had initially planned to fly out of the city, after their flights were grounded owing to the poor visibility caused by the haze from forest fires in the provinces of Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra.
Pekanbaru resident Benny Sukma Negara said he hightailed for West Sumatra by car yesterday after the haze hit hazardous levels.
This despite efforts by the Indonesian emergency services to douse the blaze by air, after ground operations had failed to keep the fire from raging over the weekend.
"The haze has permeated into our house over the last three days and it's getting worse," said Mr Benny, a university lecturer. "We wore a mask even inside our home."
According to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), there were 1,143 hot spots in Sumatra as of 5am yesterday. These comprise 724 in South Sumatra, 234 in Jambi, 78 in Riau, 69 in Lampung, 25 in West Sumatra, and 13 in Bengkulu.
In Kalimantan, there were 266 hot spots.
BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the large number of hot spots is proof that the illegal burning of peatland has continued despite stepped-up enforcement.
Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar yesterday declared a haze emergency in Riau province. She said Riau Acting Governor Arsyadjuliandi Rachman had also set up aid stations at several locations.
The minister's move, however, came too late for Wahyuni, a student from Jambi. The 15-year-old died last Friday after coughing for three days prior to her death. She was said to have had difficulty breathing because of the haze.
"We knew Wahyuni had a pre-existing heart condition," said her mother, Ms Nuraini. "Her heart was weak but she never had breathing difficulty like this before."
Mr Roni Amriel, an MP in Pekanbaru, said the city is no longer liveable because of the haze, and asked the municipal government to start evacuating residents.
"Action must be taken, including evacuation," said Mr Roni, adding that the ideal destination for evacuees is West Sumatra, which shares its borders with Riau. He also said Pekanbaru city, the province of Riau, or the central government could foot the bill for the evacuation.
Visibility in Pekanbaru was reduced to between 100m and 200m yesterday afternoon, while Dumai and Pelalawan - which are also in Riau - had a visibility level of 50m.
Businessman Agus Suharsono and his family, who were planning to fly from Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru to Jakarta, were huddled at the air terminal yesterday after their flight was delayed because of the haze.
"We hope we can get a later flight," said the 59-year-old. "Two of my four children are already developing (upper respiratory tract infection)."
Dr Slamet Budiarto, who heads the Jakarta Chapter of the Indonesian Doctors' Association, said the PSI reading of 984 should "trigger an evacuation". He added that at that level, the haze could cause nausea and physical weakness and, in the long term, may lead to cancer. The Straits Time/Asia News Network
Posts
visitors since Nov 07