Best of our wild blogs: 7 Oct 15

The Pacific Swallow aka House Swallow
Bird Ecology Study Group

5 Terek Sandpipers @ Seletar - 24Sep2015
sgbeachbum

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Singapore waiting for Indonesia to respond to request for names of errant companies responsible for haze

Today Online 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE – The Indonesian government has yet to turn over the names of errant companies suspected of playing a part in causing the haze that has plagued Singapore since last month.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement today (Oct 7) it has sent a formal request for the names of these companies to the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Singapore. “This was in response to the request by the Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, who had previously said that if Singapore wanted the names of these companies to be officially sent to it, then this had to be done through the Government-to-Government channel,” an MFA spokesperson said. “We look forward to an early response from the Government of the Republic of Indonesia on our requests so that we can take the necessary action against those who are responsible for the haze.”

In its note to the Indonesia embassy, Singapore also reiterated its haze assistance, which Indonesia has rejected several times, saying it has the resources to manage. “Singapore stands ready to assist Indonesia in its haze combatting and fire-fighting efforts,” the MFA spokesperson said.


Singapore has sent formal request to Indonesia for names of errant firms: MFA
Nisha Ramchandani Business Times 7 Oct 15;

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has sent a formal request for the names of the companies suspected of being linked to the haze in Indonesia and has also reiterated its offer of assistance.

"This was in response to the request by the Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, who had previously said that if Singapore wanted the names of these companies to be officially sent to it, then this had to be done through the government-to-government channel," said an MFA spokesman in response to media queries."We look forward to an early response from the Government of the Republic of Indonesia on our requests so that we can take the necessary action against those who are responsible for the haze."

The spokesman added that, in the same note, Singapore also reiterated its haze-assistance offer to Indonesia, which includes a team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to provide assessment and planning assistance as well as up to three C-130 aircraft for cloud-seeding operations and to ferry the SCDF team.

In addition, Singapore is offering high-resolution satellite pictures and hotspot coordinates and a Chinook helicopter.

The spokesman added: "Singapore stands ready to assist Indonesia in its haze-combating and fire-fighting efforts."

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Haze fallout: NTUC FairPrice will withdraw all APP paper products

In a press release, NTUC FairPrice said it would withdraw all paper products sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) by 5pm on Oct 7, after SEC says it has instituted a temporary restriction on the use of the “Singapore Green Label” certification for its products.
Channel NewsAsia 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice announced on Wednesday (Oct 7) that it will withdraw all paper products sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP), after the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) said it has instituted a temporary restriction on the use of the “Singapore Green Label” certification for the Indonesian firm's products.

In a press release, FairPrice said it carries 14 Housebrand products that are certified with the Singapore Green Label. Among them, two are Housebrand tissue products sourced from APP through a licensed distributor. In addition, all 16 APP-related products from various brands carried by the chain also have the Singapore Green Label certification, FairPrice said.

Products affected by the withdrawal include FairPrice Softpack Tissue 200s, and FairPrice Gold 3 Ply Facial Tissue 140s, supplied by APP. FairPrice will also withdraw all APP-related products, including those from Paseo, NICE and Jolly, by 5pm on Wednesday, it said.

NTUC FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng said: “We have been proactively monitoring the situation over the past week. We initiated meetings with the various parties concerned when the list of firms including APP, was named by the authorities as suspects for contributing to the haze.”

“As a fair business partner, we reserved taking action pending further information and investigation by the authorities. Our decision to withdraw all APP products is a result of the temporary restriction of their Green Label certification,” he added.

“NO SUPPLIER HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE INVOLVED”: APP

APP has said it has "nothing to hide" and "no supplier has been proven to be involved" in raging forest fires in Indonesia contributing to hazy conditions around the region.

In a statement issued to the media on Wednesday (Oct 7), APP - which is a member of Indonesia's Sinar Mas Group and has an office in Singapore - said it received a notice from Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) on Sep 25 and had responded in accordance to their deadline.

NEA had issued the notice under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, seeking information on its subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as measures taken by its suppliers in Indonesia to put out fires in their concessions, as smoke from raging forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan had pushed air quality to unhealthy levels in Singapore.

APP added that it has invited NEA officials to visit its operations in Indonesia to demonstrate the company's no burning policy.

"If a supplier were found to have been involved in setting forest fires, our policy is clear and we would disengage that supplier. Thus far no supplier has been proven to be involved. It is premature therefore to make judgments until investigations by relevant authorities are completed," the statement said.

In the statement, APP said its list of pulpwood suppliers is public, and the company submits concession maps to the Indonesian government and World Resources Institute (WRI).

"We continue to implement our Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) round the clock, as well as deploying 2,900 trained firefighters and fire suppression helicopters to help deal with this tragic situation," APP said in the statement, adding that there are fires within their suppliers' concessions, but not started by the company or its suppliers.

"The fire situation is complex and both the Singapore and Indonesia governments and authorities are still investigating the situation."

APP products include Enlivo notebooks, Inspira paper and Paseo tissue paper.

- CNA/dl

Haze watch: Supermarkets, shops asked if paper products from sustainable sources
NTUC FairPrice, Watsons and IKEA are among seven companies that have been asked by the SEC and CASE to declare that they have not sourced products from companies accused of causing fires in Indonesia.
Channel NewsAsia 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Major supermarkets, pharmacies and furniture retailers in Singapore such as NTUC FairPrice, Watsons and IKEA have been asked to declare that their wood, paper and pulp products are procured from sustainable sources.

Seven companies and their subsidiaries will be asked to sign declaration forms stating that they have not procured or used materials from the companies accused of causing fires in Indonesia, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said in a joint news release on Wednesday (Oct 7).

The seven companies are: IKEA, Prime Supermarket, Sheng Siong, NTUC Unity, Watsons, NTUC FairPrice and Dairy Farm Group, which operates Cold Storage, Giant Singapore, Market Place by Jason’s, Guardian and 7-Eleven.

“These major supermarkets, pharmacies and furniture retailers operate several outlets from which consumers purchase paper-based products. They are a good starting point for retailers to commit to a green procurement process and for consumers to show their support for brands that have environmentally friendly practices,” the joint release said.

Declaration forms will be sent to the companies on Wednesday, and they are expected to respond within one week.

On Monday, the SEC and CASE said 10 out of 17 companies that manufacture paper products sold in Singapore have declared that they do not use products from five companies in Indonesia suspected of contributing to haze pollution. Another two companies – Mukim Fine Papers, which manufactures Tauro paper, and Tipex, which manufactures Goodlife and Beautex products – have since signed the declaration.

The remaining five companies that did not submit a valid declaration form will be temporarily restricted from using the “Singapore Green Label” certification pending further investigations, the SEC said.

- CNA/cy


NTUC FairPrice to withdraw all Asia Pulp & Paper Group paper products
Today Online 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE — Supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice announced today (Oct 7) that it will withdraw all paper products sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP), after the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) said it has instituted a temporary restriction on the use of the “Singapore Green Label” certification for the Indonesian firm’s products.

In a press release, FairPrice said it carries 14 housebrand products that are certified with the Singapore Green Label. Among them, two are housebrand tissue products sourced from APP through a licensed distributor. In addition, all 16 APP-related products from various brands carried by the chain also have the Singapore Green Label certification, FairPrice said.

Products affected by the withdrawal include FairPrice Softpack Tissue 200s, and FairPrice Gold 3 Ply Facial Tissue 140s, supplied by APP. FairPrice will also withdraw all APP-related products, including those from Paseo, NICE and Jolly, by 5pm today, it said.

NTUC FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng said: “We have been proactively monitoring the situation over the past week. We initiated meetings with the various parties concerned when the list of firms including APP, was named by the authorities as suspects for contributing to the haze.”

“As a fair business partner, we reserved taking action pending further information and investigation by the authorities. Our decision to withdraw all APP products is a result of the temporary restriction of their Green Label certification,” he added.

‘NO SUPPLIER HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE INVOLVED’: APP

APP has said it has “nothing to hide” and “no supplier has been proven to be involved” in raging forest fires in Indonesia contributing to hazy conditions around the region.

In a statement issued to the media today, APP — which is a member of Indonesia’s Sinar Mas Group and has an office in Singapore — said it received a notice from Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) on Sep 25 and had responded in accordance to their deadline.

NEA had issued the notice under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, seeking information on its subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as measures taken by its suppliers in Indonesia to put out fires in their concessions, as smoke from raging forest fires in Indonesia’s Sumatra and Kalimantan had pushed air quality to unhealthy levels in Singapore.

APP added that it has invited NEA officials to visit its operations in Indonesia to demonstrate the company’s no burning policy.

“If a supplier were found to have been involved in setting forest fires, our policy is clear and we would disengage that supplier. Thus far no supplier has been proven to be involved. It is premature therefore to make judgments until investigations by relevant authorities are completed,” the statement said.

In the statement, APP said its list of pulpwood suppliers is public, and the company submits concession maps to the Indonesian government and World Resources Institute (WRI).

“We continue to implement our Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) round the clock, as well as deploying 2,900 trained firefighters and fire suppression helicopters to help deal with this tragic situation,” APP said in the statement, adding that there are fires within their suppliers’ concessions, but not started by the company or its suppliers.

“The fire situation is complex and both the Singapore and Indonesia governments and authorities are still investigating the situation.”

APP products include Enlivo notebooks, Inspira paper and Paseo tissue paper.


Haze fallout: NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong withdraw all APP paper products
NTUC FairPrice and supermarket chain Sheng Siong withdraw all paper products sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) after the Singapore Environment.
Channel NewsAsia 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Supermarket chains NTUC FairPrice and Sheng Siong announced on Wednesday (Oct 7) that they would withdraw all paper products sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP), after the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) said it has instituted a temporary restriction on the use of the “Singapore Green Label” certification for the Indonesian firm's products.

In a press release, FairPrice said it carries 14 Housebrand products that are certified with the Singapore Green Label. Among them, two are Housebrand tissue products sourced from APP through a licensed distributor. In addition, all 16 APP-related products from various brands carried by the chain also have the Singapore Green Label certification, FairPrice said.

Products affected by the withdrawal include FairPrice Softpack Tissue 200s, and FairPrice Gold 3 Ply Facial Tissue 140s, supplied by APP. FairPrice will also withdraw all APP-related products, including those from Paseo, NICE and Jolly, by 5pm on Wednesday, it said.

NTUC FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng said: “We have been proactively monitoring the situation over the past week. We initiated meetings with the various parties concerned when the list of firms including APP, was named by the authorities as suspects for contributing to the haze.”

“As a fair business partner, we reserved taking action pending further information and investigation by the authorities. Our decision to withdraw all APP products is a result of the temporary restriction of their Green Label certification,” he added.

Meanwhile, NTUC Health Unity Pharmacy has announced that it does not purchase products from APP or any of the four companies in Indonesia suspected of contributing to the haze pollution in Indonesia.

In a statement on Wednesday, it said it has officially signed the form received from the Singapore Environmental Council and the Consumer Association of Singapore, which was issued to 17 firms calling on them to make this declaration.

"As the leading healthcare co-operative in Singapore, we are committed to being a responsible social citizen by advocating environmentally-friendly and sustainable business practices," said Mr Bernard Lee, managing director and head of Pharmacy and Health Food at NTUC Health. "We will continue to monitor new products, and work with companies that are certified under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme.”

Sheng Siong said it would be pulling out all products by APP with immediate effect. Responding to queries from Channel NewsAsia, a spokesperson said Sheng Siong's e-commerce team will also not fulfil orders that consist of Paseo and Nice products,

The spokesperson added: "As we are not the direct producers of the products sold in our supermarkets, we rely on our suppliers to produce the required certifications in terms of sustainable sources."

“NO SUPPLIER HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE INVOLVED”: APP

APP has said it has "nothing to hide" and "no supplier has been proven to be involved" in raging forest fires in Indonesia contributing to hazy conditions around the region.

In a statement issued to the media on Wednesday (Oct 7), APP - which is a member of Indonesia's Sinar Mas Group and has an office in Singapore - said it received a notice from Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) on Sep 25 and had responded in accordance to their deadline.

NEA had issued the notice under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, seeking information on its subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as measures taken by its suppliers in Indonesia to put out fires in their concessions, as smoke from raging forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan had pushed air quality to unhealthy levels in Singapore.

APP added that it has invited NEA officials to visit its operations in Indonesia to demonstrate the company's no burning policy.

"If a supplier were found to have been involved in setting forest fires, our policy is clear and we would disengage that supplier. Thus far no supplier has been proven to be involved. It is premature therefore to make judgments until investigations by relevant authorities are completed," the statement said.

In the statement, APP said its list of pulpwood suppliers is public, and the company submits concession maps to the Indonesian government and World Resources Institute (WRI).

"We continue to implement our Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) round the clock, as well as deploying 2,900 trained firefighters and fire suppression helicopters to help deal with this tragic situation," APP said in the statement, adding that there are fires within their suppliers' concessions, but not started by the company or its suppliers.

"The fire situation is complex and both the Singapore and Indonesia governments and authorities are still investigating the situation."

APP products include Enlivo notebooks, Inspira paper and Paseo tissue paper.

The remaining companies and their subsidiaries are expected to respond to the declaration forms within one week.

- CNA/dl/ww/hs


2 retailers pull products from firm linked to causing haze
FairPrice, Sheng Siong remove paper products sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper from shelves
LAURA PHILOMIN Today Online 8 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE — Two major retailers — NTUC FairPrice and Sheng Siong — are yanking paper products sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) from their shelves, as the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) continued to apply pressure on businesses over links to firms that could be partly responsible for causing the haze.

The SEC and CASE said in a joint statement today (Oct 7) that it has sent forms to seven retailers — including FairPrice, IKEA, Watson’s and Dairy Farm International Holdings — asking them to declare that they have not procured or used wood, paper and/or pulp materials from the companies accused of causing fires in Indonesia. It has also temporarily restricted the use of its Singapore Green Label certification for products made by the accused companies until investigations are over.

The five Indonesian firms that have been served preventive measures notices to deploy fire-fighting measures under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act are PT Rimba Hutani Mas, PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries, PT Bumi Sriwijaya Sentosa, PT Wachyuni Mandira and PT Bumi Mekar Hijau. APP has not been served a notice by the National Environment Agency (NEA), but it was asked to provide further information, which the company acceded to last week.

FairPrice today pulled two of its housebrand products as well as 16 APP-related products, which include brands like Paseo and NICE, from its stores. All the products were certified under the SEC’s Singapore Green Labelling scheme. Sheng Siong, which has been selling NICE and Paseo products, began removing these products from its stores today, and the company will sign the declaration form.

Dairy Farm International Holdings, which operates Cold Storage, Giant Singapore, Market Place by Jasons and Guardian Singapore, said it will stop purchasing products linked to APP for its stores. But products already on the shelves will remain. A spokesperson said Cold Storage had begun phasing out its housebrand paper products — which comes from an APP linked supplier — before the haze started this year, while Giant is now looking into switching suppliers for their house brand paper products.

SEC and CASE also said that of the 17 companies — a mix of manufacturers and distributors — contacted earlier to declare that they procured their materials from sustainable sources, another two have submitted their declaration, up from the 10 announced on Monday.

FairPrice, which was approached earlier to sign the declaration, said it was unable to do so then as it was waiting for APP to confirm their compliance to SEC’s requirements.

Speaking to reporters at Nex’s FairPrice Xtra, NTUC FairPrice chief executive officer Seah Kian Peng said the products from suppliers will be returned while stocks of their affected house brand products will be stored for the time being, adding the withdrawal will cost the company “millions”.

Unity Pharmacy, also a labour movement co-operative, said it has not purchased any products from APP or the five Indonesian companies, and has signed the declaration. IKEA confirmed that it does not source products from these companies and is not opposed to signing the form, but will need time to go through the details.

Watson’s chief operating officer Dominic Wong said it has begun investigating any business connections with the alleged companies and will provide an update after getting more information.

In response to queries, APP said it understood why retailers felt the need to take urgent action, “but accuracy is just as important.” Adding that it is “fully committed to transparency” of forest fires, APP said they responded quickly to NEA’s notice for information, even inviting officials to visit its operations in Indonesia.

“We have nothing to hide. If a supplier were found to have been involved in setting forest fires, our policy is clear and we would disengage that supplier. Thus far no supplier has been proven to be involved. It is premature therefore to make judgements until investigations by relevant authorities are completed,” said APP.

Asked about the challenges in dealing with companies where middlemen are involved, Mr Seah said they will work to if check products are from sustainable sources, but will also rely on third-party independent agencies like SEC to guide them.

He acknowledged that it would be irresponsible to jump to conclusions while investigations into APP are ongoing, but the company is “on the list” and this “requires us to certainly pay attention to it”. “If this suspension is lifted, … we will bring the products back,” he added.

Separately, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Singapore Business Federation urged their member companies commit to adopt green procurement practices and certify their plantations according to global industry standards by groups like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil for example. Companies should also work with both governments to extinguish fires and expose those who may be involved in illegal burning, they added.


Major retailers asked to declare wood, paper products are from sustainable sources
Today Online 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE — Major retailers in Singapore such as NTUC FairPrice, Watsons and IKEA have been asked to declare that their wood, paper and pulp products are obtained from sustainable sources today (Oct 7).

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said in a joint news release that they will be sending out declaration forms to seven companies and their subsidiaries for them to state that they have not procured or used materials from the companies accused of causing fires in Indonesia.

The seven companies are: IKEA, Prime Supermarket, Sheng Siong, NTUC Unity, Watsons, NTUC FairPrice and Dairy Farm Group, which operates Cold Storage, Giant Singapore, Market Place by Jason’s, Guardian and 7-Eleven.

They are expected to respond within a week.

“These major supermarkets, pharmacies and furniture retailers operate several outlets from which consumers purchase paper-based products,” said the SEC and CASE shortly after they issued a statement on Monday informing that 10 companies with paper products certified under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme have no links to those companies causing fires in Indonesia.

“They are a good starting point for retailers to commit to a green procurement process and for consumers to show their support for brands that have environmentally friendly practices.”

In a statement to TODAY, a Dairy Farm Group spokesman said that the company was suspending, with immediate effect, the purchasing of all Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) products across all its stores.

"We would like to reassure our customers that we have rigorous guidelines in place to ensure that our products comply with relevant requirements mandated by various regulating authorities in Singapore. We also seek to work with suppliers that are aligned with our values regarding sustainability and encourage others to adopt such practices for better business synergy," said the Dairy Farm spokesman.

The spokesman added that its Cold Storage chain had already started phasing out their House Brand paper products that were supplied by APP-linked suppliers even before the haze situation. The Giant brand is also now looking into switching suppliers for their House Brand paper products, said the spokesman.

"Our Private Label paper products are not supplied by Asia Pulp & Paper and our paper suppliers have assured us of their sustainability practices and all but one (pending) provided documentation such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification to support their claims," the spokesman added.

An IKEA Singapore spokesperson also confirmed to TODAY that the retailer has not made any purchases from the companies named in relation to the burning practises in the Indonesia that have led to the regional haze.

"IKEA Singapore is not opposed to signing the (SEC) declaration form, however, we just received it this morning and as part of standard process we are currently going over the details and criteria’s with the relevant departments," the spokesperson said.


Supermarkets pull plug on haze-linked firm's products
Jessica Lim, The Straits Times AsiaOne 7 Oct 15;

Supermarket chains NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong and Prime Supermarket have pulled all Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) items off their shelves, including popular brands such as Paseo.

The Dairy Farm group, which operates chains such as Guardian, 7-Eleven, Cold Storage and Giant, has also stopped replenishing APP stock. It will continue to sell existing items till they run out.

FairPrice was the first to make the announcement yesterday morning, followed by the others later in the day.

Their actions came after the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) temporarily suspended the green label of APP's exclusive distributor here, Universal Sovereign Trading.

On Sept 30, the SEC had also asked 17 firms, including FairPrice, to sign a form to declare that they do not carry products from five companies, including APP, which are under probe over their possible link to the haze-causing forest fires. The form also asks firms to state that they have not been convicted in any court in relation to the haze.

Yesterday, the SEC sent the same form to Prime, Dairy Farm, Sheng Siong, Ikea, Unity Pharmacy and Watsons.

Ikea said it does not buy from the firms under probe. Unity signed the form yesterday, while Watsons is still working with its suppliers and will make a decision soon.

FairPrice carries two housebrand goods supplied by APP and 16 other APP-related products including the Paseo, Nice and Jolly brands.

All these items were pulled off the shelves at its over 290 outlets, including Cheers convenience stores, by 5pm yesterday.

Late last month, the National Environment Agency began legal action against APP and four Indonesian firms it believes to be behind the burning. The haze from forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra has spread to Thailand after blanketing the skies and affecting the air quality in parts of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines in recent weeks.

FairPrice chief executive Seah Kian Peng said the chain took some time to decide to pull APP's products and sign the declaration because "as a fair business partner, we reserved taking action pending further information and investigation by the authorities".

The final decision was made after SEC temporarily restricted APP's green label certification. Mr Seah said APP's products would be reinstated if the firm is found to be innocent and gets back its green label.

The move to pull APP's products, he said, cost the chain "millions". "It does hurt us financially... but this goes beyond just the financial impact. I think it is the right thing for us to do, it is the responsible thing for us to do," said Mr Seah.

APP's managing director of sustainability Aida Greenbury said the firm "is firmly against forest fire" and that it deployed 2,900 firefighters and fire suppression helicopters to deal with the situation.

"We understand why FairPrice feels the need to take urgent action... but accuracy is just as important," she said. "The fire situation is complex and both the Singapore and Indonesia governments and authorities are still investigating the situation."

Mr Loh Weiwen, 33, an in-house legal counsel, hailed the supermarkets' move. "It is a very prompt response that is surprising to many shoppers in a good way. I hope other retailers follow suit ."


NTUC FairPrice withdraws 18 products sourced from firm suspected of contributing to haze
AsiaOne 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE - NTUC FairPrice has withdrawn today all paper products sourced from Singapore-based Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP).

A total of 18 APP related products will be withdrawn from all supermarkets island-wide.

Two of these are housebrand tissue products - FairPrice Softpack Tissue 200s and FairPrice Gold 3 Ply Facial Tissue 140s - which are sourced from APP through licensed distributor Universal Sovereign.

The remaining APP-related products, including Paseo, NICE and Jolly, will no longer be available at all FairPrice stores by 5pm today.

This announcement comes after the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) imposed a temporary restriction on the use of the "Singapore Green Label" certification for APP products.

CEO of NTUC FairPrice Seah Kian Peng said that FairPrice has been proactively monitoring the situation over the past week and initiated meetings with various parties concerned when the list of firms, including APP, was named by the authorities as suspects for contributing to the haze.

"As a fair business partner, we reserved taking action pending further information and investigation by the authorities.

"Our decision to withdraw all APP products is a result of the temporary restriction of their Green Label certification," said Mr Seah.

APP is one of the world's largest manufacturer of tissue, stationery and paper products.

According to a report in The Straits Times on Sep 27, APP was ordered by the National Environment Agency (NEA) under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to supply information on its Singapore and Indonesian subsidiaries, as well as what its suppliers are doing to fight fires.

APP was singled out by Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan as a possible culprit behind forest fires in Indonesia.

FairPrice reiterated on Wednesday that it was unable to sign the declaration of the two APP-related housebrand products earlier as it was pending the paper firm's confirmation of their compliance to SEC's requirements.

Last week, SEC had requested companies with paper products certified under the Singapore Green Label Scheme to declare compliance with using sustainable materials.

More firms on board for 'haze-free' declaration
Jessica Lim, The Straits Times AsiaOne 7 Oct 15;

Even as more firms signed a declaration that their products are free of raw materials from companies being investigated for forest fires in Indonesia, many noted that it was hard to pinpoint an item's source.

Tissue paper distributor Tipex and printer paper supplier Mukim Fine Papers signed on Tuesday. FairPrice, Unity Pharmacy and Malaysia Newsprint Industries did so yesterday, bringing to 15 the number of firms that have signed.

Tipex said in a statement to The Straits Times that it does not own plantations and mills, and so does not make paper products itself.

"Rather, these are sourced from various suppliers, internationally," said its spokesman Cindy Lim. "Due to the involvement of many parties in the process, companies may not be privy to one another's internal business and work processes."

Mukim Fine Papers simply stopped ordering from Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) - one of the five firms under probe - altogether.

Said its business development manager Ben Chua: "We cannot trace what is happening at APP so it's best that we just stop selling its products."

On Monday, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) released a list of firms that had signed the declaration. It has so far sent the form to 23 firms that manufacture or sell wood and paper products.

SEC's plan is to also start working with other industries known to contribute to the haze and deforestation - for instance, palm oil product manufacturers and retailers.

Errant pulpwood plantation owners typically burn land to clear it quickly after logging season, said experts. Many also burn adjacent forests to open up new land to expand their plantations. Wayward oil palm plantation owners are also known to clear land this way.

Culprits are difficult to trace as supply chain processes are muddied by factors such as a lack of land ownership information in Indonesia.

World Wide Fund for Nature Indonesia's Global Forest and Trade Network Coordinator Aditya Bayunanda said that for palm oil, for instance, mills - which extract crude palm oil - are supplied by hundreds of plantations.

Traders, he said, go round to small independently-owned oil palm farms, collect the fruit, then supply it to a main supplier, which trucks it to mills.

This, said Associate Professor Tan Yan Weng, head of SIM University's logistics and supply chain management programme, causes "everything to get mixed up".

There are other complications, said SEC's head of eco-certification Kavickumar Muruganathan. Retailers here typically obtain the rights to sell a product from distributors, which then arrange with overseas manufacturers to import the stock.

"Manufacturers might own plantations, but some strike deals with landowners on the side to use their land. Some also ask other suppliers to sell the fruit to them on an ad hoc basis if demand spikes," he said, adding that errant firms pay farmers to use their land for oil palm.

On paper, the land is owned by the farmer and the firm is not implicated. There is also no map of land ownership available, making the task of pinpointing the owners of a plantation difficult.

However, Nanyang Technological University's Professor Ang Peng Hwa, who co-founded the Haze Elimination Action Team volunteer group, urged retailers to stop "putting up a smokescreen".

"It is true it can be difficult. But retailers have to ask suppliers to show them certification," said Prof Ang. "Consumers also have a role to play to demand higher standards."

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an international organisation, has certified 111 companies here to use its trademarks on products. FSC's Asia-Pacific regional director Alistair Monument said that every player in the supply chain for these products is audited yearly.

Paper mills involved, for instance, have to keep records of inputs and outputs so that the origin of the fibres can be checked.

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NEA studying regulated way to manage e-waste

Janice Tai, The Straits Times AsiaOne 6 Oct 15;

With residents here getting rid of their old laptops and cellphones without a second thought, Singapore is churning out 60 million kg of electronic waste (e-waste) every year - more than the combined weight of 220 Airbus A-380 aircraft. Only a fraction of that is recycled or disposed of properly.

So far, the most extensive community e-waste recycling programme here has managed to collect only 22,000kg of it from 214 recycling bins islandwide this year. That is less than the weight of two buses.

The project is managed by StarHub, DHL Express and home- grown recycling firm TES-AMM.

The South East Community Development Council (CDC) restarted its heartland e-waste recycling programme in February after a pilot in 2013 collected 10,000kg of items.

That is why the National Environment Agency (NEA) is studying the option of having a regulated national system to collect, recycle and manage e-waste .

The study will review the laws and enforcement frameworks in place in other countries that require consumers to recycle and dispose of e-waste separately for "potential application" here.

In the NEA tender that was called last month, it wanted a survey to be done of the entire e-waste collection and recycling value chain.

In the tender document, it said: "The amount of e-waste is rising with today's ubiquitous use of computers, smartphones and other equipment. E-waste contains substances that may lead to adverse health impact and environmental degradation when improperly collected and treated."

E-waste contains valuable and scarce materials, but also small amounts of hazardous substances such as mercury and cadmium.

Currently, used electrical and electronic equipment is mostly taken away by second-hand dealers to be scrapped or refurbished. Some manufacturers also run schemes to take back used IT equipment.

"However, recycling avenues for some types of equipment, such as bulky consumer electronics and home appliances, are few and far between," NEA told The Straits Times last week. "A more comprehensive system needs to be established."

The agency has been meeting companies, manufacturers, retailers and recycling service providers to set up more recycling points for the public, raise recycling standards and collect data to come up with a regulated management system.

The project led by StarHub started in 2012 with 2,700kg of e-waste collected from five bins. By the end of the year, there will be 235 bins located in offices, schools and shopping malls islandwide.

"The project is not yet self-sustaining. For instance, the cost of collection is about $3,000, double the returns from recycled materials," said a StarHub spokesman.

Other challenges in the way of e-waste recycling taking off in a big way here include a lack of awareness. "Typically, people either trade in their unwanted e-waste during electronic fairs, sell it off to karung guni or treat it as general waste because of the convenience or lack of awareness of recycling platforms," said a spokesman for South East CDC.

Its 2013 pilot partnered Panasonic Asia Pacific, which donated energy-saving light bulbs to less-privileged families in Marine Parade and Mountbatten based on the amount of recyclables collected.

Ms Bernadette Ng, 37, has donated an iPad, old remote controls, CDs and cables over the last few years. "I started to donate when there was a recycling bin at the Kembangan Community Club near my home and I always do it with my children to show them the importance of caring for our environment," said Ms Ng, who works in the aviation industry.

"It must be consistently practised so that it becomes part of our daily behaviour."

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Sustainable investing picking up pace in Singapore

There is now a growing push on companies to be aware of the role they play in preserving the environment, and MAS wants financial institutions in Singapore to take the lead through responsible financing.
Patrick John Lim Channel NewsAsia 6 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Haze-causing forest fires in Indonesia have thrust corporate sustainability practices in the spotlight, and there is now a growing push on companies to be aware of the role they play in preserving the environment.

Investing with an eye on sustainability may still be a relatively new concept in Singapore, but it is one that is beginning to gain momentum.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) wants financial institutions in Singapore to take the lead through responsible financing. In a statement on Monday (Oct 5), the central bank said it supports plans to provide guidance for investors - specifically institutional investors - when engaging investee companies, on sustainability, social and environmental issues.

Industry experts said the statement comes at a good time, as interest in sustainable investing mounts.

Said Mr K Sadashiv, partner for Climate Change and Sustainability Services at EY: "You are beginning to see change already and I would say it is a positive signal. From what we see, what MAS and SGX (Singapore Exchange) are doing is to further galvanise that and give a little push, fillip to that whole activity."

Mr Melvyn Yeo, co-founder and partner of Trirec, noted: "The overall landscape is definitely moving toward more sustainable investing, and more focused on CSR (corporate social responsibility) related to the environment.

“Looking at our country in the last couple of years, we are seeing more green buildings, there is a bigger push for Smart Nation and a lot of that is to ensure efficiency and productivity to reduce waste from a variety of factors. There is a lot that has being done and creating the awareness that … gets all of us - whether in the financial world or the layman - to be involved in this space.”

Trirec is an investment firm which focuses on renewable energy and cleantech investments, having invested in local solar leasing company Sunseap Leasing earlier this year. It said companies should be given time to change their practices, to take on a more sustainable focus.

Said Mr Yeo: "Whether or not we should discourage people from investing in companies which are deemed to be not sustainable, that might be a bit extreme in my view. Because there are certain companies that exist for a certain reason and as a market practitioner, I do not think we should in any way necessarily over-penalise companies for what they do. We should gently let market forces take its due course."

Singapore is taking steps to beef up guidelines on investing in sustainable development. The Association of Banks in Singapore is expected to release a set of criteria for responsible financing in Singapore soon.

- CNA/ms

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Channel NewsAsia announces top performing Asian companies in 2015 Sustainability Ranking

The ranking identifies the top 100 companies in the region with the highest sustainability performance, based on a broad range of environmental, social and governance indicators.
Channel NewsAsia 7 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Regional broadcaster Channel NewsAsia and its partners, CSR Asia and Sustainalytics, announced on Wednesday (Oct 7) the list of top performing Asian companies for the 2015 Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking. The exclusive ranking, launched at the CSR Asia Summit held at the Royale Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, rates the corporate sustainability performance of businesses in Asia.

The Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking identifies the top 100 companies in the region with the highest sustainability performance, based on a broad range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators. The ranking provides investors and consumers with insights into corporate sustainability practices, and aims to provide businesses with a way to benchmark their performance against other regional businesses.

Based on specific ESG indicators and methodology developed by Sustainalytics, a leading provider of ESG and corporate governance ratings and research, the ranking highlights the overall top 20 companies as well as the top three businesses per country. The territories covered are China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and new for 2015 – Japan.

Ms Debra Soon, Head of MediaCorp’s News and Premier, said: “Channel NewsAsia believes in promoting excellence in Asia, in all fields. With this annual ranking, we celebrate business excellence, the need to set global standards for what we do and are associated with, and to constantly strive to improve. Sustainability and corporate responsibility are important themes as Asia progresses; we cannot be content to just celebrate financial success in businesses, we must strive for better corporate practices and help Asian companies benchmark themselves against the finest and adopt best practices.”

“Sustainalytics is delighted to support the Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking, and we applaud this year’s top performing companies for their sustainability efforts,” said Sustainalytics’ CEO Michael Jantzi. “We believe this initiative plays a critical role in helping to raise awareness of sustainability best practices in the Asia-Pacific region, and hope the ranking will inspire more companies to embed sustainable practices in their business operations.”

Dr Richard Welford, Chairman of CSR Asia, said: “The Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking allows companies to assess how their sustainability performance compares with other businesses in the region. Demonstrating the social and environmental responsibility of a company is becoming increasingly important for investors and consumers alike – and companies that don’t feature should be asking themselves if this may affect their competitive advantage.”

2015 CHANNEL NEWSASIA SUSTAINABILITY RANKING

Wipro has emerged at the top of the ranking for its strong corporate governance and ESG practices. The company has a chief sustainability officer and a detailed sustainability strategy to address risks and opportunities on both environmental and social fronts.

United Microelectronics is ranked second for demonstrating a robust water risk management programme, followed by Tech Mahindra for its SMART (Skills-for-Market-Training) and SMART+ (for persons with disabilities) programmes, which encourage and facilitate employment opportunities for youth from marginalised communities.

For the full list of the top 100 companies, visit http://sustainability-ranking.channelnewsasia.com.

The ranking was unveiled at the CSR Asia Summit, one of the largest CSR conferences in the region. The annual summit brings together a unique mix of business, government and civil society stakeholders to address pressing concerns and understand important emerging trends. The focus of the summit this year is sustainable business strategies that bring shared value to business, community and society.

During the two-day summit, Chloe Cho, Channel NewsAsia’s Presenter and Executive Producer, will be co-moderating two forums. The panel discussions will delve into the value of the ranking, how companies can get on the index as a measure of their corporate sustainability, and the crucial role inclusive business plays in contributing to economic and social development.

- CNA/cy

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Becoming a ‘car-lite’ society

Today Online 6 Oct 15;

Singapore has focused on liveability and sustainability way before these words became fashionable in urban planning. A key part of this is urban mobility.

The city-state’s overall urban development strategy has been guided by an integrated approach to transport and land-use planning. The 1971 Concept Plan provided a fundamental framework for physical development to cater to the needs of a population that was projected to reach 4 million by 1992.

To attract investors and residents, Singapore had to reduce congestion and provide roads that moved goods and labour efficiently. Singapore took strong early steps to slow motorisation rates by implementing high vehicular taxes and road pricing to manage demand.

At the same time, Singapore invested heavily in public transport. Truth be told, the Government was divided initially, and there was intense debate about whether a cheaper all-bus system was preferable to a mass rapid transit (MRT) system, which took massive capital investment.

The turning point came with the renewal of our vision for Marina South as an extension of the existing Central Business District (CBD) area, where MRT access would raise land values and enable land sales there to subsidise MRT costs.

The pro-rail argument prevailed and in 1983, we started construction of the first MRT system in Singapore. Today, life in Singapore without the MRT would be unimaginable.

Over time, the public transport network has evolved to provide citizens with a sustainable low-pollution environment and a high quality of life. However, gaps remain in Singapore’s provision and design of our urban transport systems.

To ensure sustainability, liveability and equitability for their citizens, and to attract and retain talent from around the world, cities such as Seoul, New York and London are planning and designing urban spaces to focus on the needs of ordinary people.

For space-and-resource-crunched Singapore, re-thinking the way we plan and design our urban spaces is just as imperative — if not more.

For one, emphasising the smooth movement of vehicles around the city has served Singapore well in the past, but has contributed to an urban environment that is less friendly to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.

Until recent years, non-motorised forms of transport such as walking and cycling had not been given adequate attention. There is little dedicated cycling infrastructure. Many parts of the urban landscape are still dominated by pedestrian-unfriendly overhead bridges and narrow pavements.

Even at major pedestrian thoroughfares, such as the junction of Orchard Road and Scotts Road, cars are given absolute priority, while people are forced to make use of underground road crossings.

The focus on road expansion to tackle anticipated traffic congestion also does not necessarily optimise land and resource use. Already, 12 per cent of our valuable land has been set aside for transport-related use, of which a significant amount is for building roads.

Furthermore, it has been well proven that no city can build its way out of congestion. Roads are built based on the projected number of vehicles, but when there are more roads, people tend to drive more.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s parking policies appear to have over-provided cheap parking, a perverse incentive that encourages drivers and seems in direct conflict with the goal of increasing the share of trips taken on public transport. A monthly season parking in the CBD area averages out to be a low S$10 to S$15 per day, cheaper than a one-way taxi trip from most housing towns during peak hours.

In theory, our public policies are meant to promote more sustainable travel behaviours. But in practice, we are at risk of creating an urban ecosystem in which cars, instead of people, take centre stage. Inevitably, to re-work this ecosystem will involve de-prioritising some of the privileges enjoyed by car users today.

DISCOURAGE DRIVING

Much effort has already gone into enhancing the attractiveness of public transport. Commuters, especially those who own cars, also need to be convinced that public transport can be a fast, reliable and comfortable alternative to private vehicles.

Reducing car dependency, however, is not a task for the transport authority alone. A multi-pronged approach will be needed to prepare ourselves for a “car-lite” future in an increasingly complex and inter-dependent urban environment.

At the strategic level, urban planners have a major challenge in bringing jobs closer to where people live. While many more recent housing projects have been built in the north, north-east and east of our island, key employment activities continue to concentrate in the west and the city centre, resulting in long commutes.

To address these issues, urban planners are creating new commercial centres outside the city centres; for example, in Jurong Lake District, Paya Lebar Central, and the North Coast Innovation Corridor around Woodlands and Seletar.

More must also be done to discourage people from driving. Even with excellent access to public transport, workplaces that provide ample parking spaces at affordable rates will tend to prompt both staff and visitors to drive. Similarly, the generous supply of residential car-parking facilities could encourage car ownership and reinforce the notion of parking as an entitlement.

Rather than seeking to accommodate car-parking demand, future policies should take limited supply as a given and focus anew on effective demand management.

It is also important to provide a safer and more conducive ecosystem for sustainable modes of transport such as walking and cycling. It would not be necessary to set aside space for designated cycling lanes on every street; similarly, the movement of cars need not be prioritised across the entire road system. Instead, key corridors could be identified within “community links” to key local destinations such as public transport nodes, shops, schools and other amenities.

Finally, culture, behaviour and perception matter a lot in promoting active mobility. In Singapore, cars remain an aspiration or status symbol, in part because of their high price-tag engendered by the very measures introduced to slow the growth in car population. Meanwhile, motorists view pedestrians and cyclists as annoying encumbrances, and concern about safety and the weather still stigmatises cycling.

Meaningful change on sustainable urban mobility will be driven by two key factors: Whether our city’s leaders walk the talk on ‘car-lite’ travel behaviour; and whether the vision is followed up by concerted efforts to drive and support this change. It is our choice whether to, henceforth, build a city for cars or for people.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Khoo Teng Chye is executive director at the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), Ministry of National Development. Remy Guo and Mina Zhan are senior assistant directors at CLC. This commentary is adapted from a longer piece in Beyond 50: Re-imagining Singapore, a book of essays by different authors on the country’s future challenges and opportunities. The publication, which is available both in print and online, is supported by the SG50 Celebration Fund. This is part of a series of pieces from the book that TODAY is publishing.

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Singapore and Malaysia wheeze as Indonesia goodwill hammered by haze

The strongest El Nino in two decades may prolong the dry weather, meaning the haze could remain for some time yet
Pooi Koon Chong Bloomberg 7 Oct 15;

As Singapore and Malaysia wheeze from cloying smoke generated by forest fires in Indonesia, the costs to tourism and health and productivity in the two countries could be outweighed by the impact on Indonesia itself -- and the country's regional reputation.

“The damage this time when the haze finally runs its course is expected to be high,” said Euston Quah, a professor and head of the economics division at Nanyang Technological University in the city state, who has studied recent fires and plans to look again at all the affected countries, including Indonesia. “We must continually estimate and show the damage is not only to Singapore, Malaysia and other neighboring countries, but also to Indonesia itself, which includes the loss of goodwill. The damage to Indonesia must be huge. ”

The strongest El Nino in two decades may prolong the dry weather, which means the hazy conditions could remain for some time longer.

The smog has shrouded Singapore and Malaysia for weeks and is likely to manifest in fewer tourist arrivals as some countries are starting to send travel warnings about the two countries, which might impact hotels and retail spending, according to Chua Hak Bin, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Singapore.

He estimates the impact on Singapore could range from 0.1 percent to 0.4 percent of gross domestic product, depending on whether the haze lasts for one month or three.

``The health costs might rise exponentially if the haze worsens and persists for a long period,'' he said.

The worst haze in 1997 cost Singapore $300 million, while a milder event in 2013 led to about $50 million of losses to retailers, hotels, tourism and the economy overall, according to Quah's research.

The impact may go beyond tourism to impact the broader economy.

A protracted and severe haze may delay construction projects and slow factory output, according to Weiwen Ng, a Singapore-based economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd.


Indonesia doing best it can to combat haze: Disaster chief
Indonesia has rejected suggestions it is not doing enough, with the country's disaster chief saying everything possible was being utilised.
Channel NewsAsia 6 Oct 15;

JAKARTA: Indonesia's disaster chief on Tuesday (Oct 6) rejected criticism his country was not doing enough to combat the haze crisis, saying every possible resource was being deployed to fight the forest fires blanketing Southeast Asia in smog.

Indonesia has come under growing pressure from its neighbours in recent weeks as thick smoke from fires on Sumatra and Kalimantan has sent pollution levels soaring in Malaysia and Singapore, where schools have been closed and major outdoor events cancelled.

The blazes flare annually during the dry season as fires are illegally set to clear land for cultivation. But an El Nino weather system has made conditions on track to become the most severe on record.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has urged Indonesia to take action, saying only Jakarta has the authority to investigate the cause of the fires and convict those responsible.

But Indonesia has rejected suggestions it is not doing enough, with the country's disaster chief saying everything possible was being utilised.

"We have done the best we can," Willem Rampangilei told reporters. "It is understandable if other countries are upset, but we Indonesians are more upset."

Pollution in Singapore and Malaysia has risen beyond hazardous levels since the haze outbreak began last month, while levels more than five times that limit have been recorded on the Indonesian part of Borneo island.

Borneo is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Schools in many parts of Malaysia were closed for a second straight day on Tuesday, part of a two-day shutdown announced at the weekend as pollution levels soared. Air quality readings were unhealthy along parts of country's west coast facing Sumatra.

The haze spread as far as southern Thailand, where pollution levels were rising fast, prompting Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to call for a regional meeting on the crisis. "We have to talk with the countries where it (the haze) originates," he said.

Singapore has offered to help combat the fires, volunteering a Hercules plane and IT expertise, but Indonesia has insisted it has the equipment necessary to do the job.

Rampangilei said Indonesia had four planes on standby to conduct cloud seeding, but a lack of clouds in the past week had stymied attempts to produce artificial rain.

Efforts by more than a dozen helicopters to water bomb hot spots have several times been thwarted by thick smoke, he added.

Rampangilei said he asked the army for 1,000 more soldiers to be deployed to fight the fires, while authorities were considering dumping 40 tonnes of fire retardant on smouldering peatlands.

According to earlier reports, there were still more than 500 hot spots in Sumatra, some 400 of them in South Sumatra. More than 710 hotspots exist in Kalimantan, with 333 of them in East Kalimantan. Around 140,000 people have reported respiratory infections due to the thick smog.

Rampangilei said soldiers will be deployed to fight existing fires, and to prevent new ones starting. They will also conduct patrols and help educate the local community against burning their land.
He acknowledged that even as hotspots are being extinguished, new ones have appeared, as people continue to use the slash-and-burn method to clear their land.

Rampangilei also said his agency has developed a concept plan to tackle the annual forest fires that have caused the haze. This is a long-term plan to find a solution and will be ready by the end of the year.

- AFP/CNA/ec

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Malaysia: Haze Should Be Addressed At ASEAN Level - Health Minister

Bernama 5 Oct 15;

BUTTERWORTH, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia should use its status as ASEAN Chairman this year to tackle the haze crisis that has hit the region.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said Malaysia could bring this matter for discussion in regional meetings so that issues could be resolved.

He said the best step to address this crisis was by using every means and instrument in the platform and ASEAN framework, so that the matter could be addressed by all ASEAN members.

"The haze crisis is nothing new and every year, Malaysia expects Indonesia to solve this problem, but Indonesia has failed to deal with it.

"This is not anymore a problem of an individual country, we must look at this issue as a regional issue and Malaysia as chairman can bring this matter to an ASEAN meeting so that an agenda can be established," he told reporters before opening the Penang MIC convention here today.

Dr Subramaniam said the haze crisis had affected the daily activities of some regional countries, including Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.

He said the implementation of programmes within the region would be possible if the issue was brought up at ASEAN level talks.

"The views and cooperation among ASEAN members will assist in solving this problem," he said.

The haze which hit the country a few days ago has caused schools to be closed, and delayed aircraft landing at airports.

Meanwhile, the minister said he had not received any proposal from National Sports Day organisers to postpone programmes, adding that perhaps, the organisers hoped the weather would improve soon.

National Sports Day, to be held for the first time on Oct 10, is set to be an annual event on the second Saturday of October nationwide, to raise awareness among the people to adopt a healthy lifestyle and turn Malaysia into a sporting nation.

-- BERNAMA

Putrajaya working on Bill against companies responsible for haze
Today Online 6 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA — The Malaysian government may enact a law to deal with companies domestically as well as those based overseas responsible for causing the haze, local media reported today (Oct 6).

“At the moment, we cannot take action against Indonesian companies as we do not have transborder laws like in Singapore,” said Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, yesterday.

He was referring to Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which allows entities causing or contributing to unhealthy levels of haze in Singapore to be fined up to S$2 million.

To date, Singapore’s National ­Environment Agency has issued preventive measures notices to five ­Indonesian companies that are suspected to be causing the haze, putting into ­action powers available under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act for the first time since it was passed last year.

The ­notices require the firms to ­deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish or prevent the spread of any fire on land owned or occupied by them, and to discontinue any burning activities on such land, among other things.

Dr Wan Junaidi added that the Bill, which is still in the works, would give the government power to act ­beyond Malaysian borders, reported Utusan Malaysia, a newspaper owned by ruling United Malays National Organisation, today.

The newspaper also ­reported that the minister urged Indonesia to implement stricter laws to tackle the haze problem.

Yesterday, Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, told reporters that the haze has affected tourist arrivals to Malaysia, and that the ministry was working on initiatives and strategies to attract foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, in a reflection of the spiralling cost needed to combat the forest fires behind the haze blanketing the region, Indonesian authorities also announced yesterday that 500 billion rupiah (S$50.2 million) has been spent on firefighting efforts so far.

According to a spokesman for ­Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Sutopo ­Purwo ­Nugro­ho, the agency had earlier ­estimated that the haze mitigation ­efforts would cost 385 billion rupiah, but with the deployment of additional manpower, the costs could continue to rise ­beyond the 500 billion rupiah that has already been spent.

Mr Sutopo added that despite firefighting efforts, the forest fires have showed no signs of abating.

At the same time, Indonesian health authorities announced today that more than 300,000 cases of haze-related respiratory illnesses have been recorded since the dry season began in June.

“The average number of patients seeking treatment at health facilities has risen by 15 to 20 per cent in the last three weeks. The conditions will (continue to) worsen if the haze (isn’t ­extinguished) soon,” Indonesian Health Minister Nila Moeloek told ­reporters at a press conference today.

Health officials also said that South Sumatra has the highest level of air pollution, with the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reaching a staggering 880 today, which is considered hazardous. AGENCIES

Cloud seeding done daily
The Star 7 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: Cloud seeding has been conducted almost every day in areas with sufficient cumulus clouds since the haze problem began early last month.

And the Government has enough resources to continue such operations in areas severely hit by the haze.

“So far, we have had no problem with funding and our equipment is always on standby.

“We can do it anytime and any place, scattered throughout the country when the situation needs it,” said Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah.

He was speaking to reporters after launching the 4th Federation of Asian Polymer Societies and International Polymer Congress at Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

Abu Bakar dismissed allegations that the Ministry had used harmful chemicals in any of its cloud seeding operations.

“The matter used in cloud seeding is natrium chloride, which is regular salt used for daily cooking. When we mix salt and spray it on the clouds, the clouds will become heavy and it will turn into rain.

“How is that harmful to the people?” he asked, urging the public not to believe rumours spread in social media.

Meanwhile, Langkawi recorded the highest air pollutant index (API) reading at 161 as of 2pm yesterday. It was among 17 locations which recorded unhealthy air levels.

The API reading for Langkawi taken at 11am was 168, according to the portal of the Department of Environment.

Others include Bakar Arang in Sungai Petani (Kedah) – with API readings of 102 – Kuala Selangor (128); Port Klang (122), Shah Alam (113); Banting (106); Port Dickson (109); Malacca City and Bukit Rambai in Malacca (108).

An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and 300 and above, hazardous.

The public can check the DoE portal at apims.doe.gov.my for the latest API readings in their areas.


Less haze from now until Sunday
FARHANA SYED NOKMAN New Straits Times 6 Oct 15;

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is expected to experience less haze from now until Oct 11 due to the presence of tropical storm Mujigae, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

"Mujigae will affect the wind as it would be weaker, blowing from various directions.

"The weather conditions in the region are expected to be wetter with rain and thunderstorms at several areas in the country in the afternoons.

"Due to this, the thick haze is expected to reduce from today until Oct 11," he told a press conference after the Haze Committee meeting, here today.

Wan Junaidi said Indonesia has also predicted that its burning activities could only be brought under control by the end of November.


Education Ministry: Schools nationwide to re-open Wednesday, except in Langkawi
Bernama 6 Oct 15;

PUTRAJAYA: All schools in the country are to re-open Wednesday except for those in Langkawi, where the Air Pollutant Index (API) remains at "unhealthy" levels, says Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

He said the closure involved 28 schools and a total of 18,759 students.

"The Kedah State Education Department and Langkawi district education office shall inform schools and parents in the district on the closure immediately," he told reporters after chairing the state education executive council meeting here.

Mahdzir said all state education departments, school districts and school management committees across the country should continually monitor API readings.

He said that in the event of an increase in API to unhealthy and very unhealthy levels, the parties concerned could take action at their respective levels, as set by the Ministry.

Langkawi recorded an "Unhealthy" API of 158 at 7pm Tuesday. - Bernama


Langkawi API reading tops list of 17 unhealthy areas
MICHELLE TAM The Star 6 Oct 15;

PETALING JAYA: With a reading of 168, Langkawi recorded the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) in the country at 11am Tuesday.

And at 136, Kuala Selangor is the second highest of the 17 areas deemed unhealthy according to the Department of Environment website.

The other areas are Pasir Gudang, Johor and Port Klang, Selangor (both 127); Seri Manjung, Perak (122); Shah Alam (117); Larkin Lama, Johor (113); Kangar, Perlis (111); Bandaraya Melaka and Bukit Rambai, Malacca and Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan, Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang (all 110); Banting, Selangor (108); Seberang Jaya 2, Perai (105); Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani (102) and Putrajaya and Kota Tinggi, Johor (both 101).

Twenty-two areas recorded moderate readings, among them being Kampung Air Putih, Taiping (100), followed by Alor Setar, Kedah (99) and Petaling Jaya, Selangor (98).

An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and above 300, hazardous.

Members of the public can refer to the DOE portal at apims.doe.gov.my for the latest API reading.

Fish supply is sufficient
C. PREMANANTHINI New Straits Times 6 Oct 15;

KUALA SELANGOR: No fishermen in Selangor have been affected by haze. For now, fishing activities are going on as usual.

The Department of Fisheries, Putrajaya, Development and Technology Transfer Division director Sufian Sulaiman said if the haze continues to worsen and no improvement in the air quality, they have been advised to not go out to sea.

Sufian said so far, the fish supply in the country is sufficient and no news about increasing in fish prices.

"The increase in fish prices depends on the supply and demand of the consumers and traders. Normally, this sort of situation occurs during the monsoon season.

"However, we have told them if they (fishermen) finds the visibility is poor then they don't have to go out to the sea," he said at a press conference after the launched of Sukarelawan Perikanan Negeri Selangor (SUPER) at De Palma Hotel Kuala Selangor, here, today.

At the event, he said, the department targets to have more than 5,000 members or volunteers of SUPER in the country this year, to monitor and disseminate information on the invasion of foreign fishermen illegally fishing at our Malaysian waters.

SUPER was launched in June last year.

Currently, the department has received about 4,144 fishermen has registered as volunteers.

"In Malaysia, there are 24,000 fishermen. We hope to reach our goal before this year ends.

"In Selangor, we are targeting about 450 members to sign in and so far, about 233 fishermen have signed to be part of SUPER. This squad (SUPER) is not just for volunteering at sea but also to offer help for any kind of situation. For example, help to finding and relocating floods victims and much more," he said, adding that each member will undergo a training to ensure that these volunteers stay fit and strong, physically.

Besides, monitoring the fishing activities, he said the volunteers will also help to conserve the fishery resources and ecosystems, including being a liaison among the fishing communities.

He said the department had also collaborated with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and since the launched of the squad the volunteers have been a good eyes and ears for the agency.

The programme was launched in August last year.

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Malaysia: Fishermen hit hard by pollution from prawn farms

SERI NOR NADIAH KORIS AND BALQIS ARIFFIN New Straits Times 6 Oct 15;

TAIPING: PRAWN farming near Kuala Gula may be one of the reasons for the depletion of marine life in northern Perak waters since early this year.

Villagers alleged that the 800ha prawn farm was the source of the pollution that had contaminated the water and killed marine life, including cockles.

Kampung Tersusun Kuala Gula village chief Mohd Salleh Kamarudin told the New Straits Times that the problem started when the prawn farming project by a Federal Government agency began operations in August 2012.

“We do not know what is happening at the farm. €The operator promised fishermen that they would share profits from the project’s proceeds.

“However, we have received nothing,” said Salleh, who took the NST team to near the farm and the areas affected by the pollution.

He said more than 70 fishermen were facing financial problems because of poor catch.

“We could earn at least RM200 daily before but now it is less than RM50. Although the government is subsidising the fuel, it is hard to catch fish and other seafood,” said Salleh, a fisherman for more than 25 years.

He said the fishermen were also told that the marine life in the area, especially cockles, was contaminated with ammonia.

“The authorities have yet to identify the source of ammonia but we think it originates from the prawn farm, which produces a strong rancid smell.

“Before the project started, there was no weird smell in the area.”

Another fisherman, Zainal Abidin Zainon, 38, said the farm was guarded by security personnel.

“€œThere was one incident when my friend and I were warned by the guards when we went near the farm. They ordered us to leave and we were shocked by the directive.”

Checks found that Sungai Menerus’s riverbanks were cleared while its frothing water had an overpowering smell.

On the way back to the Kuala Gula jetty, the NST team also witnessed thousands of cockle shells on the riverbanks.

Another fisherman, Rosdi Che Ros, 45, said he could no longer feed his family because of the low catch.

“This problem has been going on for seven months. How can I support my family without a stable income?” € said Rosdi.

He said he hoped the authorities could stop the public from eating the cockles if it was true that they were contaminated with ammonia.

State Fisheries director Dr Bah Piyan Tan refuted the allegation that the prawn farm was the source of the ammonia.

He said the case was being investigated and similar problems had occurred in Selangor, Penang and Johor.

“We need to wait for the researchers to complete their investigation, and the results will be out only after the cockle management committee meeting holds its
second meeting this month,” said Bah.

He said the prawn farm in Kuala Gula did not have any effect on the marine life, and the ammonia contamination also existed in other states without such projects.

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Indonesia: South Sumatra residents to file class action suit against firms causing haze

The companies suspected of burning land and causing transboundary haze are Asia Agri, Golen Agri Resources, Wilmar, Sime Darby, and Asia Pulp and Paper.
Saifulbahri Ismail Channel NewsAsia 6 Oct 15;

JAKARTA: A group of Indonesian residents in Jambi, South Sumatra are in the final stages of preparing a class action lawsuit against five companies responsible for the forest fires that have caused massive air pollution in Indonesia and across the region.

They are expected to serve notice to these companies this month.

Mr Musri Nauli is one of 20 advocates representing the residents of Jambi in a lawsuit against companies suspected of burning land. These companies are Asia Agri, Golen Agri Resources, Wilmar, Sime Darby and Asia Pulp and Paper.

More than 50 locals of the Indonesian province of Sumatra have stepped forward to act, and to see justice served.

According to reports, thousands of people living in Jambi have developed respiratory infections after breathing the acrid air, while others have suffered lost income.

They are claiming a total of 51 trillion rupiah (US$3.5 billion) in losses.

"There are two kinds of losses: Firstly, losses that can be calculated to around 7 trillion rupiah, the companies have to compensate that. There is also the cost of recovering the land which has been destroyed, and we have calculated that to be 44 trillion rupiah," said Mr Musri.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment or Walhi, is helping the plaintiffs with their lawsuit. Walhi has conducted its own legal battle against companies and acknowledges it faces a challenge ahead.

"Walhi won its claim during the forest fires which destroyed some 11.6 million hectares in 1998, and one more in 2000 in South Kalimantan,” said Mr Mukri Fatriani, an ecology disaster campaigner from Walhi. “From then on, 14 years have passed and we have not won any other claims."

Walhi said that even though there are clear laws, these have not been enforced.

Those taking the companies to court are confident of getting a positive result.

"The 2015 incident is different from earlier incidents. This year is extraordinary,” said Mr Musri. “Indonesia and our neighbours Malaysia and Singapore are directly affected. It wasn’t as bad before. So, this is what gives us energy to fight.

“Secondly, I’m confident that because this claim is from the desire of the community, we will try. If you ask what our chances are, the law has to improve to answer the haze problem objectively, and I'm confident we can win this legal battle."

It's not only in Indonesia that citizens are taking action. A volunteer group in Singapore is also helping those affected by the haze in the city state to sue companies responsible for the air pollution. The group called the Haze Elimination Action Team (HEAT) plans to take legal action against companies prosecuted by Singapore and Indonesian authorities.

- CNA/ek

Police names 240 people as suspects behind forest fires
Antara 6 Oct 15;

Sukabumi, W Java (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Police has named 240 people as suspects who allegedly set fire to forest and land, causing a haze disaster in Sumatra and Kalimantan regions.

"We have named 240 suspects, including corporations and individuals. We have also detained a businessman involved in the palm oil sector who was the alleged mastermind behind forest fires in Indonesia," the Indonesian Police Chief, General Badrodin Haiti, said here on Tuesday.

According to Badrodin, the catastrophic forest fires caused millions of people to become victims of the haze disaster.

He said justice must be served in case of forest fires and any future recurrence prevented by bringing arsonists to book, as it will act as a deterrent for other criminals who indulge in burning lands in Indonesia and causing haze. The haze this time had even hit some countries bordering Indonesia, such as Malaysia and Singapore.

The General said the disaster led to a very critical situation because it had a widespread impact on health, social and economic sectors in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

"We will continue investigating the case to unveil the masterminds behind forest fires in Indonesia," Badrodin said.

Police also issued guidelines to local people and corporations to help them avoid burning anything in the fields and forests that could potentially lead to forest fires.

"The Police, together with Indonesian Military soldiers and volunteers as well as officers of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, are trying to extinguish the fires. We hope the fires can be managed and land fire incidents can be reduced," Badrodin said.

Earlier, on Sunday, the Terra Aqua satellite of NASA had detected 1,820 hotspots of land and forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan islands.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said of the total, 1,563 hotspots were found in Sumatra and 257 in Kalimantan.

Additionally, 1,340 of the 1,563 hotspots in Sumatra were found among others in South Sumatra, nine in Riau, 131 in Jambi, 22 in Bangka Belitung, 57 in Lampung and one in Riau Islands.

The agency noted that 51 of 257 hotspots in Kalimantan were found in West Kalimantan, 108 in Central Kalimantan, 71 in South Kalimantan and 27 in East Kalimantan.

The haze from the ongoing forest and plantation fires also led to 68 flights being cancelled at the Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport of Pekanbaru, Riau Province on Tuesday.(*)

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Indonesia: House Demands Haze Declared as National Disaster

TEMPO.CO 6 Oct 15;

Jakarta-Deputy Speaker of the House Agus Hermanto urged the government to declare the haze disaster in Sumatra and Kalimantan as a national disaster. He said, the government does not seem serious in handling the recurring problem.

“By declaring it a national disaster, it can be handled nationally," he stated in the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Monday, October 5.

According to Agus, that the government’s downplaying the problem is seen when some officials trying to gain popularity in the media rather than work.

The Democratic Party politician believed that by declaring it a national disaster the government need not be ashamed to ask assistance from neighboring countries, such as Malaysia and Singapore. “The neighbors just want to help. Do not be shy to coordinate," he said.

According to data from the Bureau of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), based on Terra and Aqua satellites observations, there are 254 hotspots in Sumatra. According to the Head of BMKG station Pekanbaru, Sugarin, South Sumatra is the highest contributing area with 178 points, followed by Lampung 26 points, 24 points in Bengkulu and Jambi 18 points. The haze also spread to neighboring countries, Singapore and Malaysia.

Responding to the pressure, the government is determined to target the problem of haze to be completed this month. Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung said land fire fighting can be quickly completed in October because of the rainy season.

“For the fire fighting to be effective, President Joko Widodo instructed the fire fight to not stop during the rainy season," said Pramono at Palace Complex, on Monday.

According to information obtained, said Pramono, the number of fires decreased although the smoke still continue to exist, for example in Riau and Jambi. The President also asked the local government to prepare canals with dikes, especially in peat, so the peatland becomes continually wet.

About the help from Singapore, Pramono said that Indonesia is considering it. According to him, the consideration to received help from Singapore is the empathy factor to the neighboring countries.

According to him, the issue of haze is now not only an issue in Indonesia. "The human factor is not our problem alone. Neighbors are affected and we also need to empathize," he said.


National Disaster: Indonesian Lawmaker Urges Action on Haze
Hotman Siregar Jakarta Globe 6 Oct 15;

Jakarta. A House of Representatives special committee is needed to ensure the executive branch does all it can to mitigate the choking haze that continues to blanket Sumatra and Kalimantan, a lawmaker has said, calling the crisis a national disaster.

Lukman Edy, a deputy speaker at the House's Commission II covering governance, said such a committee is necessary to investigate the hundreds of companies whose concession areas have been burned as well as the executive's decision not to declare the haze a national disaster — despite more than 300,000 people having been treated for respiratory issues, the disruption of flights on a large scale, and souring relations with Malaysia and Singapore, which are also gravely affected.

“The National Disaster Mitigation Agency [BNPB] directly reports to the president. Therefore we need to ask ... why they still have not declared this as a national disaster,” Lukman said on Tuesday.

“I do not see any coordination between the Ministry of Home Affairs and local governments,” he continued, adding that the governors and district heads of affected areas have been slow to respond to the issue.

The Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that more than 300,000 cases of respiratory illnesses have been recorded since the dry season began in June.

South Sumatra, which has a significantly higher population than Indonesia's other five provinces affected by the haze, also has the largest number of cases recorded at 83,276. Conversely, the sparsely populated province of South Kalimantan has the least, with 29,104 cases to date.

Combined, the six provinces, which also include Riau, Jambi, West and Central Kalimantan, have recorded a whopping 307,360 cases as of Monday.

According to the ministry, South Sumatra also has the highest level of air pollution. The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reached 880 there on Tuesday, which is considered hazardous.

Meanwhile, air pollution levels in West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan have improved to the healthy and mild ranges of 44.16 and 55.46 respectively.

Health issues are on the rise, as the haze has been attributed to consequential respiratory and eye infections.

Additionally, the prolonged drought, which has caused wells to dry up, has also led to other health issues such as outbreaks of dysentery.


Haze hurting education, say worried authorities
Rizal Harahap and Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post 6 Oct 15;

The authorities in haze-afflicted regions of Sumatra are striving to mitigate the negative affects on education, with students forced to stay at home for the best part of a month.

“The students have been staying at home too long. We’re now telling them to come to school every Monday and Thursday to catch up with the lessons missed when the schools were temporarily shut down,” Pekanbaru Education Agency head Zulfadil said on Monday.

Zulfadil said his agency had decided to reopen schools up to senior high level twice a week while waiting for the air quality in the city to improve.

However, classes were limited to two hours a day: from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for students of morning classes and from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for students of afternoon classes, he said.

As such, Zulfadil said, teachers were required to make classes as effective as possible by explaining only the learning modules during the classes and giving assignments for the students to do at home and hand in during the subsequent class.

“The emphasis is therefore on setting assignments to catch up with missing lessons,” he said.

To minimize the impacts of the haze on the students’ health, all students in Pekanbaru have been instructed to put on masks before they leave home and to keep them on during class. Schools with air-conditioning systems, meanwhile, have been granted dispensation to hold classes every day. “But the headmasters have to guarantee the health of their students while at school,” Zulfadil said.

With many classes missed as a result of the haze, semester examinations have been postponed, also allowing time for students to catch up.

The decision to open limited classes has sparked debate; those who agree say that sending students home is pointless, as they continue to play outside.

Others, however, have accused the education agency of panicking ahead of the approaching examination season.

“The schools were temporarily shut down because of health considerations. Are those considerations no longer valid?” asked Darman, a parent of an elementary school pupil in Pekanbaru.

Darman added that obliging students to put on masks at school was not effective as most elementary school students disliked using them. “They can’t stand wearing a mask for long because it makes it difficult to breathe,” he said.

In Jambi city, meanwhile, schools have been closed for the last three weeks because of haze that has degraded the air quality in the region.

City administration secretary Daru Pratomo said that students had been sent home in consideration of the low air quality and its impact on pupil’s health.

“We evaluate the air quality every day with relevant agencies,” Daru said on Monday.

Thick smog from land and forest fires has reportedly also plagued participants of the Tour de Singkarak international cycling race in West Sumatra, which entered its third stage on Monday.

“If masks are distributed I’ll definitely put one on. My throat starts to hurt when I cycle through thick haze,” cyclist Budi Santoso of East Java’s Banyuwangi Racing Cycling Club told The Jakarta Post prior to the race’s start on Monday.

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb contributed to this story from Dharmasraya, West Sumatra.


As Haze Stays, Over 300,000 Respiratory Cases Recorded
Jakarta Globe 6 Oct 15;

Jakarta. As parts of Indonesia remain blanketed by thick haze, the Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that more than 300,000 cases of respiratory illnesses have been recorded since the dry season began in June.

South Sumatra, which has a significantly higher population than Indonesia's other five provinces affected by the haze, also has the largest number of cases recorded at 83,276. Conversely, the sparsely populated province of South Kalimantan has the least, with 29,104 cases to date.

Combined, the six provinces, which also include Riau, Jambi, West and Central Kalimantan, have recorded a whopping 307,360 cases as of Monday.

According to the ministry, South Sumatra also has the highest level of air pollution. The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reached 880 there on Tuesday, which is considered hazardous.

Meanwhile, air pollution levels in West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan have improved to the healthy and mild ranges of 44.16 and 55.46 respectively.

“The average number of patients seeking treatment at health facilities has risen by 15 to 20 percent in the last three weeks. The conditions will [continue to] worsen if the haze [doesn't extinguish] soon,” Health Minister Nila Moeloek told a press conference on Tuesday.

Health issues are on the rise, as the haze has been attributed to consequential respiratory and eye infections. Additionally, the prolonged drought, which has caused wells to dry up, has also led to other health issues such as outbreaks of dysentery.

Nila said the Health Ministry has deployed 27,595 tons worth of medicine and equipment to the six provinces as well as two other neighboring provinces, including face masks, oxygen tanks, medications, eye drops and vitamins.


Satellites detect 63 hotspots in C. Kalimantan
Antara 6 Oct 15;

Photo document of Terra and Aqua satellites hotspot in Indonesia on Monday (October 5, 2015). (satelit.bmkg.go.id)
Maura Teweh (ANTARA News) - The Terra and Aqua satellites detected 63 hotspots in North Barito, Murung Raya, and South Barito Districts, Central Kalimantan, on Tuesday morning.

The number increased from that on Monday, Aswaludin, secretary of te Muara Teweh Conservation Sections Fire Brigade, said here Tuesday.

North Barito has 31 hostpsots, Murung Raya 30, and South Barito two, he said.

Sunardi, head of the Muara Teweh Meteorology Office, said the haze shrouding the districts has thickened and reduced visibility to 100 meters, from 600 meters on Monday.
(Uu.F001)

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