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Best of our wild blogs: 23 Mar 17
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Site tests to assess impact of Cross Island Line begin at nature reserve
TAN WEIZHEN Today Online 23 Mar 17;
SINGAPORE — Site investigation works to study if the future Cross Island Line will pass under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) are now being carried out in the area, with mitigating measures being put in place to address nature groups’ concerns about the impact of such works on the reserve.
The works are being done at 16 sites at the CCNR. These began last week at one site in a forested area, while at another four sites, works started in February.
At a media briefing yesterday, Dr Goh Kok Hun, deputy director of geotechnical and tunnels at the Land Transport Authority (LTA), stressed that those involved in the study are adhering to stringent requirements during the investigation works.
“The LTA is working closely with NParks (National Parks Board), nature groups and our contractors to ensure that the site investigation works are done in the best possible manner. Other than significantly reducing the number of boreholes required from 72 to 16, we have also limited the boreholes’ locations to existing trails and clearings like this within the CCNR,” he told reporters after a demonstration on how the works are being done at one of the sites at the CCNR. He also explained how the mitigating measures work.
“Workers have to observe stringent requirements stipulated under the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan while carrying out their works.”
He added: “We are doing these soil investigation works so that once we understand soil and rock conditions, we can assess the impact of construction and operations for the two possible alignments — the direct alignment or the skirting alignment.”
The direct alignment option will cut through the CCNR, running for 2km, while the skirting alignment will run for 9km under homes and businesses. The authorities have yet to make a decision on the issue.
Nature groups are opposed to the direct alignment option, noting that it will hurt the nature reserve and there are no guarantees that the mitigating measures for the site investigation works will not have an impact on the environment.
The LTA said other mitigating measures have also been put in place during the investigation works at the 16 sites, which are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
For instance, all activities will be restricted to daylight hours from 9am to 5pm, so as not to affect nocturnal animals.
Boreholes will also be done only at public trails and existing clearings within the CCNR. “Ecologically sensitive” areas such as streams and swampy areas will be avoided, and there will be also be a 30m buffer zone around them.
A certified arborist has been appointed to propose and assess methods to avoid damage to trees during the borehole process, the LTA said.
Investigative works for Cross Island Line begin
Zhaki Abdullah Straits Times AsiaOne 23 Mar 17;
Works to see if the future Cross Island MRT line will be built under Singapore's largest nature reserve have started.
Due to start last December, the investigation works, to determine the soil and rock profile under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, began last month. They were delayed because of "extensive discussions" between the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and National Parks Board on measures to reduce the environmental impact of the works, said LTA geotechnical and tunnels deputy director Goh Kok Hun.
Some of the mitigation measures include keeping works to between 9am and 5pm, erecting noise barriers and keeping investigation works to public trails, to avoid disturbing wildlife in the area.
The number of investigation sites has also been reduced from 72 to 16.
"Workers have to observe the stringent requirements stipulated under the environmental management and monitoring plan for the works," said Dr Goh.
Soil investigation works at Central Catchment Nature Reserve Pt 2
Trial runs of borehole operations and geophysical surveys were also conducted off-site prior to actual works to familiarise workers with the requirements of working in the reserve, said an LTA spokesman.
"These mitigating measures are the result of three years of engagement between the LTA and other stakeholders," said Nature Society president Shawn Lum.
Expected to be ready in 2030, the 50km Cross Island Line will stretch from Changi to Jurong when completed. The authorities are considering two paths for the line - a 4km route, half of which would be under the nature reserve, and a "skirting alignment" that would take a 9km route around it.
While the latter option is expected to tack on $2 billion to the cost of constructing the line, it could allow for an additional station to serve Thomson residents.
It would also satisfy nature groups which have raised concerns about the possible environmental impact of running an MRT line under the reserve.
Earlier this month, a tunnel boring machine digging in mixed ground conditions caused an old tomb at Mount Pleasant Chinese Cemetery to cave in during works on the Thomson-East Coast Line. Over-excavation had created a localised depression on the surface, said LTA.
Such cave-ins are unlikely to occur should the authorities decide to run the line under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, said Dr Goh. This is because tunnelling in the area would go much deeper and only through the granite of the Bukit Timah profile, not mixed ground conditions, he added.
Soil investigation works at Central Catchment Nature Reserve Pt 3
Soil investigation works are expected to be completed by the end of this year. Studies on the total impact of the project will be ready only by the end of next year, and a decision on the route of the MRT line will only be made after.
Dr Lum, a senior lecturer at the Nanyang Technological University's Asian School of the Environment, is still hopeful that the new rail line will go around the reserve.
"The skirting alignment would not just be beneficial for the environment, it would also allow for wider ridership for the MRT line," he said.
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43% of Singaporeans against water price hike: REACH
Today Online 22 Mar 17;
SINGAPORE — A survey conducted by Government feedback unit Reach has found that just slightly more than half (52 per cent) of the respondents expressed overall support for this year’s Budget initiatives — believed to be among the lowest since Reach began conducting the annual post-Budget polls several years ago.
The telephone survey also found that many disagreed with the 30-per-cent water tariff hike, Reach said in a press release on Wednesday (March 22).
The poll was conducted from February 22 to March 3, and the randomly-selected sample of 1,111 citizens was weighted to be demographically representative of the national population in terms of gender, age and race.
Among the findings, 43 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that “it (was) reasonable to increase water prices to fund the higher costs of water production and to encourage water conservation”. In comparison, 24 per cent said they were “neutral”, 32 per cent agreed or strongly agreed and 1 per cent were “unsure”.
Reach also said that at its feedback booths, “many Singaporeans had initially shared their unhappiness on the increased water prices”.
It added: “But after various agencies and political office-holders had explained the increase, more people at (the booths) at the end of February and March said that they supported the increase. They understood the rationale behind the move and accepted that water is vital to our country’s survival and that it should be priced properly.”
Still, Reach chairman Sam Tan said the unit will embark on more public education.
In comparison, there was strong support for initiatives to help persons with disabilities, families in housing, and children’s education. For example, 72 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that the increase in Central Provident Fund housing grant for couples buying their first resale flat would offer “significant support for young families”. An identical proportion felt the same about the Third Enabling Masterplan — a roadmap to build a more inclusive society where persons with disabilities are supported to realise their potential — would help those with disabilities to integrate better in the workforce and society.
Asked if an increase in the number of infant-care places would “make Singapore a more conducive place to raise a family”, 66 per cent of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed.
Two-thirds of the respondents also either agreed or strongly agreed that training support offered under the SkillsFuture movement will create better employment opportunities for Singaporeans.
Despite the high levels of support for the social measures, overall support for the Budget measures was relatively low: 52 per cent agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: “Overall, I support the initiatives announced in the Budget.” More than a third (35 per cent) were neutral, while 11 per cent disagreed or strongly
disagreed.
Reach did not reply to queries on whether this was the lowest level of support since it began conducting the polls. Nevertheless, earlier media reports showed that in 2010, 70 per cent of 800 Singaporeans surveyed expressed support for the Budget that year. The figure was about 60 per cent the following year. In 2012, the proportion spiked to 93 per cent while it was about two-thirds in 2013.
Between 2014 and last year, the proportion hovered around 70 per cent.
Members of Parliament interviewed by TODAY said the survey results mirror sentiments on the ground, especially concern about the water price hike among low-income Singaporeans.
“Many Singaporeans are supportive of most of the measures in the Budget … but for some, the water price increase overshadows their support on other issues,” said Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah.
Fellow Nee Soon MP Louis Ng said the low overall support reflects the population’s desire for their voices to be heard. “The survey results show that we need to improve on our communication of Budget measures and to get the public involved in the process of drafting the Budget statement,” he said.
Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo added that the relatively low overall support is “not entirely unexpected” for a Budget that seeks to “position Singapore for the long term”. Faced with economic pressures, some Singaporeans may be looking out for more short-term support measures, he noted.
Many welcome Budget 2017 measures, but against water price hike: REACH
Today Online 22 Mar 17;
SINGAPORE: More than half of Singaporeans welcomed Budget 2017’s initiatives to support families and build a more inclusive society, but many disagreed with the move to increase water prices, according to Government outreach portal REACH.
A total of 1,111 randomly selected Singapore citizens aged 20 and above were polled by phone over 10 days, REACH said in a press release on Wednesday (Mar 22).
Overall, 52 per cent of Singaporeans polled said they supported the measures. Eight in 10 welcomed the increase in post-Secondary education bursaries, while seven in 10 agreed that the increase in CPF housing grant for first-time buyers of resale flats would help support young families.
Two-thirds of respondents also welcomed an increase in the number of infant care places, while 72 per cent agreed that the Third Enabling Masterplan would help those with disabilities integrate better into society.
More than half of those polled also supported the jobs and skills-related initiatives, REACH said.
However, nearly half – or 43 per cent – of respondents disagreed with the move to raise water prices. About 32 per cent agreed with the move while 24 per cent said they were neutral, according to REACH.
At REACH’s listening points – open booths in public areas for people to give feedback to the Government – many Singaporeans said they were unhappy about the price hike. But after explanations by the Government, more people accepted the increase, REACH said.
“They understood the rationale behind the move and accepted that water is vital to our country’s survival and that it should be priced properly,” it said.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and for Manpower Sam Tan, who is also REACH chairman, said the Government understood Singaporeans’ concerns.
“For those who are affected by the rising costs, there are measures to help households through the increase in U-Save rebates. We also hear the suggestions of some Singaporeans to improve communication on the water increase, and to do more public education so that everyone can work collectively to understand the need for water conservation.”
- CNA/cy
Poll finds unhappiness over water price hike
Many Singaporeans disagree with the upcoming water price hike announced in Budget 2017, a poll of more than 1,100 citizens by government feedback unit Reach found.
Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, Straits Times AsiaOne 23 Mar 17;
Many Singaporeans disagree with the upcoming water price hike announced in Budget 2017, a poll of more than 1,100 citizens by government feedback unit Reach found.
Overall, 52 per cent of those surveyed in the two weeks after the 30 per cent hike was announced were supportive of the Budget, with more than two-thirds backing measures on housing, social support and jobs, Reach said yesterday.
But 43 per cent of those polled disagreed that it was reasonable to increase water prices to fund higher costs of production and encourage conservation. Only 32 per cent agreed while 24 per cent indicated that they were neutral.
The price of water will go up by 30 per cent in two phases, starting in July.
"The results show that Singaporeans largely welcomed the social measures in Budget 2017, in particular the initiatives to assist families with the costs of raising a family," said Reach chairman Sam Tan.
"We also hear the suggestions of some Singaporeans to improve communication on the water (price) increase, and to do more public education so that everyone can work collectively to understand the need for water conservation," added Mr Tan, who is Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Manpower.
Reach also said many Singaporeans at its listening points - feedback booths for people to find out more about policies and give views - had voiced their unhappiness over the water price hike.
But after various agencies and political office holders explained the reason for the move, more people at these booths said at the end of February and this month that they supported the hike.
"They understood the rationale behind the move and accepted that water is vital to our country's survival and that it should be priced properly," Reach said.
Mr Tan said: "We understand Singaporeans' concerns." He noted that there are steps to help households cope with rising costs through extra U-Save rebates.
One- and two-room HDB households will not see any rise in their water bill on average while bills for other HDB households will go up by $2 to $11 a month.
Reach conducts a telephone poll on the Budget each year. This year's survey was done from Feb 22 to March 3, after the Feb 20 Budget, and involved 1,111 randomly selected citizens aged 20 and above. The sample was weighted by gender, age and race to make it representative of the national population.
The poll also found other Budget measures were strongly supported:
80 per cent agreed enhanced post-secondary education bursaries would better support lower- and middle-income households.
72 per cent agreed the increase in the CPF Housing Grant to up to $50,000 for couples buying their first resale flat would provide young families with significant support.
66 per cent agreed an increase in the number of infant-care places will make Singapore a more conducive place to raise a family.
72 per cent agreed that the third Enabling Masterplan, a road map to better support those with disabilities, will help these citizens integrate better.
66 per cent agreed that enhancements to Adapt and Grow and training support under SkillsFuture will help create better job opportunities.
58 per cent agreed that the extension of the additional Special Employment Credit will encourage employers to keep on hiring older workers.
Reach contributors suggested that the integration of persons with disabilities could begin in schools.
Said Mr Tan: "Building an inclusive society is a continuous effort, and we should strive towards a society with no pre-conceived notions on issues such as disabilities."
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Malaysia: Sabah to control croc population by culling
The Star 23 Mar 17;
KOTA KINABALU: The culling and trapping of crocodiles will be carried out in areas where the reptiles have attacked human, the Sabah Wildlife Department says.
Department director Augustine Tuuga said rangers would be deployed to trap crocodiles in areas where the reptiles posed a danger.
He said crocodile hunting was allowed under the state’s Wildlife Protection Enactment 1997 but only a few licences had been issued as they were listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Sarawak downgraded crocodiles to Appendix II that allowed for the controlled trade of the reptiles during the Conference of Parties last year. This allowed Sarawak an export quota of 500 crocodiles caught from the wild.
He said Sabah was seeking its own export quota of crocodiles but it would have to come up with a management plan for them .
Augustine said the department contacted wildlife research NGO Danau Girang Field Centre to do a study.
Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin had called for the state to emulate Sarawak and allow hunting of the reptiles after a man and his 13-year-old son were killed in a crocodile attack along Sungai Kinabatangan on Monday.
Crocs in affected areas to be trapped and culled
RUBEN SARIO The Star 22 Mar 17;
KOTA KINABALU: Crocodiles in areas where attacks have taken place will be trapped and culled, says the Sabah Wildlife Department.
Its director Augustine Tuuga said rangers would also be deployed to trap crocodiles in areas where the reptiles pose a danger to humans.
He said crocodile hunting was allowed under the state Wildlife Protection Enactment 1997, but only a few licences were applied for as the skin of reptiles caught in the wild cannot be exported.
“Crocodiles are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,” Augustine said.
He said Sarawak had proposed downgrading crocodile protection to Appendix II during the Conference of Parties last year, and this was approved. Appendix II allows for controlled trade.
As a result, Sarawak had an export quota of 500 crocodiles taken from the wild, while there was none for Sabah and West Malaysia, he added.
Augustine said Sabah was moving towards getting its own export quota of crocodiles from the wild, but the state would first have to come up with a management plan for these creatures.
He said his department had contracted wildlife research non-governmental organisation Danau Girang Field Centre to conduct a study that was due to be completed next year.
Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin called for the state to emulate Sarawak and allow for the hunting of the reptiles after a 50-year-old man and his 13-year-old son were killed in an attack along Sungai Kinabatangan.
The two victims, from Kampung Seri Bersatu in Bukit Garam, had gone fishing on March 18, but their partially devoured bodies were discovered in the river two days later.
Bung Mokhtar said drastic action was needed to control the crocodile population, especially along the nation’s second longest waterway.
He said villagers living along the river were at risk because of the increasing number of these reptiles.
Over the past two years, Wildlife rangers have had to respond to incidents of human-crocodile conflict with reptiles appearing in populated areas around Sabah.
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Malaysia: Seafood restaurant owner raring to serve RM7,500 grouper to customers
A seafood restaurant owner in Jalan Pengkalan Weld has forked out a whopping RM7,500 to buy an enormous 150kg grouper as a rare delicacy for his customers. (Pix by SHAHNAZ FAZLIE SHAHRIZAL)
MOHAMED BASYIR New Straits Times 22 Mar 17;
GEORGE TOWN: A seafood restaurant owner in Jalan Pengkalan Weld has forked out a whopping RM7,500 to buy an enormous 150kg grouper as a rare delicacy for his customers.
Chew Kean Ghee, 45, said that he could not resist buying the 150kg fish when it was put up on sale at an open tender recently.
“My customers will be more than happy to enjoy this rare treat. That is the reason I was willing to spend that much money just for a fish.
“I want to satisfy my customers in the best way possible by serving them this fish for a price as low as RM17 per serving.
“This will be a great dish to be enjoyed either individually or in groups,” he said when met at his shop today.
The process of cleaning and cutting up the gigantic fish alone took him up to four hours.
Chew said that he was glad that the image of him purchasing the grouper made its rounds on social media recently as this would attract more customers to his restaurant.
He plans to donate some of the profits made from the fish to several primary schools in the state.
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Indonesia's new ally on war against haze - tribespeople
Beh Lih Yi Reuters 22 Mar 17;
JAKARTA, March 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Indonesia is recruiting tribespeople to help fight outbreaks of haze which shroud Southeast Asia every year with a government deal designed to tap into traditional ways of containing forest fires.
The region suffers every dry season from a haze caused by smouldering fires, often set deliberately to clear land for pulp and paper and palm oil plantations on Sumatra and Borneo islands.
Most of the fires are on peat land which are highly inflammable and often cause fires to spread beyond their intended areas, sending smoke across to neighbours Singapore and Malaysia.
For the first time, the Peatlands Restoration Agency - set up by President Joko Widodo in 2016 to fight the fires - has struck a deal with indigenous groups in a bid to tap their traditional knowledge in managing lands and fires.
"We realise indigenous groups are already practising good peatland management, using their local wisdom," the agency's deputy head Myrna Safitri told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
For instance, a long-held tradition by the Dayak tribe on Borneo island dictates they cannot leave a place that has been set on fire until the fire stops.
Fires are often started in the dry season by farmers to clear their land quickly and cheaply to plant new harvests.
In other places, some tribes have already developed new ways to avoid burning the land when they are preparing for the new planting season, according to the official.
"We are really impressed. We hope with our recognition of the indigenous people, that kind of knowledge sharing can be expanded to other places," Safitri said.
Under an agreement with the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago signed last week, the agency will promote such practices and hope the tribespeople can inspire others.
The alliance is the umbrella group that represents some 50 million indigenous people in Indonesia.
"We hope it would be one of the effective ways to control the fires at the grassroots level," Safitri said.
Indonesia has been criticised by neighbours and green groups for failing to end the annual fires.
In 2015, dry weather caused by the El Nino phenomenon saw one of the worst outbreaks of haze in years, with smoke blanketing neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia for weeks and drifting as far north as the Thai capital Bangkok.
The fires cost Indonesia $16 billion that year and left over 500,000 Indonesians suffering from respiratory ailments. (Reporting by Beh Lih Yi @behlihyi, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit news.trust.org)
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Indonesia: 5 barges destroy coral in Karimunjawa
Suherdjoko The Jakarta Post 22 Mar 17;
Five barges carrying coal from Kalimantan destroyed hundreds of square meters of coral around Karimunjawa Islands in Jepara, Central Java, when they took shelter from storms, an official has said.
Karimunjawa National Park Agency official Iwan Setiawan said the damaged coral was located in waters around Cilik, Gosong Tengah and Tengah islands where the five barges passed on Jan. 14 and Feb. 10 to find shelter from storms.
“The barges took shelter in the area because of bad weather, or the west season. Strong waves dragged their anchors, which damaged coral reef in the area. The first incident hampered barge Sinar Anugerah in January while four other barges suffered similar incidents in February,” said Iwan on Wednesday.
He further said the Karimunjawa National Park Agency had met the barges’ captains and made records of the incidents. The cases were later reported to the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s Environment and Forestry Law Enforcement and Security Agency in Surabaya, East Java.
(Read also: Indonesia not yet ready to handle cruise ships: Official)
Karimunjawa is a prime destination for maritime tourism in Central Java. It has 27 islands, five of which are populated by about 10,000 people. Every week about 2,000 local and foreign tourists visit the area.
The incidents received close attention from conservation group Alam Karimunjawa, which reported the cases to the Central Java Legislative Council.
Alam Karimunjawa head Jarhanudin said the destruction of coral by barges passing through waters around Karimunjawa Islands had been repeatedly reported to the Karimunjawa National Park Agency and port master. “We received few responses, however,” he said. (ebf)
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