Local environmental group calls for plastic bag charge to reduce usage

Lim Jia Qi Channel NewsAsia 21 Sep 16;

SINGAPORE: As plastic bag charges have proved to be a success in countries such as the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, local environmental group Zero Waste SG is calling for the Government to impose a levy on the use of plastic bags, with major supermarket chains and retailers taking the lead.

The non-governmental organisation made the call in their recommendation paper which was released on Monday (Sep 12). Singapore uses about 2.5 billion plastic bags a year and efforts by the Government to reduce plastic bags consumption have so far been limited, said Mr Eugene Tay, executive director of Zero Waste SG.

“The Government has introduced a few campaigns over the past 10 years so I think that has helped build awareness of plastic bags but their approach is to encourage people to use less. If it's just voluntary and encouragement, we don't really see an impact of reducing plastic bags,” he said.

The group polled about 450 people between July and September this year and found that if a charge was imposed, 65 per cent would reduce the number of plastic bags that they take from the supermarkets while 58 per cent would bring their own reusable bags.

“That’s a positive indication that most consumers are ready for plastic bag charge in Singapore,” said Mr Tay, adding that the group is in talks with the National Environment Agency (NEA). “It's the first step to use the recommendation paper to engage the Government to see if we can explore this further.”

The group proposed charging 10 cents for big plastic bags and 5 cents for small plastic bags, with the scheme to be implemented in two phases. The first phase would cover major supermarket chains and retailers and the second phase would involve smaller retailers, hawkers and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Plastic bags used for carrying food without packaging, frozen or chilled food and prescription medicines could be exempted from the scheme, the group suggested.

“THERE IS SCOPE TO REDUCE PLASTIC BAG USAGE”: NEA

In a statement to Channel NewsAsia, a spokesperson from NEA said it agrees with Zero Waste SG that there is scope for reducing the number of plastic bags used in Singapore. For example, NEA said many of the households are not using plastic bags to bag their waste.

The agency also noted that the community plays an important role in reducing excessive use of plastic bags.

“NEA is encouraged by ground-up efforts from retailers and environmental groups that urge consumers to use reusable bags and reduce the excessive use of plastic bags,” said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson added that the agency has called a tender for a study on how different types of single-use carriers compare in terms of cost and impact to the environment.

Charging shoppers for plastic bags as a means to reduce the consumption of plastic bags is not uncommon in other countries. In England, for example, a 5 pence charge for plastic bags was introduced in October 2015 and the levy has reduced the usage of plastic bags by more than 85 per cent. Similarly, in 2009, major supermarket chains in Hong Kong were required to charge 50 Hong Kong cents for each plastic bag that was distributed. It was so successful that in 2015, the Hong Kong government extended the scheme to all retailers.

LOCAL RETAILERS SUCCESSFUL IN CUTTING CONSUMPTION

In Singapore, retailers have also been taking initiatives to reduce plastic bags consumption. IKEA Singapore started charging customers 10 cents for each plastic bag in 2007. To further reduce the use of plastic bags, the home furnishing retailer made the bold move of phasing out disposable plastic bags at both of its outlets in 2013. Shoppers can either buy a blue reusable bag from the store or bring their own bags.

“Even though most Singaporeans do not understand the details about the harmful effects of plastic bags, most were generally very accepting. Customers know through their repeated visits that they have to bring their own bags,” said Mr Marcus Tay, Sustainability Manager of IKEA Tampines.

According to its transaction records, about 23 per cent of its customers – equivalent to half a million – included a plastic bag or a blue reusable IKEA bag in their transactions prior to the retailer doing away with plastic bags in 2013. But the figure has since dropped to 18 per cent last year.

“That means the difference is either they brought their own bags or they simply managed with their hands. They do not need to buy bags of any kind,” said Mr Tay. "We are encouraged by this."

Over at NTUC FairPrice, the supermarket chain adopted a different approach – an incentive scheme to encourage customers to use less plastic bags. Its Green Rewards Scheme, launched in 2007, gives customers a 10-cent rebate for bringing their own bags, if they spend a minimum of S$10.

A record number of 10.1 million bags was saved in 2015, 10 per cent higher than 2014, said Mr Koh Kok Sin, chairperson of NTUC FairPrice’s Green Committee. Since the launch of the scheme in 2007, it has given out more than S$2.8 million in rebates, which works out to about 56.6 million plastic bags saved.

While the supermarket chain recognised that imposing a levy may be an effective means to reduce plastic bag usage, mitigation measures should be put in place to help the low-income families, said Mr Koh.

“For the low-income sector, every single cent is needed to feed their families. Considering grocery shopping is a frequent activity for most shoppers … the cost for plastic bags can be sizeable,” he said.

A BALANCED APPROACH

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) agreed that more can be done to reduce plastic bag consumption in Singapore. But a more balanced approach has to be adopted, said Ms Sharmine Tan, senior executive of environmental outreach at SEC.

“We have to take into consideration two aspects - the social and the economic aspect. In terms of social, it's a matter of whether people of the lower income families can accept it. In terms of economic, if retailers are willing to impose a charge on bags collectively as a whole then it wouldn't be a case where one retailer loses out to another retailer,” she said, adding that education is key to reduce plastic bag consumption.

Mr Tay said education is still necessary, although a plastic bag charge could be more effective.

“We have been doing education for the past 10 years. Do we still want to do another 10 years of voluntary or campaign education? We can do that but would we see the impact? I'm not too sure,” he said.

“The message here is we are not banning plastic bags. What we want is to reduce the excessive usage and wastage of plastic bags.”

- CNA/jq

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Air pollution levels about 3.5 times higher at bus stops: Study

Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 20 Sep 16;

SINGAPORE: Commuters waiting at bus stops in Singapore could be breathing in three-and-a-half times more toxic gases and particles than at ambient levels, and with prolonged exposure this may lead to health problems.

These are the findings of a research team led by Dr Erik Velasco, an air pollution expert from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology. The team also comprises students from the National University of Singapore.

After the measurements of their study were validated and the findings published in August, they found that bus stops are hotspots of exposure to tiny particles from vehicle exhaust fumes. These particles permeate the bloodstream and can cause or exacerbate existing pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases such as lung cancer and asthma, the researchers said.

The study started in 2011 and measurements were taken using state-of-the-art portable sensors over a period of two years at five bus stops across VivoCity, Little India, Bugis, One Raffles Quay and the National University of Singapore.

While all five were found to be polluted, the frequency of pollutant spikes were highest at the Bugis bus stop, followed by the one at VivoCity as there were more commuters and traffic in those areas.

According to the Land Transport Authority, about 63 per cent of all journeys in Singapore during peak hours are undertaken on public transport and of the 7.7 million daily trips, 49 per cent are by bus.

To reduce commuters' exposure to the pollutants, the research team suggests installing fans at bus stops to disperse the toxic particles and fumes. It also advises commuters to reduce waiting times at bus stops by checking bus arrival schedules.

In the long term, having electric trams and buses could also help to reduce the level of air pollution, researchers said.

- CNA/am


Vehicle emissions more toxic than PM2.5 pollutants
Audrey Tan, The Straits Times AsiaOne 21 Sep 16;

Even without the haze shrouding Singapore, commuters waiting for a bus could still be polluting their lungs.

The tiny particles from vehicle emissions are smaller - and more toxic - than the PM2.5 pollutants dominant during periods of haze, a new study has shown.

"Waiting at the bus stop for only 10 minutes each time may seem innocuous. But these short exposures all add up," said researcher Erik Velasco who helmed the study.

"A commuter who takes a two-way trip by bus to work for five days per week is actually exposed to these participles for nearly seven hours per month and over three full days per year. This exposure can affect people with existing pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, among others."

PM2.5 are pollutant particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter - about one-30th the diameter of a strand of human hair.

They are hazardous because they are small enough to be breathed into the lungs and absorbed into the bloodstream.

Dr Velasco, a research scientist from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, has found that the particles commuters breathe in while waiting at a bus stop are even smaller - by about 100 times.

At a media briefing yesterday, he said a commuter who makes a two-way bus journey five days a week could be inhaling about 3.5 times more tiny pollutant particles than at an ambient level, which researchers measured at Fort Canning Park.

The findings were significant considering that travel on buses made up almost half the 7.7 million public transport trips every day in 2014, said Dr Velasco, citing Land Transport Authority data.

Steve Yang, specialist in respiratory medicine and consultant at the Raffles Internal Medicine Centre in Raffles Hospital, said the human body has no efficient way to remove particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter.

People should not stand near idling buses, he added.

- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/vehicle-emissions-more-toxic-pm25-pollutants#sthash.NViVgF0l.dpuf

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Zika cases reach 384; number of Zika clusters remain at 9

Today Online 21 Sep 16;

SINGAPORE — The total number of locally-transmitted Zika cases has hit 384, with 1 new case confirmed as of 3pm on Wednesday (Sept 21), according to the latest update on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Zika webpage.

The number of Zika clusters remains unchanged at nine. They are Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive/Paya Lebar Way/Kallang Way/Circuit Road/Geylang East Central/Geylang East Avenue 1; Bedok North Avenue 2/Bedok North Avenue 3/Bedok North Street 3; Joo Seng Road; Bishan Street 12; Elite Terrace; Ubi Crescent; Jalan Raya/Circuit Road; Sengkang Central/Sengkang East Avenue and Hougang Ave 7.

Meanwhile, an expectant couple in Johor who were recently infected by Zika has been declared free of the virus, reported Malaysia’s state news agency Bernama.

Blood and urine test results showed the husband and wife both no longer have the Zika virus strain in their bodies, State Health and Environment Committee chairman Ayub Rahmat told Bernama.

The 27-year-old woman was the first case of a pregnant woman infected with the virus. She was three months pregnant with her first child. Her husband, who works in Geylang, had been commuting daily for work.

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Malaysia: People from Sabah have natural antibodies against Zika -- professor

Channel NewsAsia 21 Sep 16;

SINGAPORE: People from Sabah are less likely to contract the Zika virus because they could have inborn antibodies, according to a medicine and health sciences professor from the University Malaysia Sabah.

Speaking at a public health forum on Zika at Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday (Sep 20), Professor Kamruddin Ahmed said the virus had been found in apes and humans in Sabah as early as the 1960s and hence, people who live in the area might have developed natural antibodies today, reported Malaysian daily The Star.

“From what scientists have researched and confirmed, we know that the orang utan are among apes or monkeys that carry the virus,” said the molecular epidemiologist.

However, due to deforestation and other factors forcing more animal-human contact, the Zika virus has been spread to humans, Prof Kamruddin added.

“It means that most of us probably have a natural antibody against the virus,” he said.

“Therefore, it may mean that this Zika virus may not affect us the same way it is affecting other people in other parts of the world, especially Brazil where many babies born of Zika-infected mothers have microcephaly (small head) syndrome,” Prof Kamruddin added, explaining that the Zika virus strains in Malaysia and South America were different.

However, he still advised people in Sabah to be cautious and take measures to ensure they do not contract the virus.

“There are still a lot of questions we cannot answer so it is best that we all take precautionary measures,” he said.

- CNA/am

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Malaysia: King tides force hundreds of coastal villagers to flee homes

G.C. TAN The Star 21 Sep 16;

SUNGAI PETANI: The number of villagers evacuated from floods caused by unusual high or king tides in Kota Kuala Muda near here has risen to 769.

The victims who rose from 432 on Monday were moved to five relief centres by 4pm yesterday.

They are from 195 families in six villages - Kampung Paya, Kampung Sungai Yu, Kampung Sungai Meriam, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Ujung Matang and Kampung Padang Salim.

They were evacuated to SK Seri Kuala, Kampung Paya community hall, Kampung Sungai Yu surau, Telok Amboi community hall and the home of the Sungai Meriam Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman when the floods hit more areas yesterday.

Kuala Muda district Civil Defence officer Azahar Ahmad said heavy rain and strong winds had worsened the king tides.

Kedah Housing and Local Government, Water Supply, Water Resources and Energy Committee chairman Datuk Badrol Hisham Hashim visited five of the affected villages yesterday, accompanied by Pantai Merdeka assemblyman Ali Yahaya.

He said the state government would seek federal aid to upgrade the beach bunds at several villages in Kota Kuala Muda to make sure that they were not affected each time a king tide phenomenon occurred.

He said a working paper on the matter had been prepared and would be forwarded to the related ministry and the Economic Planning Unit so that the project could be carried out soon.

“The estimated cost of the project which will stretch for 8km is about RM16mil. The upgrading include road repairs, buffering of eroded areas and building of wave breakers.

“The present beach bunds are unable to offer much protection and do not function well, causing sea water to overflow into padi fields and houses of the villagers,” Badrol added.It was reported yesterday that 432 people from the six villages were evacuated to three relief centres after flood waters reached up to 2.9m-high.


224 evacuated in Selangor after high tide causes floods
The Star 20 Sep 16;

SHAH ALAM: Floods triggered by the high-tide phenomenon forced the evacuation of 224 people from 52 families to three relief centres in Selangor overnight.

The evacuees were from Kampung Sungai Air Tawar, Sabak Bernam (57 residents), Kampung Tok Muda, Kapar, Klang (152) and Kampung Tok Adam, Tanjong Karang (15), said Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohd Sani Harul.

The relief centres were opened at the Kampung Tok Muda hall, Lorong Hamzah 2 community hall in Kampung Tok Adam and Sungai Air Tawar community hall.

“Several other areas in the Klang, Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam districts were also affected by floods but no one was evacuated,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

These areas were Kampung Sungai Pinang, Pulau Indah, Jalan Klang, Banting, Pandamaran, Taman Selat Damai and Port Klang in the Klang district; Bagan Pasir Penambang town in the Kuala Selangor district and Tebuk Mendeleng and Sungai Lang in the Sabak Bernam district, he said.

Mohd Sani said the Sepang and Kuala Langat districts were unaffected by floods.

He advised people living near rivers and the sea to remain alert and take precautionary measures against the possibility of floods over the next few days. - Bernama

Wrath of Nature batters the coast
ARNOLD LOH The Star 21 Sep 16;

GEORGE TOWN: Raging seas caused by stormy winds overturned a barge off Gurney Drive, sinking an excavator doing reclamation work, and forced a ferry from Penang to Langkawi to turn back.

Waves rose as high as 3.5m and the tide swelled from a low 0.63m to 2.53m from 9.30am yesterday.

In just eight seconds, the barge carrying an excavator about 250m from the Gurney Drive coastline keeled over, plunging the machine and its operator into the sea.

A 70-second video in Penang Kini’s Facebook page showed the barge heaving dangerously in the waves as the unidentified operator attempted to use the excavator arm to steady his machine.

But the waves continued tilting the barge until its sea-facing side arched skyward, barely leaving the operator time to scramble out of the cab as the barge flipped over.

Fortunately, he only suffered minor bruises, according to a statement from developer Eastern and Oriental Berhad, in charge of the reclamation.

It said the contractors have begun salvaging the equipment.

Meanwhile, the 8.30am ferry from Swettenham Pier to the Kuah jetty in Langkawi turned back after sailing just a few nautical miles.

“The sea was too choppy. It gave the passengers a rough ride and the ferry captain made a safety call to turn back,” said a spokesman from the ferry service.

He said the trip was postponed to 2pm while the 10.30am ferry from Langkawi to Penang was also postponed to 3pm.

At 6am, the Malaysian Meteoro­logical Department had issued a rough seas warning from Penang to west Johor.

“We are having an exceptional spring tide season.

“Coupled with rainy weather, the waves can rise above 3.5m with wind speeds of up to 50kph,” said a spokesman from the Penang station when contacted.

The department has cancelled the rough seas warning but continues to forecast stormy weather until Monday. It also warns that stormy seas off Phuket in Thailand would last until today.

In Petaling Jaya, Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said MetMalaysia issued warnings of rough winds since last Wednesday.

During the southwest monsoon, the squall line phenomenon – which is a line of thunderstorms – can cause thunderstorms along with strong winds and waves in the coastlines off the Straits of Malacca.

“At the moment, the high tide is also caused by the position of the moon which is close to the earth.

“As a result, these three incidents occuring simultaneously caused the low-lying areas near the beaches to be flooded due to the high tide,” he said in a statement.

Selangor prepares for tidal waves till year end
The Star 21 Sep 16;

KLANG: Tidal waves are expected to occur from the middle of next month to December and given this, the Selangor government is putting in place the necessary precautionary measures.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has instructed all the relevant government agencies in the state to be prepared for the situation.

"All agencies and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) have to repair river banks that are weak so that there won't be problems of the banks and bunds breaking in future," said Azmin when visiting flood victims at the Kampung Tok Muda community hall Wednesday.

Executive councillor in charge of infrastructure, Zaidy Abdul Talib (pic), said the floodings in the past days would worsen if there is a heavy downpour and surge in the waves at the same time.

He advised people living near flood prone areas to be cautious of a possible repeat of the recent flooding and keep up with the latest updates and instructions given by the relevant authorities.

"The state government has taken the necessary measures by repairing all the bunds damaged by the big waves," Zaidy said in a statement.

He said the DID had repaired the bunds that were damaged at two locations in Sungai Air Tawar, Sabak Bernam.

"The damaged bunds in Kampung Sungai Lang and Kampung Sungai Apong are being repaired now," he said.

Several locations along Selangor's coastaline were thrown into chaos after high tides measuring up to 5.6 metres slammed the shoreline on Monday and Tuesday.

The last time such an occurrence took place was almost two decades ago.

High-tide phenomenon: Over 1,000 people evacuated
BERNAMA New Straits Times 21 Sep 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 1,089 residents from areas hit by the high-tide phenomenon have been relocated to several relief centres until late this afternoon.

The two-day phenomenon which first occurred on Sunday was due to the gravitational forces of the moon and sun (also known as spring tide) and at the same time, caused by strong southwesterly winds.

Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES) deputy director Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah said the spring tide phenomenon occurred twice a month the new and full moon.

“The spring tide occur when the earth, moon and sun are paralelled, (and) the gravitational forces of the moon and sun will contribute to the higher-than-normal tides,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Azizan said the strong southwesterly winds, on the other hand, would occur in the west coast of the Peninsular Malaysia from May to September each year.
The two conditions had
contributed to the unusual high-tide phenomenon, he said.

Asked whether a detailed studies was needed to analyse the local weather conditions especially on the high-tide phenomenon, Azizan said it was not necessary because the existing technologies were now sufficient to overcome the situation.

“The phenomenon of tides is common. The existing technologies are able to monitor the height of the waves for the past several days. People can also see the graph of water level which is updated by the hour online,” he said.

Until late this afternoon, a total of 97 people in Perak had been relocated to three relief centres, namely the Kampung Panchor Public Hall, SK Semenang and the Kampung Nelayan Public Hall.

In KEDAH, 769 evacuees were housed at five relief centres in Kuala Muda, namely SK Seri Kuala (267 people); Kampung Sungai Meriam Development and Security Committee House (262); Kampung Paya Hall (94); Kampung Sungai Yu Surau (74) and Telok Amboi Hall (72).

In SELANGOR, a total of 224 people out ouf 52 families had been evacuated to three centres since last night, namely Kampung Tok Muda Hall in Kapar, Klang; Lorong Hamzah 2 Community Hall in Kampung Tok Adam, Tanjong Karang; and Sungai Air Tawar Public Hall, Sabak Bernam.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Operations Division assistant director Mohd Sani Harul said the affected villagers were from Kampung Sungai Air Tawar(57 people), Kampung Tok Muda (152) and Kampung Tok Adam (15).

He said some 1,300 members from 32 fire stations in the state were put on standby to and monitor any possibility of massive flood in the areas.

Meanwhile, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said strong southwesterly winds of between 40 and 50 km per hour with big waves to a height of 3.5 metres, is expected to occur in waters off Phuket, namely in the northwest of the Peninsular Malaysia until tomorrow.

He advised residents near the coastal areas to take precautionary measures and to always updated themselves with latest weather forecast. -- Bernama

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Malaysia: King tides force hundreds of coastal villagers to flee homes

G.C. TAN The Star 21 Sep 16;

SUNGAI PETANI: The number of villagers evacuated from floods caused by unusual high or king tides in Kota Kuala Muda near here has risen to 769.

The victims who rose from 432 on Monday were moved to five relief centres by 4pm yesterday.

They are from 195 families in six villages - Kampung Paya, Kampung Sungai Yu, Kampung Sungai Meriam, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Ujung Matang and Kampung Padang Salim.

They were evacuated to SK Seri Kuala, Kampung Paya community hall, Kampung Sungai Yu surau, Telok Amboi community hall and the home of the Sungai Meriam Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman when the floods hit more areas yesterday.

Kuala Muda district Civil Defence officer Azahar Ahmad said heavy rain and strong winds had worsened the king tides.

Kedah Housing and Local Government, Water Supply, Water Resources and Energy Committee chairman Datuk Badrol Hisham Hashim visited five of the affected villages yesterday, accompanied by Pantai Merdeka assemblyman Ali Yahaya.

He said the state government would seek federal aid to upgrade the beach bunds at several villages in Kota Kuala Muda to make sure that they were not affected each time a king tide phenomenon occurred.

He said a working paper on the matter had been prepared and would be forwarded to the related ministry and the Economic Planning Unit so that the project could be carried out soon.

“The estimated cost of the project which will stretch for 8km is about RM16mil. The upgrading include road repairs, buffering of eroded areas and building of wave breakers.

“The present beach bunds are unable to offer much protection and do not function well, causing sea water to overflow into padi fields and houses of the villagers,” Badrol added.It was reported yesterday that 432 people from the six villages were evacuated to three relief centres after flood waters reached up to 2.9m-high.


224 evacuated in Selangor after high tide causes floods
The Star 20 Sep 16;

SHAH ALAM: Floods triggered by the high-tide phenomenon forced the evacuation of 224 people from 52 families to three relief centres in Selangor overnight.

The evacuees were from Kampung Sungai Air Tawar, Sabak Bernam (57 residents), Kampung Tok Muda, Kapar, Klang (152) and Kampung Tok Adam, Tanjong Karang (15), said Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohd Sani Harul.

The relief centres were opened at the Kampung Tok Muda hall, Lorong Hamzah 2 community hall in Kampung Tok Adam and Sungai Air Tawar community hall.

“Several other areas in the Klang, Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam districts were also affected by floods but no one was evacuated,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

These areas were Kampung Sungai Pinang, Pulau Indah, Jalan Klang, Banting, Pandamaran, Taman Selat Damai and Port Klang in the Klang district; Bagan Pasir Penambang town in the Kuala Selangor district and Tebuk Mendeleng and Sungai Lang in the Sabak Bernam district, he said.

Mohd Sani said the Sepang and Kuala Langat districts were unaffected by floods.

He advised people living near rivers and the sea to remain alert and take precautionary measures against the possibility of floods over the next few days. - Bernama

Wrath of Nature batters the coast
ARNOLD LOH The Star 21 Sep 16;

GEORGE TOWN: Raging seas caused by stormy winds overturned a barge off Gurney Drive, sinking an excavator doing reclamation work, and forced a ferry from Penang to Langkawi to turn back.

Waves rose as high as 3.5m and the tide swelled from a low 0.63m to 2.53m from 9.30am yesterday.

In just eight seconds, the barge carrying an excavator about 250m from the Gurney Drive coastline keeled over, plunging the machine and its operator into the sea.

A 70-second video in Penang Kini’s Facebook page showed the barge heaving dangerously in the waves as the unidentified operator attempted to use the excavator arm to steady his machine.

But the waves continued tilting the barge until its sea-facing side arched skyward, barely leaving the operator time to scramble out of the cab as the barge flipped over.

Fortunately, he only suffered minor bruises, according to a statement from developer Eastern and Oriental Berhad, in charge of the reclamation.

It said the contractors have begun salvaging the equipment.

Meanwhile, the 8.30am ferry from Swettenham Pier to the Kuah jetty in Langkawi turned back after sailing just a few nautical miles.

“The sea was too choppy. It gave the passengers a rough ride and the ferry captain made a safety call to turn back,” said a spokesman from the ferry service.

He said the trip was postponed to 2pm while the 10.30am ferry from Langkawi to Penang was also postponed to 3pm.

At 6am, the Malaysian Meteoro­logical Department had issued a rough seas warning from Penang to west Johor.

“We are having an exceptional spring tide season.

“Coupled with rainy weather, the waves can rise above 3.5m with wind speeds of up to 50kph,” said a spokesman from the Penang station when contacted.

The department has cancelled the rough seas warning but continues to forecast stormy weather until Monday. It also warns that stormy seas off Phuket in Thailand would last until today.

In Petaling Jaya, Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said MetMalaysia issued warnings of rough winds since last Wednesday.

During the southwest monsoon, the squall line phenomenon – which is a line of thunderstorms – can cause thunderstorms along with strong winds and waves in the coastlines off the Straits of Malacca.

“At the moment, the high tide is also caused by the position of the moon which is close to the earth.

“As a result, these three incidents occuring simultaneously caused the low-lying areas near the beaches to be flooded due to the high tide,” he said in a statement.

Selangor prepares for tidal waves till year end
The Star 21 Sep 16;

KLANG: Tidal waves are expected to occur from the middle of next month to December and given this, the Selangor government is putting in place the necessary precautionary measures.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has instructed all the relevant government agencies in the state to be prepared for the situation.

"All agencies and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) have to repair river banks that are weak so that there won't be problems of the banks and bunds breaking in future," said Azmin when visiting flood victims at the Kampung Tok Muda community hall Wednesday.

Executive councillor in charge of infrastructure, Zaidy Abdul Talib (pic), said the floodings in the past days would worsen if there is a heavy downpour and surge in the waves at the same time.

He advised people living near flood prone areas to be cautious of a possible repeat of the recent flooding and keep up with the latest updates and instructions given by the relevant authorities.

"The state government has taken the necessary measures by repairing all the bunds damaged by the big waves," Zaidy said in a statement.

He said the DID had repaired the bunds that were damaged at two locations in Sungai Air Tawar, Sabak Bernam.

"The damaged bunds in Kampung Sungai Lang and Kampung Sungai Apong are being repaired now," he said.

Several locations along Selangor's coastaline were thrown into chaos after high tides measuring up to 5.6 metres slammed the shoreline on Monday and Tuesday.

The last time such an occurrence took place was almost two decades ago.

High-tide phenomenon: Over 1,000 people evacuated
BERNAMA New Straits Times 21 Sep 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 1,089 residents from areas hit by the high-tide phenomenon have been relocated to several relief centres until late this afternoon.

The two-day phenomenon which first occurred on Sunday was due to the gravitational forces of the moon and sun (also known as spring tide) and at the same time, caused by strong southwesterly winds.

Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES) deputy director Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah said the spring tide phenomenon occurred twice a month the new and full moon.

“The spring tide occur when the earth, moon and sun are paralelled, (and) the gravitational forces of the moon and sun will contribute to the higher-than-normal tides,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Azizan said the strong southwesterly winds, on the other hand, would occur in the west coast of the Peninsular Malaysia from May to September each year.
The two conditions had
contributed to the unusual high-tide phenomenon, he said.

Asked whether a detailed studies was needed to analyse the local weather conditions especially on the high-tide phenomenon, Azizan said it was not necessary because the existing technologies were now sufficient to overcome the situation.

“The phenomenon of tides is common. The existing technologies are able to monitor the height of the waves for the past several days. People can also see the graph of water level which is updated by the hour online,” he said.

Until late this afternoon, a total of 97 people in Perak had been relocated to three relief centres, namely the Kampung Panchor Public Hall, SK Semenang and the Kampung Nelayan Public Hall.

In KEDAH, 769 evacuees were housed at five relief centres in Kuala Muda, namely SK Seri Kuala (267 people); Kampung Sungai Meriam Development and Security Committee House (262); Kampung Paya Hall (94); Kampung Sungai Yu Surau (74) and Telok Amboi Hall (72).

In SELANGOR, a total of 224 people out ouf 52 families had been evacuated to three centres since last night, namely Kampung Tok Muda Hall in Kapar, Klang; Lorong Hamzah 2 Community Hall in Kampung Tok Adam, Tanjong Karang; and Sungai Air Tawar Public Hall, Sabak Bernam.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Operations Division assistant director Mohd Sani Harul said the affected villagers were from Kampung Sungai Air Tawar(57 people), Kampung Tok Muda (152) and Kampung Tok Adam (15).

He said some 1,300 members from 32 fire stations in the state were put on standby to and monitor any possibility of massive flood in the areas.

Meanwhile, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said strong southwesterly winds of between 40 and 50 km per hour with big waves to a height of 3.5 metres, is expected to occur in waters off Phuket, namely in the northwest of the Peninsular Malaysia until tomorrow.

He advised residents near the coastal areas to take precautionary measures and to always updated themselves with latest weather forecast. -- Bernama

RM3m to upgrade & strengthen bunds along Selangor coastline
DAWN CHAN New Straits Times 21 Sep 16;

KLANG: The Selangor government has approved an allocation of RM3 million for the purpose of upgrading and strengthening bunds along the coastline in preparation for the high tide phenomenon in the future.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said he has directed the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) to repair broken and old bunds, especially in flood prone areas, as a proactive measure as there are possiblities of the high tide phenomenon reoccuring in mid Oct, Nov and Dec.

"The possibility of the high tide phenomenon happening again in the next few months were based on the information received from Lembaga Urus Air Selangor.

"The DID and other state agencies need to repair bunds that are weak so that it would not be affected in the future," he said after visiting flood victims at the Kampung Tok Muda relief centre in Kapar today.

Meanwhile, a Selangor Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said three temporary relief centres in the Klang, Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam districts where families were evacuated to since Sunday have been closed.

The Kampung Tok Muda hall, which housed 34 families with 152 members and at Lorong Hamzah 2 in Tanjong Karang, which had three families with 15 members, were closed at 2pm today.

The Sungai Air Tawar temporary relief centre in Sabak Bernam, which housed 54 victims from 15 families, was closed at 3pm.

The spokesman added that the department will work closely with the Civil Defence Department and the local authorities in the cleaning up the victims' homes.

Read more!

Indonesia: Two die, hundreds of homes damaged as floods hit regions

Agus Maryono and Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 21 Sep 16;

Two people have died in floods in Cilacap regency, Central Java, over the past three days. The victims were residents of Mujur village in Kroya district and Kalisabuk village in Kesugihan district, respectively.

“Both of them were swept away and drowned when crossing floodwater around their houses. We found their bodies and handed them to their families,” Cilacap Search and Rescue Agency member Gunawan told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

At least 300 houses in Central Java, largely in Banyumas and Cilacap regencies, were engulfed by up to 1 meter of floodwater triggered by constant downpours over the past two days. No fatalities were reported, but hundreds of people have been evacuated to safety.

Cilacap Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Tri Komara Sidhy said the floods were caused by a number of overflowing rivers due to continuous heavy rains in the southern part of Central Java.

“Around 150 residents in Sidareja district, Cilacap, took refuge in mosques and village meeting halls,” Tri said on Monday.

Rains continue to pour over some parts of Central Java and could cause extended floods.

Floods inundated several villages in Patimuan district, where hundreds of hectares of rice fields were engulfed, putting them at risk of crop failure.

Floods in Cilacap also swamped several villages in Kroya district. In Banyumas regency, flooding hit Tambak and Sumpiuh districts where dozens of houses and hundreds of hectares of rice fields were inundated.

“If rain continues for the next couple of days, floods will definitely hit us as we are subject to flooding every rainy season,” said Sumpiuh resident Saridin, 43.

The northern parts of Riau’s eastern coast have been hit by tidal flooding since Sunday, when thousands of homes and public facilities were engulfed by water.

In Dumai, Riau, floods hit the three districts of West, South and East Dumai. The flooding is the most severe in five years, with the water level in a number of places reaching more than 50 centimeters.

“Tidal flooding is actually commonplace in coastal areas such as Dumai, but usually floods only submerge the streets, but only now seawater got into our house,” Buluh Kasap subdistrict resident Dewi Purwanti said on Tuesday.

As the area had not been hit by floods in previous years, she said she was at a loss as to how to salvage her household items.

“For the time being, I have placed them at my parents’ house which is two stories and safe from flooding, because the flooding occurs twice a day — in the morning at around 6:30 a.m. which subsides before noon, and again in the evening,” she said.

A number of streets, such as Jl. Budi Kemuliaan, Jl. Cempedak, Jl. Ombak and Jl. Sultan Syarif Kasim, were impassable to traffic due to deep puddles. On Jl. Cempedak, residents placed a barricade to prevent motorists from passing.

Floods also prompted elementary school SDN Rimba Sekampung 01 in the city to send home pupils early.

On Monday, first, second and sixth graders only attended school until 9 a.m. as lessons were stopped when water continued rising. On Tuesday, first and second graders were given the day off while sixth graders studied for a while with their shoes off.

Dumai Health Office’s disease control and environmental health affairs head Romauli warned that people were prone to contracting various diseases during tidal floods, especially children.

“They are most vulnerable to skin diseases, diarrhea and rat-borne ordi rodentia. That’s why residents are urged not to let children bathe in pools of sea water, and well water that has been contaminated by floods should not be used anymore,” he said.

10 dead after flash flood and landslides hit in W. Java
The Jakarta Post 21 Sep 16;

At least 10 people have died and three are missing after a flash flood and landslides struck Garut and Sumedang in West Java in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The flash flood struck Bayongbong, Karangpawitan, in Garut regency, at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning after heavy rainfall covered the area from Tuesday evening. The rainfall caused the Cimanuk and Cikamuri rivers to overflow, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Wednesday.

The flashflood in Garut resulted in the deaths of eight people. Many others are injured and hundreds of people have had to leave their homes, Sutopo said, citing data from the Garut Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD).

The flood reached up to two meters in height after just three hours of rainfall.

"Right now, most of the flood has subsided, but [the disaster] shows that the river basin of Cimanuk River was in a critical condition," Sutopo said as reported by kompas.com.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, landslides in Cimareme village, Sumedang regency, buried two houses. Two people have been found dead and two others are thought to be buried in the landslides.

A BNPB quick response team and the West Java BPBD have deployed personnel to help search for the missing victims and to assist the Garut BPBD and the Sumendang BPBD. (rin)


Death toll from Indonesia floods, landslides, rises to 19
Channel NewsAsia 20 Sep 16;

JAKARTA: The death toll from a series of landslides and flash floods in Indonesia climbed to 19 on Wednesday (Sep 21), an official said, including several children found by rescuers scouring for survivors.

The worst-hit region was the west of Indonesia's main island of Java, where torrential downpours in Garut saw floodwaters quickly rise to 2 metres (6.5 feet), national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement.

"The official report (from Garut) ... is that 16 people were killed and eight others are still missing," he said.

Among the dead from the fast-rising floods were an eight-month-old toddler and four other children under the age of ten, Sutopo added, citing a casualty report from the local disaster agency in Garut.

More than one thousand people have been forced from their homes in the district and are taking shelter in nearby emergency tents set up by search and rescue teams.

Elsewhere in West Java, the death toll from a landslide in Sumedang regency rose to three, with one other person still believed missing beneath an avalanche of mud and rock.

The landslide left two others injured and destroyed a mosque, Sutopo added.

Landslides and flooding are common in Indonesia, a vast tropical archipelago prone to natural disasters and torrential downpours.

The country's disaster agency has warned people to be alert for disasters this wet season as a La Nina weather phenomenon threatens unseasonably heavy rain.

In June nearly 50 people died when heavy downpours sent torrents of water, mud and rock surging into villages in Central Java, another densely-populated province on Indonesia's main island.

- AFP/ec

Read more!

Big banks support firms linked to deforestation

Jakarta Post 21 Sep 16;

The link between the world of finance and the destruction of forests has become clearer with a recent study finding that global banks, including three large banks in Indonesia, have been financially supporting forest-risk companies.

The study titled “Forest & Finance” revealed that financial institutions provided more than US$38 billion worth of commercial loans and underwriting facilities to 50 companies implicated in deforestation in the Asia-Pacific region, in the period between 2010 and 2015.

The banks provided loans and underwriting facilities to companies through their production and primary processing operations in four sectors: palm oil, pulp and paper, rubber and tropical timber.

The report was drawn up by the community group TuK Indonesia, California-based Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and Dutch consultancy Profundo. “This study aims to provide a comprehensive assessment and encourage transparency, so financial institutions can consider the impacts of their financial services,” Rahmawati Retno Winarni, TuK Indonesia executive director, told The Jakarta Post.

Malaysia is the country with the two biggest financiers of forest-risk companies. The total value of loans, credit and underwriting disbursed by Malaysia-based banks, Malayan Banking and CIMB amounted to $5.3 billion. Other countries in the spotlight include China, Japan and Indonesia.

In Indonesia, Bank Mandiri, the country’s largest lender by assets, provided $1 billion in loans, while Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) provided $458 million for forest-risk companies. State-owned lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) gave $678 million to companies such as Sampoerna Agro, Rajawali Group and Barito Pacific Group.

PT Nasional Sago Prima, a subsidiary of publicly listed plantation firm PT Sampoerna Agro, was found negligent in burning 3,000 hectares of its concessions in Meranti Island regency, Riau, in 2014.

The South Jakarta District Court handed down fines on Aug. 11 to the company amounting to Rp 1.07 trillion ($81.5 million).

“Only tighter financial sector regulation is capable of setting the kind of binding standards needed to stop banks fuelling forest crime,” said Tom Picken, forests and finance campaign director with RAN.

Rahmawati said that based on the facts revealed in this research, the community group recommended that financial regulators push financial institutions to publish reports on sustainability information every year.

Responding to the report, the Indonesian banks — Bank Mandiri, BNI and BRI — denied claims they had financed companies that were involved in environmental destruction.

Bank Mandiri corporate secretary Rohan Hafas said the bank had set strict requirements for its clients when providing loans. “We will only finance corporations that have met our requirements and licensing regulations. In this context, we will provide loans to plantation companies that have all the required permits, for example, the environmental impact analysis [Amdal] and other permits,” he said.

“BNI has been recognized as a ‘green’ bank. The bank is also included on the Sri-Kehati index,” Ryan Kiryanto, corporate secretary of BNI, said.

He explained that the Sri-Kehati index showed which companies are regarded as constantly managing sustainable development and were concerned about environmental issues. Twenty-five companies were listed on the Sri-Kehati index, including BNI.

Hari Siaga, BRI corporate secretary, also said that before giving out loans, the bank required companies to have plantation business permits from the Agriculture Ministry, business permits, company registration certificates and an Amdal.

The Rajawali Group declined to comment on the report. (win)

Read more!

Indonesia: Drone video implicates Indonesian palm oil company in haze fires

Channel NewsAsia 20 Sep 16;

JAKARTA: Indonesian environmental coalition Eyes on the Forest (EoF) on Tuesday (Sep 20) released a drone video further implicating the role of palm oil plantation company PT Andika Permata Sawit Lestari (APSL) in this year’s forest fires that caused the haze.

The drone video, taken on Sep 1 in Rokan Hulu, Riau province, shows great swathes of burnt land in and around an illegal palm oil plantation belonging to APSL.

The video’s release comes weeks after Indonesian environmental officials were detained for several hours by a mob trying to stop them from investigating suspected fires in an APSL concession.

The mob - believed to have been hired by the company - threatened to kill the investigators and dump their bodies in a river. The officials were only released about 12 hours later after police intervened and after they had agreed to delete photographic evidence.

Indonesia's Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar later condemned the incident, adding that her ministry's main priority now is an investigation into APSL as its “palm oil plantation in the area is illegal”.

Under fierce pressure from its neighbours, Indonesia has pledged to take more action and has arrested more than 460 people this year over forest fires.

The haze is a yearly problem caused by fires set in forests and on peatland in Indonesia to quickly and cheaply clear land for palm oil and pulpwood plantations.

Smoke from fires in Riau often drifts to nearby Singapore and Malaysia. Air pollution in Singapore rose to "unhealthy" levels late last month after a spike in fires in the area.

EoF is a coalition of three environmental organisations in Riau - WWF Indonesia's Tesso Nilo Programme, Jikalahari (Forest Rescue Network Riau) and Walhi Riau (Friends of the Earth Indonesia). It was launched in December 2004 to investigate the state of Riau's forests and those who influence it.

- CNA/ec

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Indonesia: House to Summon Environment Minister Over Recurring Wildfires

Alin Almanar Jakarta Globe 20 Sep 16;

Jakarta. The House of Representatives will summon Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar later this week to inquire about the issue of recurring forest fires, a lawmaker said on Tuesday (20/09).

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), more than 10,500 hotspots were detected in Sumatra and Kalimantan this year.

Last month, the wildfires prompted House Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, to form a special committee for land and forest fires.

"We will dig deeper into what has been the main cause of the recurrence," committee chairman Benny Harman said. "The minister has confirmed that she will attend our hearing on Thursday."

The governors of Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, where most of the hotspots have been detected, have already raised forest fire emergency alerts for their provinces as the dry season will reach its peak this month.

The BNPB has deployed five water-bombing helicopters and three aircraft to conduct weather modification procedures in Riau.

Read more!

Indonesia: Better Policies Equal Fewer Forest Fires: World Resources Institute

Ratri M. Siniwi Jakarta Globe 20 Sep 16;

Jakarta. While last year's haze crisis has been described as the worst on record, having reportedly resulted in the premature deaths of more than 100,000 people in the region, the World Resources Institute notes that the fire alerts for 2016 have been the lowest in a decade.

According to the non-governmental global research organization, this year's fires have only raised 16,128 alerts by Sunday (18/09), or 73 percent less compared to the same period last year.

The institute attributed the decrease to weather conditions and policy changes implemented after the 2015 emergency.

"This year, Indonesia is seeing wetter-than-usual conditions caused by La Niña, which shortens the dry season and helps firefighting efforts. Heavy rains have extinguished a recent fire in Riau and provided a relatively swift relief from toxic haze," the WRI research team, consisting of Arief Wijaya, Susan Minnemeyer, Reidinar Juliane, Octavia Aris Payne and Andres Chamorro, said in a statement on Monday.

The WRI claims that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's regulatory measures, such as extending the moratorium on new licenses for the development of plantations, establishment of the Peatland Restoration Agency and the "One Map" initiative — a map of land ownership to provide clarity on the boundaries of land belonging to companies, communities and the government — have positively contributed to the handling of this year's fires.

The success of a Rp 1.07 trillion ($76 million) civil lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry against Sampoerna Strategic Group's agribusiness venture National Sago Prima, makes the institute confident that companies will become more accountable.

"The ministry has also sanctioned 30 companies, temporarily revoked licenses from those found guilty, and is currently suing 10 more. This sends a signal that companies should better clean up their acts," the WRI said.

With the recent fatwa issued by the Indonesian Islamic Council on burning land and forests, the ministry hopes to deter Muslims, who are the biggest population group in Indonesia, from clearing land by slash-and-burn methods.

Some private companies undertake their own public awareness programs to reduce fires. Through the Fire-Free Alliance, a multi-stakeholder project to combat wildfires in Indonesia, they establish firefighting units and provide incentives to the local communities for keeping their land fire-free.

The research organization observed, however, that Indonesia needs to invest in long-term solutions to end slash-and-burn practices.

"Last year's fire season catalyzed the strongest response to fires ever, but the current strategies remain short-term and costly. Global Forest Watch Fires data show that while the total number of fires this year is lower, fire risk continues to rise," the WRI said.

The institute suggests that more stakeholders should be encouraged to collaborate in the Fire-Free Alliance; better access to mechanical land clearing equipment be provided to farmers, and that law enforcement should be stepped up with the use of technology and persistent monitoring of fire risks through the Global Forest Watch Fires interactive map.

Read more!

Indonesia Rejects US Research Estimate of 100,000 'Haze' Deaths

Fergus Jensen & Bernadette Christina Munthe Reuters Jakarta Globe 20 Sep 16;

Jakarta. Harvard and Columbia university research showing smoke from land fires in Southeast Asia led to more than 100,000 premature deaths last year "makes no sense at all," an official at Indonesia's Health Ministry said on Tuesday (20/09).

Indonesian government records show only 24 deaths related to forest fires in 2015, but the disaster was estimated to have left more than half a million Indonesians suffering from respiratory ailments.

Indonesia is under global pressure to put an end to slash-and-burn land clearances for palm oil and pulp plantations which send clouds of toxic smoke over the region each year.

The university research estimates pollution exposure from last year's fires killed 91,600 people in Indonesia, 6,500 in Malaysia and 2,200 in Singapore in 2015 and 2016, significantly higher than government records.

"Given the severe haze in equatorial Asia in 2015, the 100,000 premature deaths in that region are not so surprising," Loretta Mickley, a senior researcher at Harvard focusing on atmospheric pollution, who contributed to the research, said.

Ministry of Health director general of disease prevention and health control, Mohamad Subuh, told Reuters the research data was wrong.

"Data on deaths is clear. We have surveillance," Subuh said, adding that the assumptions of mortality based on mathematical calculations were "irresponsible."

Every year, Indonesia faces criticism from its neighbors Singapore and Malaysia over the smog, euphemistically known as "haze," and its failure to stop the fires from being lit.

Last year's fires were among the worst in the region's history, with billions of dollars worth of environmental damage, weeks of flight and school disruptions and thousands suffering from respiratory disease.

Reuters

Indonesia dismisses study showing forest fire haze killed more than 100,000 people
Authorities from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have rejected recent research on the number of early deaths caused by last year’s fires
Associated Press The Guardian 21 Sep 16;

Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean authorities have dismissed research that suggested smoky haze from catastrophic forest fires in Indonesia last year caused 100,000 deaths. Some even contend the haze caused no serious health problems, but experts say those assertions contradict well-established science.

Last year’s fires in Sumatra and the Indonesian part of Borneo were the worst since 1997, burning about 261,000 hectares of forests and peatland and sending haze across the region for weeks. Many were deliberately set by companies to clear land for palm oil and pulpwood plantations.

The study in the journal Environmental Research Letters by Harvard and Columbia researchers estimated the amount of health-threatening fine particles, often referred to as PM2.5, released by the fires that burned from July to October and tracked their spread across south-east Asia using satellite observations.

In Indonesia, a spokesman for the country’s disaster mitigation agency said the research “could be baseless or they have the wrong information”. Indonesia officially counted 24 deaths from the haze including people killed fighting the fires.

Singapore’s Ministry of Health said short-term exposure to haze will generally not cause serious health problems. The study was “not reflective of the actual situation”, it said, and the overall death rate hadn’t changed last year.

In Malaysia, health minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said officials are still studying the research, which is “computer-generated, not based on hard data”. “People have died but to what extent the haze contributed to it, it’s hard to say,” he said. “If an 80-year-old fellow with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problem and exposure to haze died, what did he die of? This is a hell of a difficult question to answer.”

The dry season fires are an annual irritant in Indonesia’s relations with its neighbours Singapore and Malaysia and the finding of a huge public health burden has the potential to worsen those strains. The 2015 burning season, which was worsened by El Niño’s dry conditions, also tainted Indonesia’s reputation globally by releasing a vast amount of atmosphere-warming carbon.

The Indonesian government has stepped up efforts to prosecute companies and individuals who set fires and also strengthened its fire-fighting response. This year’s fires have affected a smaller area in large part due to unseasonal rains.

Jamal Hisham Hashim, research fellow with the International Institute for Global Health in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said governments should not dismiss the study even if the estimated deaths are arguable.

He said decades of air pollution research that followed London’s killer smog in 1952 has established the relationship between fine particulate matter and premature deaths, particularly in people with existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

“The pollution level that occurred during the haze is severe enough to cause premature deaths. That is indisputable,” he said. “The study is a wake-up call. We need to be shaken; we have become too complacent with the haze.”

Joel Schwartz, an author of the study who is regarded by his peers as one of the world’s top experts on the health effects of air pollution, said authorities in the affected countries have not offered any details of how they reached conclusions critical of the study.

During the haze, Malaysia suffered air pollution at 10 times the level that the World Health Organization says causes premature deaths, he said, while Singapore’s claim that short-term exposure does not have serious effects is factually incorrect.
The Singaporean statement that its death rate was unchanged from 2014 did not demonstrate anything, Schwartz said, due to a worldwide trend for declining mortality. The study’s premise is that deaths are higher than what they would be without the haze rather than a comparison to a particular year, he said.

Separately, Singapore’s health ministry did not respond to a question on why heart disease and pneumonia, both of which can be brought to fatal conclusion by fine particle exposure, had increased as a percentage of deaths in 2015.

Malaysia, meanwhile, does not measure PM2.5 in its air pollution index but has been planning to from next year.

Half a dozen scientists with expertise in air pollution who reviewed the study for the Associated Press said its methodology was sound and its conclusions reasonable. Some cautioned that the estimates of 91,600 deaths in Indonesia, another 6,500 in Malaysia and 2,200 in Singapore are invariably uncertain because aspects of the modelling rely on assumptions and the actual figures could be higher or lower.

The study considered only the health impact on adults and restricts itself to the effects of fine particles rather than all toxins that would be in the smoke.

Philip Hopke, director of the Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science at New York state’s Clarkson University, said air pollution studies have to overcome several challenges because “no one who gets sick or dies comes to the doctor or hospital with a clear label that says airborne particles or ozone did this.” Another problem is the studies typically assume that fine particles are the sole cause of illness or death but smoke from fires contains ozone and a variety of volatile compounds that would also affect health.

“A major event like occurred here is extremely likely to have caused adverse health outcomes in terms of both sickness and deaths,” he said.

Read more!

Indonesia: Festival held to conserve migratory birds at Limboto Lake

Syamsul Huda M.Suhari The Jakarta Post 21 Sep 16;

A group of environmental activists known as Gorontalo Diversity are holding a festival to spread public awareness of environmental protection at Limboto Lake in Gorontalo.

Gorontalo Diversity activist Rosyid Azhar said the Migratory Bird Festival was held to attract visitors and raise awareness on the importance of conserving Limboto Lake’s ecosystem and wildlife.

“The hunting of migratory birds in Limboto Lake continues massively. Almost every day you can find people there holding air rifles and wild birds they get from their hunting activities,” he said on Tuesday.

Having started in August, the Migratory Bird Festival will be held until October, during which Gorontalo's biggest lake will have frequent visits of birds migrating from areas across the world, such as Alaska, Russia and several European countries.

Rosyid said activities being held during the festival include the monitoring and identification of the species of migratory birds stopping by the lake, educational activities for people and school students, movie screenings, documentary film competitions, media trips and bird conservation photo campaigns on social media.

Based on the results from Gorontalo Diversity's observations, several species of water birds, including the wood sandpiper, have stopped by the lake since August in their migration from northern Europe and areas between Asia and Europe to South Asia and Australia.

The greater painted-snipe and the glossy ibis are among the migratory birds that stop by the lake every year. In April, bird conservation group Burung Indonesia revealed that 49 out of 85 water birds found at Limboto Lake are migratory birds. (ebf)

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Indonesia: Orangutan handed over to W. Kalimantan conservation agency

Severianus Endi The Jakarta Post 21 Sep 16;

A resident of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, voluntarily handed over a Kalimantan orangutan to the Natural Resources and Conservation Agency (BKSDA), the agency’s official has said.

BKSDA West Kalimantan head Sustyo Iriono said the local resident, M. Djafrie DA, reportedly found the orangutan in a hut belonging to an owner of a field in Landak regency in February, and raised it before he handed the rare species, which is endemic to Kalimantan Island, to his agency on Tuesday.

The female primate was in healthy condition and is predicted to be nine-months-old, he went on.

Sustyo further explained the orangutan had been immediately handled by the agency’s Wildlife and Plant Rescue team and was currently accommodated in a temporary cage at his office.

“We plan to entrust the orangutan to a shelter belonging to conservation group Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia [YIARI] in Ketapang regency so it can be rehabilitated,” he said.

Having started its operations in Ketapang since the end of 2009, YIARI has a shelter for the rehabilitation of orangutans. The shelter is supported by several veterinarians, clinics, cages and orangutan schools, where their wild characters can be recovered until they are ready to be released into their natural habitat.

Separately, YIARI director Karmele Liano Sanchez said the group’s shelter had rescued around 180 orangutans ranging from babies to adults. The animals were rehabilitated in the facility and around 60 individual orangutans have been released to their natural habitat in protected forests across West Kalimantan, she went on. (ebf)

Read more!

Indonesia: After solar, now wind power

Jakarta Post 21 Sep 16;

Indonesia surpassed another milestone in generating power from renewable energy after Singapore’s energy development company Equis signed a contract with Vestas, the wind power technology leader in Denmark, for the construction of a 65-megawatt wind power generation plant on a 30-hectare wind farm in Jeneponto, South Sulawesi.

Equis will invest up to US$150 million in the country’s first wind power project, which is scheduled to start operations in early 2018 under a 30-year build-operate-transfer system. State electricity company PLN will pay 10.89 US cents/Kilowatt hour.

We are confident the Equis-Vestas project can be a good business model for the development of wind power on other islands across the archipelago as Denmark and Vestas are both seen as leaders in developing wind power technology.

In fact, Denmark claims to have sourced 40 percent of its total commercial energy from wind power. Even more encouraging is the commitment, made by Equis and Vestas in Copenhagen while the contract was signed on Monday, to explore other areas in Indonesia for wind power projects.

Last December, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo launched a photovoltaic power plant project of state-owned PT LEN Industri as an independent power producer in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara province. Wind and solar programs as well as hydropower and geothermal endeavors will support the government plan to source
23 percent of the country’s power from renewable energy by 2025.

As solar and wind power generation relies more on technology rather than fuel, the price of this type of technology should continue to fall.

In many countries, notably in the tropical region, solar power is being adopted rapidly, even in places where there is no grid — it is cheaper and quicker to stick panels on the roofs of huts in villages than to build a centralized power station.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry and PLN should initiate a nationwide campaign to enhance the development of solar and wind power, notably in rural areas where the the rate of electrification is still less than 60 percent.

However, a well-structured incentive package would be needed in order to encourage small independent producers to harness hydro, wind and solar power for electricity. The government should expedite the licensing bureaucracy and offer generous tax incentives to attract global companies to use Indonesia as a base to grow their ASEAN markets.

As a source of energy that constantly requires new technology, investors in wind and solar power should receive all the support they need including a reasonable level of feed-in tariffs so that their power can be transmitted to the national grid.

In several places throughout the tropical region, wind turbines and solar cells are now a cheaper way of generating electricity than fossil fuels with subsidies to encourage their use.

Read more!

Vietnam: Ecosystem in environmental incident-affected provinces recovers

Vietnam Net 20 Sep 16;

Indicators relating to the sea water quality in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces are mostly within allowable limits, with the contents of iron, phenol and cyanide declining remarkably, heard a conference in Hanoi on September 20.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) said it has worked with relevant agencies to conduct a monitoring programme to assess the quality of sea water in the eight central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Nam on April and May, contributing to defining the reason behind the recent environmental incident in the central coastal region.

In June, the ministry coordinated with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in determining the level and scale of pollution and marine ecological degradation caused by the environmental incident. More monitoring activities were carried out in August to define the phenol content in sea water in affected areas.

The results showed that the ecosystem of coral reef and sea grass, and marine resources in affected areas have shown positive signs of recovery, while tests on seafood samples revealed reductions in the content of pollutants.

The MoNRE concluded that thanks to the strict control of waste discharged by Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Company and the environment’s self-cleaning mechanism, the content of pollutants has decreased over time.

The quality of sea water at all the monitored areas is in the allowable range of the standard set by the MoNRE and meeting requirements for safe beaches, water sports, aquaculture and aquatic conservation.

Tests for over 1,000 samples of aquatic products taken from fishing ports and boats and aquaculture areas in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue every day showed that aquatic products at breeding areas and those living in the surface water in the localities are safe.

Meanwhile, crab, shrimp, shellfish, skate, octopus and others in the benthic layer within 13.5 nautical miles from the shore are not safe.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has intensified campaigns to help people identify safe seafood while directing relevant agencies and sectors, and all-level authorities of the provinces to ensure the use and exploitation of seafood in line with directions of the ministries.

In the coming time, the MoH will work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to periodically monitor seafood caught in the provinces’ waters in order to ensure food safety and protect the health of the people.

The MARD also recommended fishermen not catch in areas including Son Duong in Ha Tinh, Nhat Le in Quang Binh and Son Cha in Thua Thien-Hue, and in the benthic layer within 20 nautical miles from the shore in the four localities.

Monitoring will be conducted in fishing ports and samples for testing will be taken at the time immediately aquatic products are brought ashore from fishing ships.

A large number of dead fish along the coast was first discovered in Ky Anh township, Ha Tinh province on April 6, then spread to Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.

It is estimated that some 15 tonnes of natural fish and 2 tonnes of farmed fish died in Ha Tinh province. Meanwhile, in Thua Thien-Hue, some 30 tonnes of natural fish died and were washed up on beaches.

In late June, Formosa Ha Tinh accepted responsibility for the mass fish deaths. The pollution damaged about 400 hectares of coral and affected over 260,000 people who earn their living by working at sea.

The company pledged to compensate over 11.5 trillion VND (500 million USD), which will be used to support local fishermen in changing their jobs and recover the polluted maritime environment. It also vowed to deal with shortcomings and limitations in waste and wastewater treatment.
VNA

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Widespread evidence of ongoing illegal pangolin trade in China

Traffic 20 Sep 16;
Beijing, China, 20th September 2016—A rapid survey of physical and online markets has found widespread evidence of ongoing illegal trade in pangolin scales but an apparently reduced market for pangolin meat in China.

The researchers found 74 animal medicine wholesalers and 67 TCM retail outlets offering pangolin scales, 13 collectibles shops selling pangolin scale carvings but only two restaurants selling pangolin meat. Their findings were published today in An overview of pangolin trade in China (PDF, 3.5 MB).

Under Chinese legislation introduced in 2007, none of these establishments are able to source pangolin scales legally as the authorities only permit scales from verified stockpiles or from legal African imports to be used in around 700 licensed hospitals and patented medicinal remedies. Nevertheless, 18% of TCM retail outlets with scales for sale said they had bought them from pharmaceutical companies.

Compared to TRAFFIC surveys carried out in December 2006 to January 2007, the percentage of TCM retail outlets selling pangolin scales had decreased from 81.5% in 2006/2007 to 61.8% in 2016 although the percentage of stalls in TCM wholesale markets had increased from 12.5% in 2006/2007 to 34.9% in 2016.

All eight species of pangolin (four each in Africa and Asia) are considered threatened by IUCN because of decreasing populations and all are currently listed in Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) to regulate their international commercial trade with a zero quota in place for the Asian species. The native Chinese Pangolin is protected as a national second-class protected species under China’s Wild Animal Protection Law, which prohibits trade in its meat.

Despite the trade restrictions, more than a million pangolins are believed to have been poached and illegally traded globally over the past decade to satisfy demand from consumers in Asia, particularly in China.

“Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world and this is having a devastating impact on populations across Africa and Asia. Existing laws are clearly failing to protect pangolins from the poachers: a complete international trade ban is needed now.,” said Heather Sohl, Chief Adviser of Wildlife, of WWF-UK.

The latest findings of ongoing illegal trade were revealed just days ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties to CITES, which begins on 24th September in South Africa. Among the proposals to be voted upon by the Parties there is one to list all eight pangolin species in Appendix I of CITES, effectively to prohibit all commercial international trade.

“TRAFFIC supports the up-listing of pangolin species. However, an Appendix I listing is only paper protection unless it is backed up by the imposition of appropriate national legislation in source and destination countries which carry with them meaningful penalties for violations of the trade ban,” said Fei Zhou, Head of TRAFFIC’s China Office.

When asked about the source of the scales, most traders refused to answer or answered evasively claiming those from outside the country came from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Viet Nam, or African countries. Scales from domestic sources were said to originate mainly from Guangxi and Yunnan provinces although traders in Guangxi claimed Viet Nam was merely a transit country and most scales were sourced from Pakistan.

A single snapshot survey in June of 39 websites found 94 traders on six websites who had published a total of 153 advertisements for pangolin scales, one for pangolin meat and two for live pangolins.

Meanwhile, an examination of (incomplete) seizure data revealed a total of 208 seizures involving pangolins in the period 2007–2016, rising from an average 11 cases per year in 2007–2011 to more than 30 per year in 2012–2016. Media-reported seizures over the ten year period totaled 2,405 live pangolins, 11,419 dead pangolins and 34,946 kg (19 398kg of them seized in Hong Kong) of scales: the latter the equivalent of around 75,000 pangolins.

“Illegal trade in pangolin scales and meat has already endangered populations in Asia and increasingly threatens the African species, too. We must strengthen protection by adding all species to CITES Appendix I outlawing all international trade, improve enforcement and educate the public to reduce demand,” said Peter Knights Founder and Executive Director of WildAid. “The Chinese government can play a key role in helping supporting international collaborative enforcement efforts in this regard.”

Pangolins have long been viewed as an important source of medicine and food in China, with the scales used in TCM to promote blood circulation, stimulate lactation, disperse swelling and expel pus, while pangolin meat is consumed as a luxury food item, often as a display of social status and hospitality.

Researchers from TRAFFIC visited 209 stalls in eight major traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) markets, 110 TCM shops in 19 cities, 35,220 stalls in 97 collectibles markets (those mostly selling antiques and crafts), 51 restaurants in 12 cities in mainland China and 39 China-based e-commerce websites during June and July 2016. They also analysed pangolin seizure data from mainland China and Hong Kong SAR from 2007–2016.

TRAFFIC’s recent pangolin surveys were supported by WWF UK and WildAid.

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