MacRitchie for Beginners
Love our MacRitchie Forest
Keith Hillier nature guide and volunteer manager extraordinaire, RIP
Otterman speaks
Kallang River’s smooth-coated otters at St. Andrew’s Village
Otterman speaks
Indonesia’s massive haze problem is Jokowi’s big opportunity
Mongabay Environmental News
ETHAN GUO Today Online 22 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE — PUB is working to identify the angler who was allegedly baiting a group of otters with a fishing line hook at the stretch of Kallang River near Toa Payoh Lorong 8 on Tuesday (Oct 20).
When contacted, the PUB said it had received feedback on a video showing an otter hooked by a fishing line at the location, and was “dismayed” at the incident.
Noting that fishing is currently not allowed at waterways, PUB told TODAY that it is currently investigating the incident, and welcomed any information from the public that can help it identify the angler. Under the Public Utilities (Reservoirs, Catchment Areas and Waterways) Regulations, those caught fishing at no-fishing areas may be fined up to S$3,000.
A video, which has been shared on social media, showed a man appearing to deliberately lure a group of five otters with his fishing line, while bystanders watched. One of the pups squeaked in distress after it got caught by the fishing hook. The injured otter was later seen to be limping. A follow-up video posted today showed that the pup appeared to have recovered, with the fishing line fallen off.
The videos were captured and posted online by someone who goes by the moniker Fast Snail. Fast Snail also wrote on Facebook that he had also reported the incident to the National Parks Board (NParks), PUB and the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES).
“Managed to find the Bishan-AMK Otter family this morning. The fishing line is off and no visible hook on the otter pup. The pup is no longer limping. Hopefully, there is no fishing hook under its fur. If there’s one, and it rusts. It will be a big problem,” wrote Fast Snail.
ACRES Deputy Chief Executive Anbarasi Boopal, 32, expressed her gratitude for the prompt action by the member of the public in reporting the incident. Ms Anbarasi said ACRES is urging the relevant authorities to take action against the individual involved as his actions were “definitely cruel”.
The animal welfare group also sought more information on the identity of the angler on Facebook, and said it was in touch with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore and PUB.
Photo of the angler shared on Facebook by ACRES.
No attempt will be made to treat the otter since it does not seem to be in further distress. "We have verified that the fishing line is no longer on the otter and there is no need to rescue the otter at this point. We will continue to monitor the situation", said ACRES.
Moving forward, Ms Anbarasi suggested that Singaporeans try to leave the otters alone, even as they encroach on our urban spaces. “They are curious animals and they may be curious about their environment and their habitat. We advise people not to approach or try to feed them. Do not encourage any wild animals to get close.”
NParks provided the same advice, listing the Do’s and Don’ts when encountering the otters such as keeping one’s distance to avoid frightening them.
Earlier on Tuesday, a group of otters, suspected to be the same five involved in the Kallang River incident, roamed around St Andrew’s Junior College. The incident has sparked widespread amusement online.
ACRES looking for man who hurt otter with fishing hook
The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society has verified the fishing line is no longer on the otter and that the creature does not need rescuing at this point.
Channel NewsAsia 22 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE: The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) of Singapore is looking for a man who was recently caught on video "trying to bait an otter with a fishing hook".
In a Facebook post on Thursday (Oct 22), ACRES said it was "very disturbed" by the footage and thanked members of the public, including the person filming, for reporting the incident. It also said that it is in touch with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore and PUB.
The two-minute video, which was uploaded to YouTube by user Fast Snail on Tuesday, shows a family of otters at Kallang River and what happened when one of the pups got caught on the hook of a fisherman. It could be heard squealing in distress and was reportedly limping after.
However Fast Snail posted an update on Thursday morning, saying that the otter pup seemed to be fine now.
"The fishing line is off and (there is) no visible hook on the otter pup. The pup is no longer limping. Hopefully, there is no fishing hook under its fur. If there's one and it rusts, it will be a big problem," he wrote.
ACRES said it has verified that the fishing line is no longer on the otter and there is no need to rescue the otter at this point.
It is calling on those who can identify the fisherman to submit information via its email address, info@acres.org.sg, so "justice is served".
- CNA/hs
Otter 'hurt' by angler's hook
The New Paper AsiaOne 23 Oct 15;
A VIDEO showing what seems to be an otter hurt after being caught on an angler's hook has gone viral, with angry netizens calling for action to be taken.
The 1min 40sec clip, uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday, shows a man who appears to lower his fishing line into Kallang River near Lorong 8 Toa Payoh.
About five otters could be seen swimming in the river, with several men looking on.
Near the 50sec mark, one of the otters appears to get snagged on the hook. It can be seen squealing and thrashing about before swimming away with the others, with the hook and line in tow.
Speaking to My Paper yesterday, the video's uploader Nick Soo, 34, said that he witnessed the incident on Tuesday evening.
Based on what he observed, the otter was caught on either a hind leg or the tail, he said.
Another video he uploaded on the same day showed the otter limping, but a third video taken yesterday showed that the otter has since managed to break free of the line.
"I would appreciate if action can be taken against this man and more patrols (put in place) to prevent such incidents from happening again," said the engineer.
Echoing his sentiments were several netizens who were outraged by the clip, according to Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News yesterday.
Said one commenter, Elaine Tan: "This makes me so angry! Leave them alone!"
Another commenter, Lin LiYun, said that the incident was "extremely cruel".
Anbarasi Boopal, deputy chief executive at animal welfare group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), said the group had received calls from at least three people over the incident.
"All wildlife are protected and cannot be captured," she said. "To our knowledge, this is the first time such an incident (involving otters) has occurred and it is quite shocking. But we are very encouraged by the role played by members of the public."
Ms Anbarasi added that Acres would monitor the situation and continue to work with the public on the case.
A spokesman for national water agency PUB said that fishing is not allowed at waterways.
Under the Public Utilities (Reservoirs, Catchment Areas and Waterways) Regulations, those caught fishing at no-fishing areas may be fined up to $3,000.
PUB is investigating the incident and working to identify the angler in the video. myp@sph.com.sg
If you have information on the incident, contact PUB at 1800-284-6600.
Angler who was allegedly baiting otters identified: ACRES
ETHAN GUO Today Online 22 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE — The man who was allegedly trying to bait otters with a fishing hook at Kallang River has been identified, said the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES).
The man has also come forward to the police and is assisting in the investigation, said the animal welfare group on its Facebook page on Friday night (Oct 23)
On Thursday, PUB and ACRES said they were trying to identify the angler who was allegedly baiting a group of otters with a fishing hook at the stretch of Kallang River near Toa Payoh Lorong 8 on Tuesday (Oct 20).
When contacted, the PUB said it had received feedback on a video showing an otter hooked by a fishing line at the location, and was “dismayed” at the incident.
Noting that fishing is currently not allowed at waterways, PUB told TODAY that it is currently investigating the incident, and welcomed any information from the public that can help it identify the angler. Under the Public Utilities (Reservoirs, Catchment Areas and Waterways) Regulations, those caught fishing at no-fishing areas may be fined up to S$3,000.
A video, which has been shared on social media, showed a man appearing to deliberately lure a group of five otters with his fishing line, while bystanders watched. One of the pups squeaked in distress after it got caught by the fishing hook. The injured otter was later seen to be limping. A follow-up video posted showed that the pup appeared to have recovered, with the fishing line fallen off.
The videos were captured and posted online by someone who goes by the moniker Fast Snail. Fast Snail also wrote on Facebook that he had also reported the incident to the National Parks Board (NParks), PUB and the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES).
“Managed to find the Bishan-AMK Otter family this morning (Oct 22). The fishing line is off and no visible hook on the otter pup. The pup is no longer limping. Hopefully, there is no fishing hook under its fur. If there’s one, and it rusts. It will be a big problem,” wrote Fast Snail.
ACRES Deputy Chief Executive Anbarasi Boopal, 32, expressed her gratitude for the prompt action by the member of the public in reporting the incident. Ms Anbarasi said ACRES is urging the relevant authorities to take action against the individual involved as his actions were “definitely cruel”.
The animal welfare group, which sought more information on the identity of the angler on Facebook, said it was in touch with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore and PUB.
No attempt will be made to treat the otter since it does not seem to be in further distress. "We have verified that the fishing line is no longer on the otter and there is no need to rescue the otter at this point. We will continue to monitor the situation", said ACRES.
Moving forward, Ms Anbarasi suggested that Singaporeans try to leave the otters alone, even as they encroach on our urban spaces. “They are curious animals and they may be curious about their environment and their habitat. We advise people not to approach or try to feed them. Do not encourage any wild animals to get close.”
NParks provided the same advice, listing the Do’s and Don’ts when encountering the otters such as keeping one’s distance to avoid frightening them.
Earlier on Tuesday, a group of otters, suspected to be the same five involved in the Kallang River incident, roamed around St Andrew’s Junior College. The incident has sparked widespread amusement online.
Alleged otter baiting: Authorities looking into possible case of animal cruelty
WONG PEI TING Today Online 24 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE — The man who allegedly tried to bait otters with a fishing hook at the Kallang River did not commit a criminal offence but authorities are trying to ascertain if he had committed any other offences, including animal cruelty, TODAY understands.
The police is currently assisting national water agency PUB and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) in their investigations.
In a bid to explain himself, the angler, who appeared to have fished illegally, yesterday (Oct 23) came forward to the police voluntarily after seeing a viral video of himself circulating on social media.
The YouTube video posted earlier this week by someone with the moniker Fast Snail shows a man seemingly luring a group of five otters with his fishing line at the stretch of Kallang River near Toa Payoh Lorong 8, while bystanders watched. In the video, one of the pups squeaked in distress after it got caught by the fishing hook. The injured otter was later seen to be limping.
PUB and the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES) had sought more information on the identity of the man on Thursday, with the latter posting a photo of the man on Facebook.
Founder of the animal welfare group Louis Ng said the man identified himself to the police within a day.
“Within 24 hours, he went forward to say that he was the man in the viral video. That’s something positive on his part,” Mr Ng told TODAY. “This incident turned out to be good because one person did something wrong and a whole lot of Singaporeans voiced out that they don’t condone the act.”
As of 6pm, the video of the angler has garnered close to 73,000 views on YouTube, while ACRES’ Facebook post had garnered more than 1,800 shares.
Those caught fishing at no-fishing areas — waterways included — may be fined up to S$3,000.
A follow-up video by Fast Snail on the otters showed that the fishing line on the pup had fallen off, and it appeared to have recovered.
The Star 23 Oct 15;
SUNGAI PETANI: A businessman made a police report threatening to sue the Indonesian government for nearly half a billion ringgit over the worsening haze.
“If I win the case, I’ll donate the money to needy schools and charitable organisations,” said 52-year-old M. Gunasekaran.
The father of three from Taman Kempas here made the report at the Kepala Batas police station in Penang on Wednesday. The report has since gone viral.
When contacted by The Star, Gunasekaran said he was fed up with the worsening haze situation in the country.
He said the haze caused him and his family breathing difficulties.
“I am serious about my report as the haze has taken a toll on my children’s health as well as the public.
“I plan to take up the matter to the International Court of Justice and want to claim US$100mil (RM429mil) from the Indonesian government,” said Gunasekaran whose children are aged between 14 and 18.
He added if no action is taken, the haze, which has been happening every year, will recur next year.
“This matter cannot be taken lightly as thousands of children are affected by the closing of schools.
“If my story is fake, you can sue me, but everyone is affected by the haze, right?” he said.
North Seberang Perai OCPD Asst Comm Azmi Adam confirmed there was such a report.
“We do not stop the public from lodging any report.
“Since there are no criminal elements, we are not investigating the report and will let the complainant pursue his intention to sue the Indonesian government on his own accord,” he said.
Sungei Petani resident lodges report against Indonesian govt
DANIAL ALBAKRI The Star 22 Oct 15;
PETALING JAYA: A police report has been lodged over the Indonesian government's handling of the fires in Sumatra which has led to deteriorating air quality in Malaysia.
Tired of putting up with the unhealthy air quality, a 52-year-old businessman lodged the report at the Kepala Batas station on Wednesday saying the haze had reached intolerable levels and was affecting his family.
The man, who resides in Sungei Petani, wants the international courts to prosecute the Indonesian government and claim US$100mil as compensation from the government for causing the haze.
The Air Pollutant Index in Kepala Batas showed a reading of 244 (very unhealthy) as at 9am on Thursday.
In the report, the man said he was in Kepala Batas town when he found the haze reaching intolerable levels.
He said the haze had worsened until the air quality became very unhealthy and he and his family could not breathe well.
“I wish to take action in the international courts and also claim US$100mil from the Indonesian government.”
The man could not be reached for comment.
Police in Kepala Batas confirmed receiving the report.
JASTIN AHMAD TARMIZI The Star 22 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will not pressure Indonesia over the worsening haze as it has shown its commitment to tackle the problem, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).
The Deputy Prime Minister said it was not fair the blame Indonesia on the issue as Indonesian leaders had already asked for assistance from neighbouring countries to fight the raging fires in Sumatra.
"It is not fair for us to blame Indonesia. Instead we have to assist them to overcome this problem which is a transboundary problem," Dr Ahamd Zahid told a press conference at the Putrajaya International Security Dialogue here on Thursday.
Dr Ahmad Zahid added that he had personally given his suggestion on how to tackle the fires to Indonesian leaders.
The haze which has led to air quality reaching very unhealthy levels in the peninsula was caused by widespread clearing of oil palm plantations in Indonesia.
‘We’ll not pressure Indonesia’
JASTIN AHMAD TARMIZI The Star 23 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will not pressure Indonesia over the haze issue as the neighbouring country has already shown high commitment to overcome the matter, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said Indonesian leaders had already asked for assistance from neighbouring countries to work together to battle the haze.
“We have to assist them to overcome this problem which is a transboundary issue,” he told a press conference after delivering his keynote address at the Putrajaya International Security Dialogue (PISD) here yesterday.
He added that Malaysia was prepared to share its best practices in oil palm cultivation with Indonesia in the effort to reduce fires and had personally proposed to the Indonesian President (Joko Widodo).
Dr Ahmad Zahid cited the example of the system used by TH Plantation Bhd in Riau, where in between every two rows of oil palms, a drain was built to channel water to the plants and to prevent any fire from spreading if it happened.
He said it was however up to the Indonesian government to introduce the best oil palm cultivation system as factors such as costs and getting the cooperation of plantations and smallholders had to be considered.
The haze afflicting Malaysia is a result of widespread clearing of forests in Indonesia for oil palm plantations, most of which are caused by traditional slash-and-burn methods used by smallholders.
After a courtesy call from Australian Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton, Dr Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia and Australia had agreed to share expertise in fighting terrorism threats.
Dr Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia would benefit from Australia’s advanced border control experience while Australia could learn from Malaysia’s rehabilitation and deradicalisation of extremist programmes.
‘Only 3pc of burning by multinational companies’
New Straits Times 11 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: Regular burning by oil palm smallholders in Kalimantan and Central Sumatra, rather than multinational companies, are the main culprits behind forest fires that is causing the haze in Malaysia.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar yesterday said information from Indonesian authorities showed that just three per cent of the burning was done by multinational companies, and that the prolonged dry season had caused the fires to go out of control.
He said these conditions could continue until March unless large amounts of rain doused the peat fires.
However, Wan Junaidi said, conditions were not expected to deteriorate to a level forcing the government to declare an emergency.
He said Malaysia would continue to provide assistance to Indonesia, and that a Bombardier water-bombing aircraft, which was recalled on Tuesday for maintenance, would be despatched back to Sumatra.
“What we can hope for now is for rain to come and put out the fires in Indonesia. On our part here, cloud-seeding will be carried out in areas with Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of above 150.”
Wan Junaidi said a Department of Environment (DoE) study found that the contribution of vehicle fumes to the haze was increasing.
He advised people to reduce using private vehicles by carpooling or taking public transport.
“Cars caught in traffic jams release large amounts of carbon gases, which mix with suspended particles from the haze.”
Wan Junaidi said DoE had arrived at the conclusion after studying the southern parts of the Klang Valley, such as Banting and Cheras, which had high API readings.
Meanwhile, he said there was no yellow haze in Malaysia that had been reported in Indonesia.
IAN YEEANDVIVIENNE WONG The Star 23 Oct 15;
LANGKAWI: Close to 3,000 people, mostly tourists, were stranded here as the haze grounded almost all flights to and from Langkawi International Airport for the past two days.
Yesterday morning, passengers of certain airlines were told the next available flights would be late this afternoon, and even then, there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t be cancelled.
“We cannot give any estimates because we can’t predict the haze.
“We can only wait until visibility levels are safe, inform the airlines, and let them decide whether it’s safe to fly,” said airport manager Jefry Ramli.
Sandra Chu and Jimmy Cheung, both 49, from Hong Kong, spent two days waiting for replacement flights at the airport, and their rescheduled flight to Kuala Lumpur yesterday was also cancelled.
They spent over HK$10,000 (RM5,700) on their trip to Pulau Langkawi, and have now been forced to forego most of the hotel stays and tour packages they’ve paid for in KL.
“It’s a total loss,” said Cheung of the KL leg of his holiday. “I never experienced anything like this. I don’t think I’ll ever come back here.”
Frenchman Aoune Sane, 33, and his friends had to cancel their flights to KL and Phuket, worth a total of €300 (RM1,452), due to the delays.
They finally decided to travel to Phuket by sea – a five-hour journey – in order to catch their flight back to Paris from Thailand.
Others desperate to get to the mainland had to take the ferry from Kuah Jetty to Kuala Perlis or Penang, and book land transport from there.
Airport and airline staff were doing their best to cope with the chaos caused by the haze.
“Only a few have shouted at us, but that’s to be expected,” said AirAsia guest service assistant Mohd Azhar Saidan, who was in good spirits despite working 12-hour shifts for the past three days.
Jefry said the airport was also doing its best to help passengers.
Fishermen Worried As Income Affected By Haze
Bernama 22 Oct 15;
GEORGE TOWN, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The haze inundating the state is affecting the income of fishermen, especially those operating in coastal waters, since low visibility is preventing them from going out to sea.
Penang Fisheries Department director Abdullah Md Din said those badly affected are fishermen in Zone A (fishing within 0-5 nautical miles) because their boats lacked radar equipment.
"They are worried about colliding with other fishing boats if they go to sea due to the low visibility. This is affecting their income," he told reporters after a Fisheries Volunteer Accreditation Ceremony here, Thursday.
In this regard, he said the department was collecting all the information related to the problems of fishermen to be submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry for further action.
To date, he said the supply of fish in Penang was adequate but prices had gone up as fishermen are affected by the haze.
Meanwhile, several fishermen met at the ceremony expressed concern as their income had dropped by 50 per cent due to the haze.
Khor Thiam Hoo, 54, said he still went out to sea despite the haze as it was his only source of income.
"I have no alternative because I have to pay my crew. The catch has dropped more than 30 per cent but we still have to get on with it as it is my livelihood," he said.
Thor Kean Wah, 40, said he had not gone to sea for a week because the visibility was so limited and his boat did not have GPS equipment.
"I dare not go out to sea as I fear my net may disappear if I put them out and I may not be able to find my way back to base in Kuala Jalan Baharu, Balik Pulau here as the visibility is so limited," he said.
A fisherman in Sungai Pinang, here, Mohamed Rafee M. Sheriff, 51, said he had only gone to sea eight days in the whole of this month and was a very worried man as his income had dropped drastically.
"A myriad of problems crop up due to the haze because it does not only involve visibility but also our health. So, I hope the authorities concerned will tackle the problem for the continuous survival of coastal fishermen like us," he added.
-- BERNAMA
All schools to reopen Friday except for northern states
D. KANYAKUMARI The Star 22 Oct 15;
PETALING JAYA: All schools will reopen on Friday (Oct 23) except for those in the northern region, according to the Education Ministry.
It said in a statement that the Air Pollutant Index (API) has worsened in Perlis, Perak, Kedah and Penang.
As such, the schools in those states will remain close.
The Ministry, however, said that the directive does not apply to Kedah as Friday is an off day for the state.
"The closure involves a total of 1,600 schools and 728,739 students. Therefore we ask all district education offices and the state education departments to inform the students and their parents over the closure,” it said.
The schools that will reopen on Friday are in Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Bentong in Pahang as well as Kuching, Sri Aman, Samarahan and Betong in Sarawak.
"We advise the schools to take the necessary precautionary measures to remind their students to take care of their health and wear face masks while in schools," said the statement.
The Ministry also reiterated that the school closure was to ensure that the haze does not affect the health of the students in the country.
"The order is applicable to both government and private schools. In any case where private schools wish to remain open, we would remind them to abide by the guidelines of the ministry," it added.
Haze: Schools closure in Northern states tomorrow
ZAFIRA ANWAR New Straits Times 22 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: The haze situation in the country continues to blanket at least 6 areas with very unhealthy level reading as of 5pm.
The latest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading published by Department of Environment show Bakar Arang in Sungai Petani recording the highest reading of 249, followed by Seberang Jaya 2, Perai at 239.
Other areas with very unhealthy API are Alor Star (237), Langkawi (235), Kangar (224) and areas near Universiti Sains Malaysia (210).
In view with the worsening haze situation in the northern states, the Education Ministry in a statement today, ordered schools in Penang, Perlis and Perak to be closed tomorrow. For Kedah, the ministry said, schools will be closed as its a weekend holiday. Kedah practises a weekend holiday on Friday and Saturday.
The ministry added schools closed today in N. Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Bentong in Pahang; Kuching, Sri Aman, Samarahan and Betong in Sarawak to reopen tomorrow:
Meanwhile, 22 areas recorded unhealthy readings with Perai (184), SK Jalan Pegoh, Ipoh (169), Seri Manjung (167), Kampung Air Putih, Taiping (152) Port Klang (154) Jalan Tasek, Ipoh (150), Kuala Selangor (148), Sri Aman (135), Shah Alam (131), Tanah Merah (123), Tanjung Malim (124), Tanah Merah (123) Samarahan (122), Kuching (119), SMK Tanjung Chat, Kota Baru (118), Balok Baru, Kuantan (114), Banting (109), Petaling Jaya (107), Kemaman (106)Putrajaya (105), Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur (103), Tawau (101).
The worsening haze could affect one's health, as being exposed to it could lead to acute and chronic health diseases, which could result in death.
Environmental Health and Research fellow of the United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH), Professor Dr Jamal Hisham Hashim was quoted saying that a study published international journal Nature claimed that outdoor air pollution contributed significantly to premature deaths around the globe.
“Health impacts of air pollution are a function of dose as well as duration of exposure to air pollutants.
“We know the dose or level of particulate pollutant has attained hazardous levels of more than 300 in API (Air Pollutant Index) some time ago,” he told the New Straits Times.
An API of between 0 to 50 is considered good, 51 to 100 (moderate), 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy), 301 and above (hazardous).
Autonomy should not be given to schools to decide on closures: NUTP
NAIM ZULKIFLI AND GLORIA HARRY BEATTY New Straits Times 22 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: School closures due to the haze have not affected student performance so far. However, the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) cautions that autonomy should not be given to individual schools to decide whether to remain open or to close.
NUTP president Hashim Adnan said that despite the school closures, students have still managed to catch up with the entire school syllabus and obtain good results in examinations.
“As long as students are giving their full attention during class and doing their revisions at home, it’s likely that they would still be able to make up for lost school time despite the school closures,” he told the NST.
He added the ministry should not give autonomy to schools to determine whether to open or close because the decision may or may not be for the student’s best interest in terms of safety and health.
A headmistress from Negri Sembilan said although all schools have an e-learning program, not all students had Internet access at home.
“For now, the school board is taking the necessary measures such as making sure the students and the staff wear masks, closing all doors when not used and being vigilant for students who are unwell to ensure they received prompt medical attention,” she said.
Meanwhile, a teacher from a secondary school in Puchong said the school now uploaded material on-line for the students.
“We are doing our part to ensure that the students still can do their own home revision by uploading notes and exercises for the students on-line to make up for the loss of learning hours from the school closures,” she said.
She added that parents had been very supportive, though they were worried about the delay of school examinations and activities.
National Parent-Teacher Association Collaborative Council president Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Ali Hasan encouraged parents to buy respiratory masks and air purifiers.
“It would be good if parents can provide financial aid and donate protective masks and safety equipment (to the schools),” he said.
Companies to comply with stop-work order
New Straits Times 22 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: Construction companies foresee problems but cannot quantify estimated losses if the government issues a stop-work order on all construction projects due to the worsening haze.
Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) chief executive officer and managing director Datuk Soam Heng Choon said: “There will be losses in every aspect when you consider a project’s daily operations, such as workers’ daily wages, equipment and machinery rental.
“We cannot give an estimation of the losses, as it depends on the duration of the delay.”
Asked whether they would comply, Soam said they would because they were concerned about the workers’ health and safety, owing to the deteriorating air quality.
“However, we hope that the government would come to a mutual agreement with our suppliers and buyers, such as time extension for works in progress, to avoid being penalised if we do receive official instructions to halt our operations.”
Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had said he was considering issuing a stop-work order on all construction projects here and in Putrajaya due to the worsening haze.
Alor Star and Langkawi airports reopened
ILI New Straits Times 22 Oct 15;
ALOR STAR: The runways in Sultan Abdul Halim Airport and Langkawi International Airport which were closed at 7am and 7.30am respectively this morning has been reopened and operations are running as usual.
The airport runways were closed due to low visibility caused by haze.
The Langkawi airport runway was reopened at 10am, with a visibility of 800m, while the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport runway was reopened at 11am, with a visibility of 900m.
Malaysia Airports, in its official twitter feed, advised all passengers travelling today to check with their respective airlines on their flight schedules.
Data showed that the latest air quality in Langkawi remained very unhealthy as of 9am where the pollutant index (API) reading has reached 242.
The same goes with other parts of Kedah and Perlis with Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani recording a reading of 252, Alor Star (236) and Kangar, Perlis (247).
thejakartapost.com 22 Oct 15;
The government has revealed plans to evacuate babies and children affected by haze in Sumatra and Kalimantan to ships owned by the Indonesia Military (TNI) or state-owned shipping firm PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni).
"We will probably utilize ships owned by TNI or Pelni for the next four to five months to evacuate the residents," said Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan after a coordinating meeting with other ministers in Jakarta on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.
According to Luhut, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has issued a presidential instruction (Inpres) on smoke handling, which served as a legal protection for the ministries to conduct necessary efforts.
He added that the evacuation plan was the government's last resort. The babies and children will firstly be evacuated to the southern region, which has a lower Air Pollutant Standard Index (ISPU).
"If the ISPU [in the southern region] is also severe, then they will be evacuated to the ships," said Luhut.
The government has also prepared other steps, including an education program and sufficient stocks of food and electricity.
"Electricity is important to operate electronic equipment that can clear the air," said Luhut.
He also said that more authority would be given to TNI and the National Police to conduct territorial operations to prevent a wider impact of the forest fires. (kes)(++++)
Smoke thickens, claims another life
Rizal Harahap and Fadli, The Jakarta Post 22 Oct 15;
The smoke produced by forest and peatland fires in many parts of the country has continued to intensify this week, leading to the death of another person in Riau, and severely disrupting activities at a number of airports.
A 9-year-old died on Wednesday morning in Pekanbaru, Riau while undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
Ramadhani Lutfi Aerli, the victim, was admitted to the hospital after coming down with a fever and experiencing breathing difficulties.
“She still went to school on Monday. She was fit at that time. However, yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon she said she was unwell,” Ramadhani’s father, Eri Wirya, told reporters on Wednesday.
Earlier, two Pekanbaru residents — Hanum, an elementary school student, and M. Iqbal Hadi, an employee with the Religious Affairs Ministry’s Riau Office — died due to respiratory failure allegedly triggered by the haze that has been blanketing the province for almost two months.
In response to health concerns, Riau Health Agency head Andra Sjafril has urged people to wear masks both indoors and outdoors.
“The smog has already entered homes,” he said.
Riau, along with West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, are among the provinces hardest hit by the air pollution originating from fires in peatland and plantations.
Data from the Riau haze emergency post released on Wednesday morning showed that air quality in six out of 12 regions in Riau stood at hazardous levels.
Visibility was also limited to only 500 meters in Pekanbaru and Rengat, 300m in Dumai and 200m in Pelalawan, according to Pekanbaru Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) spokesperson Slamet Riyadi.
Haze has also disrupted activities at Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam, Riau Islands, with many flights scheduled to depart or arrive experiencing cancellations or delays since Aug. 28.
“We have lost some Rp 1.5 billion (US$108,877) in potential income [from airport fees] for almost three months due to the haze,” the airport’s general affairs department head, Suwarso, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
On Friday, the Health Ministry reported that the haze crisis had caused more than 425,000 people in the worst-affected provinces to suffer from acute respiratory infections.
The disaster, meanwhile, has also been exacerbated by this year’s long dry season triggered by the El Niño weather phenomenon, and has recently spread eastward.
Last week, local authorities also closed down Mozes Kilangin International Airport in Timika, Mimika regency, for several days due to thick haze that severely reduced visibility in the area.
Meanwhile in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, thick haze has also deteriorated visibility in the provincial capital to only 10m.
Earlier on Tuesday, the local BMKG station reported that the concentration of particulate matter (PM10) in the city stood above 3,400 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). Authorities consider air quality “hazardous” when it surpasses 350 µg/m3.
“My eyes hurt even when I stay inside the house,” Yossie, a local, said, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Sunardi, another local, said he was even forced to send his 1-year-old child to Yogyakarta because the haze in Palangkaraya on health fears.
“I don’t like being separated from my child but I had no choice. The air [quality] in Palangkaraya is harmful, especially for infants,” he said.
Nethy Darma Somba in Jayapura contributed to this article
Haze-chocked Inhabitants of C Kalimantan Cry for Help
Fardah Antara 22 Oct 15;
Jakarta (Antara News)- The thick hazardous haze shrouding Central Kalimantan over the past two months has become so unbearable that many inhabitants of the province have desperately called upon the central government to help.
Some residents have even shifted to other areas, including to Java Island.
Over the last three days, the air pollution standard index in Central Kalimantan Province reached a level so hazardous that it could significantly endanger public health.
On Oct. 20 morning in Palangka Raya, the air pollution standard index had reached 1950.33 pm10, while a level of above 300 pm10 is categorically hazardous to health.
With such a deteriorating haze condition, the authorities should have evacuated the entire population affected by the haze.
"All efforts to tackle the haze problem have been concentrated in the Sumatra Island, while Central Kalimantan has been ignored," Chairman of the Central Kalimantan Dayak Customary Council (DAD), Sabran Achmad, said in Central Kalimantan when coordinating a coin collecting campaign on Oct. 21 as a protest against the government.
The province has a vast peatland area which is prone to wildfires.
In a move mocking the government, thousands of people in Palangka Raya, the provincial capital, contributed small change in the form of coins that would be sent to the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry and the Health Ministry in Jakarta.
The two ministries would hopefully use the money, in the form of these coins, to help extinguish forest, peatland and plantation fires that have led to this thick blanket of haze, Director of the Borneo Institute Yanedi Jagau said.
The haze has been chocking the public, leading to frustration, said Jagau.
"The inhabitants of Central Kalimantan could no longer sit idle and accept the condition. Everybody has become frustrated and no longer can anyone bear the thick haze. Hopefully, this protest will make the central government realize the gravity of the situation," Jagau added.
They have demanded that the government must arrange to induce artificial rain to disperse the haze or smoke resulting from forest fires.
"Honestly, we can no longer bear the condition. We beg the government to take expeditious action to make artificial rain, and not sit idle," Ana, a local resident of Pahandut, said on Oct. 20.
The haze is becoming a survival issue, making it difficult for the people to live a normal life, and is particularly affecting the health of the children, she added.
Many people have suffered from respiratory problems, cough and eye irritation as a result of the haze.
In August 2014, artificial rains were induced by sowing some 76.8 tons of salt using Hercules A-1317 aircraft over Central Kalimantan.
"However, this year, the government has not taken a similar step, even though the haze this year is worse. According to data from the local meteorology office, as of 6 a.m., the air pollution standard index had reached 1,950.33 pm10, which means very dangerous," she remarked.
The head of the Environmental and Forestry office of Palangka Raya, Rawang believes that artificial rains could be effective in dealing with the haze.
The authorities in North Barito, South Barito, Sampit, Muara Teweh and Palangka Raya have been frequently closing schools, right from the kindergarten level to senior high school level, due to haze from the forest.
In Palangka Raya, for instance, the schools were closed from September 10-16, September 25-October 6, October 16-17, and again from October 19-21, due to haze.
"Teachers are actually highly concerned since the learning process of the students has been disrupted frequently due to the haze emanating from forest fires," Septia Rianty, a senior high school teacher, affirmed.
She hoped that the government would take stern action so that such a disaster would not recur in the coming years.
Head of the Palangka Raya education office Norma Hikmah remarked that the decision to close the schools was taken to prevent students from falling ill due to air pollution.
On Oct. 16, haze arising from forest and plantation fires in the province drastically reduced visibility to below 50 meters, while the air pollution standard index reached 1,889.06 pm.
A total of 1,042 hotspots were recorded in the province on the morning of October 15 but the number decreased to 45 in the afternoon. However, next day it again rose to 59 hotspots.
At least 50 residents of Sampit, East Kotawaringin District, have evacuated themselves to other places, including to the Java Island, to avoid haze.
"We are forced to evacuate to Yogyakarta (central Java) because the air in Sampit is very dangerous to health. The visibility is just around 20 to 40 meters," Saputro, a local resident, said.
To get out of Central Kalimantan, Saputro and family had to go to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan Province, by car, braving the haze and passing through roads where fires are razing forests located on both, right and left sides. All airports in Central Kalimantan have been shut down due to the haze.
In the meantime, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung in a hearing at the Parliament in Jakarta on Oct. 19, said the government has done its utmost to extinguish forest fires which have been worsened by the El Nino-induced drought.
The government has deployed at least 24,000 personnel including military and police officers to help put out the fires, he said.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) has called on all Muslims in the country to perform an Istisqa or mass prayer asking for rains in an effort to extinguish the ongoing forest and land fires, particularly on Sumatra and Kalimantan Islands.
"We urge all Muslims in Indonesia to perform the Istisqa," MUI Chairman KH Maruf Amin told journalists in Jakarta on Oct. 21.
Amin said the Istisqa should be preceded by fasting for three days, saying Istighfar (asking for almighty Gods mercy), improving attitude, and practicing a simple and good life.
Muslims in the country need to also ask for pardon from God, leave all sorts of satanic acts, get rid of conflicting attitude towards other people, and intensify acts of charity towards the poor, he said, adding that the prolonged drought might be the almighty Gods warning to Indonesia.
The council has also urged the Indonesian Government to adopt firm and strategic policies and actions that can end the forest and land fires and help deal with the implications of the fires and the prolonged drought, he said.
As for those responsible for the fires that have caused serious health, economic and environmental problems for Indonesia and other countries, they must be punished in accordance with the existing laws. Similarly, the government was urged to assist those suffering from the impact of the drought, he said. ***4***
(T.F001/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH) 21-10-2015 22:24:45
Forest fires expand, putting farmers, local residents at risk
Ruslan Sangadji and Syamsul Huda M. Suhari, The Jakarta Post 22 Oct 15;
Despite efforts by local authorities to put out forest fires in several areas in Sulawesi and Java, the disaster has continued to expand over the past few days, burning down local estates and threatening the lives of residents.
In Tolitoli regency, Central Sulawesi, forest fires in the Ogodeide district have spread to clove plantations owned by locals and burned down more than 7,000 clove trees in the Kamalu and Buga subdistricts.
“Local residents initially considered the fires as regular so they did not try to extinguish them,” acting Tolitoli Regent Adijoyo Dauda said on Wednesday.
Adijoyo said residents realized the actual magnitude of the fires after learning that they had quickly burned down dozens of hectares of forest and plantations.
The fires, as of Wednesday, had razed some 400 hectares of forest and plantations, where residents also grow cacao, coconut and durian trees, he added.
In the neighboring Donggala regency, fires also reportedly burned residents’ plantations in a number of subdistricts in the Sindue Tobata district.
Fires have also spread to parts of the forest on Mount Simpuledo, Donggala, and razed several plantations near the area, where cacao, nutmeg, banana and teakwood trees were grown.
The fires, according to Donggala Deputy Regent Vera Laruni, have also been approaching residential areas.
“People have been working hand in hand to extinguish the fires using whatever means available. Their efforts, however, yielded almost nothing as many farms and plants have been burned down by fires,” she said.
Meanwhile in Gorontalo, fires that have been burning since last week have also burned down 150 ha of clove plantations in North Gorontalo regency, damaging at least 6,000 ready-to-harvest clove trees.
North Gorontalo Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) emergency section head Nurdin said the fires had been triggered by a land clearance burn carried out by a local farmer, identified as Y, a resident of Sumalata district. “The suspect has been detained at the Sumalata Police office,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Central Java, local authorities on Wednesday finally managed to rescue 20 hikers who were trapped on Mt. Lawu by a forest fire on the slopes of the volcano, located at the border of Central Java and East Java.
The hikers were found after authorities deployed around 300 volunteers in a joint search and rescue mission earlier this week.
“They all survived, although many of them ran out of supplies,” state-owned plantation company PT Perhutani Lawu’s spokesperson Eko Susanto said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/10/22/forest-fires-expand-putting-farmers-local-residents-risk.html#sthash.fmNUamCc.dpuf
Indonesia deploys fresh batch of soldiers to extinguish forest fires
Antara 22 Oct 15;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Military has deployed thousands of soldiers to extinguish forest fires in South Sumatra since last September.
"According to a Letter from the Indonesian Military Chief No TR/1418/2015 about the soldiers rotation in the forest fires extinguish task force, we are replacing 1,059 officers, who have been on duty since last September," the Operation Assistant for Indonesian Military Chief, Major General Fransen Siahaan, said on Thursday.
Fransen said an inauguration ceremony for the same had been held at the Halim Perdanakusuma airbase, Jakarta, where TNI leaders believe that all soldiers took the military oath and will finish the task to the best of their abilities.
There are at least 600 personnel, who have been deployed from 2 SSY Kostrad (Army), ten personnel from the Kostrad Command Headquarter and 330 personnel from 1 SSY Indonesian Marine have been deployed in the field for a month and a half.
Fransen asked the soldiers to wear safety equipment to extinguish the fires and prioritize security conditions.
He added that Military Commander, General Gatot Nurmantyo had coordinated with President Joko Widodo in relation to the rotation of soldiers.
Till date, the area that has had the worst air condition due to pollution by haze emanating from forest fires located in the South Sumatra Province.
Additionally, Fransen said, the TNI Commander has also deployed 2,000 soldiers to extinguish forest fires in the Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan Provinces.
"During the last inspection to South Sumatra, which attended by the President, the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister, and the TNI Commander, we found that the haze conditions in the province had worsened and pollution had increased," Fransen said.
The Indonesian Military will also replace several soldiers in the fire extinguishing task force in Riau Province, South Kalimantan, as well as in Central Kalimantan on October 27.
Fransen said General Gatot had asked the soldiers to utilize any potential treatment to extinguish the fires.
General Gatot has also commanded the Military Police to arrest the persons accused of burning forests across all Indonesian regions.(*)
TNI builds canals and water basins to tackle fires in S. Sumatra
thejakartapost.com 22 Oct 15;
The Indonesian Military (TNI) has been focusing on building canals and water retention basins in the burning peatlands in South Sumatra as it is an effective way to fight forest and land fires, an official said on Thursday.
"Building canals and water basins is effective enough to lower the hot spots by 70 percent," Maj. Gen. Fransen G Siahaan, the operational assistant to the TNI chief, said on Thursday as reported by kompas.com.
He explained that canals, 3 meters to 12 m wide and 3 m deep, could prevent fires from spreading.
He said water bombing and cloud seeding were the main operations to extinguish the fires, however the inflammable peatlands hampered the operations.
"If you look from above, the hot spots seem to be decreasing but the fire is actually still spreading underneath," he said.
South Sumatra is the province with highest numbers of hot spots in Sumatra, with 572 hot spots out of 656 hot spots recorded on Thursday, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
Meanwhile, TNI chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo on Thursday swapped 1,059 soldiers assigned in South Sumatra with a new batch of 1,000 soldiers.
TNI also assigned another 2,000 soldiers to help tackle the fires in Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan. (edn/rin)(++++)
North Maluku airport closed due to haze
Antara 22 Oct 15;
Ternate, N Maluku (ANTARA News) - North Malukus Babullah Airport was shut down on Thursday morning for flights, due to a thick haze shrouding the airport area.
The Head of the Babullah Airport, Rasburhany said on Thursday that the haze blanketing the airport had reduced visibility to 800 meters, due to which no flights were allowed to take off or land.
He added that based on the rules, the safe visibility for flights would be about 5,000 meters.
As a result of the airports closure, no flights from Jakarta, Makassar and Surabaya could land at the airports. As a result, they had to be diverted to the Sam Ratulangi airport of Manado, North Sulawesi, he added.(*)
MUI calls for Indonesian Muslims to pray for rain to tackle haze
thejakartapost.com 22 Oct 15;
The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) calls on Muslims to conduct a prayer for rain to help manage the haze crisis in the country, a top official of the organization said on Wednesday.
MUI chairman Maruf Amin said that it took a special effort to end the forest and land fires, which caused much of Sumatra and Kalimantan to be covered in haze over the past three months.
"Considering the current condition of Indonesia, MUI urged Muslims to conduct an istisqa prayer [a prayer for rain]," he said as reported by state news agency Antara on Wednesday evening.
Maruf said Muslims should fast for three days before the prayer. Muslims in Indonesia should say Istighfar [ask for God's mercy], be polite and live a modest life, he said.
MUI also called on everyone to repent, to ask for God's forgiveness from all sins, to give more alms and to leave behind all bad deeds.
"The prolonged dry season that is happening to our country might be a warning from God," he said.
Maruf urged the government to have firm and strategic policies to help end the bad impact of the long dry season.
The firm actions, he said, could be legal enforcement by charging everyone behind the forest and land fires and supporting the poor people's economy. (rin)(++++)
Humanitarian crisis looms in haze-hit Indonesia
Francis Chan, The Straits Times/ANN Jakarta Post 23 Oct 15;
A humanitarian crisis looms in Indonesia as the prolonged dry spell, coupled with waterbombing aircraft getting nowhere near fires seething deep below peat lands, all but ended any hope of a real respite from the haze in the weeks ahead.
Schools in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan, two of the worst-hit areas this year, were ordered to suspend classes from today. But if conditions worsen, and as a last resort, there are plans to evacuate babies and children from affected areas to ships belonging to the military or state-owned shipping firm PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan gave the bleak assessment at a briefing on the haze crisis on Thursday, after a high-level meeting involving ministers and key government officials.
"This is a humanitarian effort, we are thinking about our children, we may move them to places with safer ISPU levels," he said, referring to Indonesia's air pollution standard index. "We cannot wait."
Mr Luhut added that a massive endeavor is needed to deal with the fires, and Indonesia has a critical five-week period ahead before the rains return. This, after the latest forecast by the country's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency showed there would be no rain until the end of next month.
National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told The Straits Times that there were more than 2,740 hot spots detected across Indonesia Thursday morning.
Thick smoke from the raging fires has spread across many parts of South-east Asia. Southern Thailand is recording its worst haze levels in a decade, prompting the Thai authorities to urge Indonesia to do more to mitigate the crisis. Similarly, Malaysia's northern states such as Penang saw air quality hitting "very unhealthy" levels on Thursday.
The forest and peat land fires, resulting from slash-and-burn methods to clear land for cultivation, have prevailed despite hundreds of sorties undertaken by waterbombers as part of a multilateral operation to put out the fires.
"Fires on peatland are very difficult to douse, plus our peat land can be as deep as 5m, 10m... It is almost impossible to douse the fire by air," said Mr Luhut, who has been leading his country's efforts to resolve the crisis. He called for more international assistance yesterday, specifically from Canada, which has experience in fighting peat land fires.
Indonesian Minister for Education and Culture Anies Baswedan yesterday reminded schools not to "prioritize education over health".
This after he found out that some schools had stayed open because of the annual examinations. (k)
Indonesia may evacuate more residents in haze-affected areas: Minister
Massive response needs to be taken to mitigate the humanitarian crisis caused by the forest fires after a report indicated there was little possibility of rain before the end of November, said Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.
Saifulbahri Ismail Channel NewsAsia 22 Oct 15;
JAKARTA: Indonesia may evacuate more people affected by the thick haze in an effort to mitigate the humanitarian crisis caused by the forest fires in the country, said Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan on Thursday (Oct 22).
Speaking to reporters at a news conference Mr Luhut said massive and measured action needed to be taken, after a report from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) indicated there was little possibility of rain before the end of November.
"There has to be a massive response to overcome this,” said Mr Luhut. “That's why we met today because the weather forecast indicate there is little possibility of rain until the end of November."
He added: "That means the next five weeks will be critical for us, we have to act now, we cannot wait."
The minister explained that evacuations would focus first on infants and children. He said he was even considering using battle ships from the navy and vessels from the police as temporary shelter for the next five to six weeks for those affected by the haze.
The Health Ministry is expected to issue air pollution standards for the local governments to follow as an indication of when they need to start evacuating people. Mr Luhut added that relevant agencies would have to ensure there is enough food for the people, and no interruption in electricity so that air conditioners and air purifiers can continue to operate.
In his update on fire-fighting operations, Mr Luhut said that water bombing efforts would not be able to put out the forest fires completely, adding that those efforts had limited impact in curbing the spread of the fires.
The minister said the forest fires have caused some parts of the peatlands to burn as deep as 10 metres below ground and that heavy rainfall for a few days at a stretch is what is needed to put these fires out.
At the same news conference, Education and Culture Minister Anies Baswedan said that all school activities would stop when the air quality reaches a certain level. Mr Anies said students do not have to worry about being left behind in their studies when schools need to be closed.
Students affected by the haze will not be judged the same in their exams, as their standards will be different compared to other students from schools not affected by the haze. Mr Anies also noted that some teachers still continue to conduct classes as they are worried about getting paid less for the reduced number of teaching hours.
He reassured them that their salaries would not be cut. He also told reporters the Education Ministry has prepared special TV programmes that students can watch at home when schools need to be closed.
- CNA/rw
Indonesians in worst haze spots to be evacuated
Today Online 22 Oct 15;
JAKARTA — The Indonesian government will evacuate more people affected by the thick haze in the worst-hit areas of Sumatra and Kalimantan as a last resort in order to mitigate the humanitarian crisis caused by the forest fires, said Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan today (Oct 22).
Speaking to reporters at a news conference Mr Luhut said massive and measured action needed to be taken, after a report from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) indicated there was little possibility of rain before the end of next month.
“There has to be a massive response to overcome this,” said Mr Luhut today. “That’s why we (the relevant ministers) met today because the weather forecast indicate there is little possibility of rain until the end of November.”
He added: “That means the next five weeks will be critical for us, we have to act now, we cannot wait.”
Late last month, officials in Riau province evacuated babies under six months of age and their mothers as the air pollution index hovered above 1,000. Those evacuated were housed in a makeshift nursery in a town hall equipped with air conditioners, cribs and a health clinic.
The minister explained that next wave of planned evacuations in Sumatra and Kalimantan would first focus on infants and children. Those evacuated may be moved to the southern part of the region, which has a lower Air Pollutant Standard Index (ISPU).
“If the ISPU [in the southern region] is also severe, then they will be evacuated to the ships,” said Mr Luhut.
He explained that he was considering using battle ships from the navy and vessels from the police as temporary shelter for the next five to six weeks to house those affected by the haze.
Vessels under state-owned shipping firm PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni) may also be commandeered for the effort.
According to Mr Luhut, President Joko Widodo has issued a presidential instruction on smoke handling, which will serve as a legal protection for the ministries to carry out necessary actions to mitigate the effects of the haze.
The Indonesian Health Ministry is expected to issue air pollution standards for the local governments to follow as an indication of when they need to start evacuating people. Mr Luhut added that relevant agencies would have to ensure there is enough food for the people, and no interruption in electricity so that air conditioners and air purifiers can continue to operate.
In his update on fire-fighting operations, Mr Luhut said that water bombing efforts would not be able to put out the forest fires completely, adding that those efforts had limited impact in curbing the spread of the fires.
The minister said the forest fires have caused some parts of the peatlands to burn as deep as 10 metres below ground and that heavy rainfall for a few days at a stretch is what is needed to put these fires out.
The government has also prepared other steps, including an education program and sufficient stocks of food and electricity.
“Electricity is important to operate electronic equipment that can clear the air,” said Mr Luhut.
At the same news conference, Education and Culture Minister Anies Baswedan said that all school activities would stop when the air quality reaches a certain level. Mr Anies said students do not have to worry about being left behind in their studies when schools need to be closed.
Students affected by the haze will not be judged the same in their exams, as their standards will be different compared to other students from schools not affected by the haze. Mr Anies also noted that some teachers still continue to conduct classes as they are worried about getting paid less for the reduced number of teaching hours.
He reassured teachers that their salaries would not be cut. He also told reporters the Education Ministry has prepared special television programmes that students can watch at home when schools need to be closed. AGENCIES
Edwin O. Fernandez Inquirer Mindanao 22 Oct 15;
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific flights from here to Manila have been canceled the past six days due to the haze that engulfed most of Mindanao cities, the state weather bureau said on Thursday.
Roy Jumawan, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA-Cotabato) weather specialist, said the haze that has been hovering over Central Mindanao since Saturday was brought about by forest fires in Indonesia and brought by southwest monsoon winds to the southern Philippines.
Charlene Jamero, another PAGASA weather specialist, said representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao met Thursdaywith PAGASA and maintained the policy not to allow aircraft to land or take off from Awang airport due to the haze.
“While the skies are quiet clear as compared to early this week, it is still not safe for any aircraft to land and leave the Awang airport,” she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Jumawan said the haze came from forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia, and has spread to nearby countries like Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia due to the southwest monsoon.
He added that Typhoon Lando that hit the northern part of country contributed to the entry of haze in Philippine area of responsibility.
Jumawan said smoke, dust and small particles that engulfed the region have made it difficult for pilots to land and take off due to “very poor visibility.”
A staff of the Cebu Pacific ticketing office said the airline firm has not issued any statement on when the flights in Cotabato airport would resume.
A notice of flight cancellation had been greeting passengers at the main door of PAL office at Awang Airport from Saturday untilThursday morning.
Cebu Pacific flies twice from Manila-Cotabato-Manila everyday while PAL has one mid-day flight to Cotabato.SFM
Airlines cancel flights due to haze in Region 12
Rosette Adel philstar.com 22 Oct 15;
MANILA, Philippines – The local Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) office said two airlines canceled flights to and from Cotabato since October 17 due to haze from Indonesia that blanketed Mindanao cities.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific announced the last-minute cancelation of its Manila to Cotabato to Manila flights since it was difficult for pilots to land and take off with “very poor visibility” caused by smoke, dust and small particles.
”Commercial flights to and from Cotabato have been canceled for everybody’s safety,” Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) - Cotabato weather specialist Roy Jumawan told reporters. Jumawan explained that the prevailing haze over South Central Mindanao was triggered by forest fires in Indonesia.
CAAP-Cotabato said the airline traffic may resume at the Cotabato airport in adjoining Barangay Awang, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao once the skies are clear.
Aside from Cotabato, CAAP and Air Transportation Office in Davao, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Gen. Santos City are also forced to suspend incoming and outgoing flights due to the haze.
He added that the haze was brought to the country by southern air streams coming from Borneo, parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan. The haze was blown to the country and its neighboring countries such as Brunei and Malaysia by “hanging habagat” or southwest monsoon.
According to Jumawan, Typhoon Lando contributed to the entry of haze in southern Philippines.
Meanwhile, a staff of Cebu Pacific-Cotabato said the airline is not yet issuing tickets until the flights from Cotabato resume.
The weather specialist said the haze may fade once the southwest monsoon wind comes in or a heavy downpour occurs in most parts of the region.
Despite the presence of the haze, air quality in other parts of Region 12 remained at safe levels.
The information officer of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 12, Maysheen Collong, on Thursday said their monitoring showed that the pollutants in the region are still below the standard level.
“The air pollutants present in our atmosphere are so far are at tolerable level and should not be a cause for worry or alarm,” Collong said.
Collong however did not confirm that the monitored haze really came from the forest fires in Indonesia.
“The prevailing wind patterns in the region is not from Indonesia so it’s still a big question mark. Right now we’re studying all possible situations, including observations that the foggy or hazy atmosphere was actually caused by low cloud formations,” Collong said.
Prevailing winds in the recent weeks have brought the smog to Thailand, stoking tensions and creating a headache for the country's vital tourism industry.
Channel NewsAsia 22 Oct 15;
BANGKOK: Dense haze produced by Indonesian forest fires has caused some of the worst pollution levels in southern Thailand for a decade, officials said Thursday (Oct 22), delaying flights in an area popular with tourists.
For nearly two months, thousands of fires caused by slash-and-burn farming have suffocated vast expanses of Southeast Asia, causing rates of respiratory illnesses to soar, schools to close, and scores of flights and some international events to be cancelled.
Thailand usually avoids the worst effects of Indonesia's fires, which annually blight Malaysia and Singapore. But in recent weeks prevailing winds have brought the smog further north, stoking tensions and creating a headache for the country's vital tourism industry.
Thai officials Thursday said air quality had dipped to unhealthy levels in seven southern provinces, with particularly high readings in southwestern Songkhla province where some flights have been delayed or turned back.
"It's considered a crisis. It's the worst in 10 years," Halem Jemarican, head of the Environment Office in Songkhla province, told AFP by phone. "The key factor is the wind. It's strong at the hot spot origins but when it reaches Thailand the winds weaken so the haze stays around for longer," he added.
Transport officials said two Bangkok to Koh Samui flights had to return to base Thursday while a Singapore flight to the resort island diverted to Phuket. A flight to Songkhla's Hat Yai airport was also diverted on Wednesday evening.
Southern Thailand boasts many pristine tropical beaches and is an especially popular tourism destination.
Earlier this month several planes packed with beach-bound tourists to Phuket and Koh Samui were forced to turn back because of haze levels. Thailand's Public Health Ministry said it had distributed 55,700 facemasks in the south with a further 40,000 were on the way.
In a statement the country's Pollution Control Department said it had "called for Indonesia to implement measures to reduce burning in order to mitigate haze".
Land is illegally cleared by burning in Indonesian tropical peatlands, which are rich in carbon but are being drained and cleared at a rapid rate to make way for agriculture, particularly fast-expanding palm oil plantations.
While the loudest complaints have come from leaders in relatively affluent Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, it is poor Indonesian villagers who are suffering most.
Pictures this week revealed a thick, yellow haze smothering Palangkaraya in central Indonesia, with locals forced to go about their daily life regardless of the extreme health hazards. Experts warn the current outbreak of pollution is on track to become the worst ever, exacerbated by bone-dry conditions caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon.
Indonesia earlier this month agreed to accept international help after failing for weeks to douse the fires and last week launched its biggest fire-fighting push yet, with dozens of planes backing up thousands of personnel on the ground.
- AFP/yt
South Thailand hit by worst haze in 17 years
The Nation/ANN AsiaOne 23 Oct 15;
The worst haze crisis in 17 years hit Songkhla's Hat Yai district hard yesterday, with the amount of PM10 particles far exceeding the safe level.
As of yesterday, the amount of particulate matter (PM) of up to 10 microns in size (PM10) reached 369.0 micrograms per cubic metre of air in Hat Yai, the economic hub of Thailand's South.
People are considered safe only when the PM10 does not rise above 120 micrograms.
In 1998, the PM10 in Songkhla skyrocketed to 459.5 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Locals had hoped that such a seriously hazy situation would never recur.
But yesterday, although the PM10 did not yet beat the previous record, air pollutants were clearly visible in Hat Yai, even to the naked eye. The problem is widely blamed on Indonesia's forest fires.
Officials in Songkhla province were busy handing out facial masks to help locals cope with the health impacts.
Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha had already instructed family-medicine teams to visit affected people.
"People need to get proper healthcare," he said, "They also need to get advice. For example, they should avoid staying outdoors with the haze raging on. If they develop tightness in the chest or have difficulty breathing, they should immediately seek medical help".
According to Sansern, the prime minister is very concerned about the haze, which has blanketed Thailand's South. All relevant authorities are now ordered to closely monitor the situation and extend help to people.
"Local administrative bodies, on their part, can help ease the pollution by spraying water in the air," the government spokesman said.
Sansern said the government has already contacted Indonesia about the haze, and Indonesia said it was sorry about the pollution caused.
Yesterday, haze was also a major problem in at least five other southern provinces: Satun struggled with a PM10 of 276 micrograms; Pattani with PM10 211 micrograms; Surat Thani with PM10 of 187 micrograms; Yala with PM10 of 172 micrograms; and Narathiwat with PM10 of 123 micrograms.
As haze significantly reduced visibility, flight services to and from Thailand's South have been affected.
Executives of schools in Songkhla are now allowed to decide whether temporary closure is necessary should the PM10 rise above 350 micrograms.
So far, Songkhla has not been declared a disaster-hit zone as authorities are worried that such a declaration may affect local tourism.
Halem J Marigan, director of the Regional Environmental Office 16 (Songkhla), yesterday evening said there were signs of improvement.
"The average PM10 amount during the past 24 hours has finally reduced. It dropped from 369 to 365 micrograms per cubic metre of air if we concluded the measurement at 4pm Thursday," he said.
He believed stronger winds had benefited Thailand, as the haze was pushed away faster.
In Surat Thani, several flights to Samui Airport were delayed yesterday because of the haze.
"Many flights could not land in the morning. They had to wait until the afternoon," said Surat Thani Governor Wongsiri Promchana.
He said he had also advised locals to turn on the headlights of their vehicles when driving in hazy areas.
Wongsiri said all tourist attractions were still open as normal as of now.
Flight services in the southern provinces of Trang and Krabi are also affected.
In Trang, locals yesterday urged relevant authorities to help tackle the haze problem that had recurred every now and then.
"It has affected us adversely. I feel uncomfortable because the haze has made it hard for me to breathe," Areerat Boonprasert, 52, said.
Thick, unhealthy haze over South
Bangkok Post 22 Oct 15;
The Pollution Control Department reported that unhealthy haze exceeded the safe level of 120 microgrammes per cubic metre of air in Narathiwat, Pattani, Satun, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Yala provinces.
The level of particulate matter measured in the past 24 hours peaked at the very unhealthy amount of 360 microgrammes in Hat Yai district of Songkhla, followed by 276 in Satun, 211 in Pattani, 199 in Surat Thani, 180 in Yala and 125 in Narathiwat.
Smoke haze also blanketed Phuket province but its level was at 101 microgrammes.
As smoke haze levels increased in all the seven southern provinces, the department advised local residents to wear face masks, stay indoors and close their doors and windows.
Two Thai AirAsia flights, to and from Hat Yai, were delayed for about two hours because of the thick haze on Thursday morning.
Seven flights to Koh Samui were diverted early Thursday, while Bangkok Airways cancelled 20 flights to the Surat Thani island after 4.30pm.
Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said rainmaking flights would begin in the South to help clear thick smoke haze being blown in from Sumatra in Indonesia.
Songkhla deputy governor Anuchit Trakulmuthuta said primary and secondary schools could close if the pollution level exceeds 350 microgrammes.
Today Online 23 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE — The authorities may impose mandatory requirements on packaging waste management, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said yesterday.
It will be consulting stakeholders to gather their suggestions and feedback on the issue from December. The proposed initiative is among the options being explored under the Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA) as part of continuing efforts to reduce waste.
Under the SPA, which is a voluntary agreement, businesses commit themselves to reduce packaging waste. Last year, domestic waste formed 57 per cent of all the waste disposed of. Of this, about one third was packaging waste.
As of October, a total of 164 signatories have come on board the SPA, including industry associations, businesses, non-governmental organisations and public waste collectors.
Since the agreement’s inception in 2007, the signatories have cumulatively reduced about 26,000 tonnes of packaging waste — enough packaging waste to fill 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
This has resulted in cumulative savings of more than S$58 million in the material costs of locally consumed products.
The NEA, together with the signatories, is working towards a total annual reduction of 10,000 tonnes of packaging waste by 2020, with 2007 as the base year.
The NEA has also launched a packaging benchmarking database, hosted on its website, which allows companies to compare the packaging weight of their products against the benchmarks of similar products sold locally.
The launch of the database was announced yesterday by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources, at the 3R Packaging Awards presentation ceremony held at the MAX Atria @ Singapore EXPO.
The database currently displays the packaging weight benchmarks for six product categories — beer, carbonated beverages, chilled juice, fresh milk, non-chilled beverages, and water.
NEA launches database for firms to benchmark packaging against other local products
The database was launched at the 3R Packaging Awards ceremony, where 16 organisations were recognised for their efforts to reduce packaging waste.
Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia 23 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has launched a database that would allow companies to compare the packaging weight of their products against those of similar products sold in Singapore.
The database, which can be found on NEA's website, was launched at the 3R Packaging Awards ceremony on Thursday evening (Oct 22). At the event, 16 organisations including Nestle, Tetra Pak and Sunfresh Singapore were recognised for efforts to reduce packaging waste. They are part of the 164 signatories of the Singapore Packaging Agreement programme.
Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor said the initiative has led to the reduction of about 26,000 tonnes of packaging waste - enough to fill 50 Olympic-sized pools - over eight years. She said it has also allowed companies to save about S$58 million in costs.
The benchmark database contains packaging weight information for six products, such as beer, fresh milk and water. It will be updated in the next few months to include items such as cooking oil and dishwashing liquid.
"Another initiative we are looking at is to engage stakeholders over the next few months starting from December, to discuss and gather feedback on the possibility of mandatory requirements for packaging," said Dr Khor. "We hope to get their feedback to see how we can look at eventually implementing this, getting buy-in from the industry so that there will be significant impact."
- CNA/hs
Tiny archipelago seeks to create world’s sixth-largest area to be fully protected from fishing or drilling
Adam Vaughan The Guardian 22 Oct 15;
The tiny western Pacific archipelago of Palau has approved the creation of a marine sanctuary twice the size of Mexico.
Conservationists said the 500,000 sq km (193,000 sq mile) sanctuary would be the world’s sixth-largest fully protected area – meaning no fishing, or other uses such as drilling for oil – if it is signed into law by Palau’s president as expected on Monday.
On Thursday, the national congress of the country of around 21,000 people approved the Palau National Marine Sanctuary Act, which will see 80% of the nation’s maritime territory designated as a reserve. The bill to create it was passed unanimously, 16-0 in the house of delegates, and the senate voted to adopt it.
The move follows a string of announcements on new marine parks, by Chile, New Zealand and the UK, to protect vast swaths of oceans from overfishing.
The US-based Pew Charitable Trusts said Palau’s new sanctuary brought the total area of the oceans fully protected up to 1.9%, though scientists say that figure should be more like 30% to protect fish stocks and the health of the ocean.
“Today is a historic day for Palau, proving that a small island nation can have a big impact on the ocean,” said the country’s president, Tommy E Remengesau Jr. Around 20% of the sanctuary will still be accessible to local fishermen.
Pew, which has supported the sanctuary, said there are more than 1,300 species of fish and 700 species of coral around Palau’s hundreds of tiny islands.
“Creation of this sanctuary conserves one of the most spectacular ocean environments on Earth,” said Seth Horstmeyer, a director of the charity’s Global Ocean Legacy project.
Alister Doyle PlanetArk 22 Oct 15;
More funds to help poor nations cope with climate change will be the make-or-break issue when a Paris summit seeks a U.N. deal in December to slow global warming, the main group of developing nations said on Thursday.
Poor nations say they are far more vulnerable than the rich to powerful hurricanes, heat waves, droughts and rising sea levels and want clear promises that aid will rise from an existing goal of $100 billion a year by 2020.
For many developing nations "climate change poses an existential risk, it's a matter of life and death," Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko, South Africa's delegate who speaks for more than 130 developing nations, said at U.N. climate negotiations.
"Whether Paris succeeds or not will be dependent on what we have as part of the core agreement on finance," she told a news conference in Bonn during the Oct. 19-23 U.N. talks among almost 200 nations, the final preparatory session before Paris.
Developed nations have promised to raise climate funds to $100 billion a year, from a wide range of public and private sources, by 2020 to help emerging economies curb greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to impacts of climate change.
Mxakato-Diseko's Group of 77 and China, which has expanded to 134 members from 77 at its founding, wants guarantees that aid will be "scaled up from a floor of $100 billion from 2020".
The United States and other rich nations favor vaguer wording that stops short of promising a rise from 2020.
Other controversies in Paris are likely to be how to toughen national plans for curbs on greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2025 and 2030. Developed nations want guarantees that the poor will step up their actions to slow rising emissions.
Mxakato-Diseko said a report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development on Oct. 7, which said climate finance totaled $62 billion in 2014 had no legal status. She said poor nations had not been consulted.
And she said it was "simplistic" to say that barriers between rich and poor were breaking down over finance. China, for instance, last month pledged $3 billion in aid for developing nations.
"South-South cooperation is welcome, but putting it in the deal is something that is not acceptable" to developing nations, said Harjeet Singh of ActionAid. "The money to prepare for and deal with climate impacts must be at the center of the deal."
(Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Climate finance dispute slows UN talks as time runs short for Paris
* Poor want pledge of more than $100 billion funds from 2020
* Many concerned by slow pace of Bonn U.N. talks (Updates with end of meeting, Mexico)
Alister Doyle and Megan Rowling Reuters 23 Oct 15;
BONN, Germany, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Disputes over financing for poor nations hampered negotiations on Friday among almost 200 countries racing against the clock to seal an accord on combating global warming at a U.N. climate summit in Paris in December.
Some delegates said they feared a repeat of the 2009 summit in Copenhagen when governments last tried, and failed, to agree a deal, though many others said they remained confident of a breakthrough at the Nov. 30-Dec. 11 meeting in Paris.
"We didn't really enter in a negotiation. We can't repeat that next time" in Paris, French climate envoy Laurence Tubiana said after an often fractious week-long meeting in Bonn, Germany, at which many nations repeated well-worn views.
U.S. climate envoy Todd Stern predicted a deal would be reached in Paris despite scant progress in Bonn, the final meeting before Paris, on issues including climate finance.
Many nations want a deal, he said, but "you still have to hack our way through specific language and it gets pretty sensitive and pretty contentious."
Developing nations, which say their views are often ignored, said climate finance is the core issue, and all sides reported scant progress on the issue in Bonn.
"We are extremely worried about the pace," Amjad Abdulla, who speaks on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, which fears rising sea levels.
Poor nations want clear promises of rising contributions from industrialised nations beyond an existing goal of $100 billion by 2020, from public and private sources, to help them curb greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to changes such as floods and droughts.
Rich nations led by the United States and the European Union want to make vaguer pledges beyond 2020 and for Paris to include new donors such as China, now outside the $100 billion plan, which last month pledged $3 billion for developing nations.
The Christian Aid group said a Paris deal was close, "but climate finance is the elephant in the room".
"Developing countries need Paris to be a success. We have no other option. For developing countries, climate change is a matter of life and death," said Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko, South Africa's delegate, who speaks on behalf of more than 130 developing nations and China.
An updated draft text of an accord on Friday covers 55 pages and has 1,490 brackets, marking points of disagreement. That was up from 20 pages at the start of the talks and far longer than hoped.
Nations were also split over how far the Paris text should include a new mechanism for loss and damage, meant to help emerging nations cope with the impact of droughts, hurricanes and rising sea levels.
Mexico's delegate made an emotional link between Hurricane Patricia and the importance of a deal to limit warming.
"We are currently evacuating our coastal area and getting ready," Roberto Dondisch Glowinski said, his voice breaking with emotion. "I don't think I have to say more about the urgency of getting this deal done." (With extra reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
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