Best of our wild blogs: 28 Sep 18

Wood Sandpiper feeding behaviour
Singapore Bird Group

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$227 million PUB works to keep Orchard Road free from floods unveiled

Jose Hong and Jolene Ang Straits Times 28 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE - Two drainage projects aimed at keeping Orchard Road flood-free during intense downpours were unveiled on Friday (Sept 28).

These projects by national water agency PUB cost $227 million and took more than two million man-hours across four years of construction.

The Stamford Diversion Canal (SDC) and Stamford Detention Tank (SDT) aim to ensure that, should the same intensity of rain as that in June 2010, June 2011 and December 2011 fall over the Stamford Catchment area again, Orchard Road will not flood.

PUB chief executive Ng Joo Hee said: "The same rains that led to the Orchard Road floods eight years ago should not threaten our famous shopping street again."

He said: "Building bigger and bigger drains to deal with more and more intense rain is not a good method. The SDT and SDC are better ways. By detaining, delaying and diverting storm runoff before it can do serious harm, the SDT and SDC offer long-term flood protection for Orchard Road."

The two new drainage projects will ease the load on Stamford Canal, which is 4.7km long and runs from Tanglin to the Marina Reservoir, by about 30 per cent.

The 2km-long SDC will divert excess rainwater from Holland Road, Napier Road and Grange Road - which are in the upstream section of Stamford Catchment - into the nearby Singapore River, which then merges with the Marina Reservoir farther on. Rainwater runoff from these areas would flow into Stamford Canal otherwise.

During heavy rainfall, the detention tank will be able to store excess water from the drains in the above areas. Its capacity is 38,000 cubic metres, or 15 Olympic sized swimming pools.

It will take around four hours to completely empty the tank when it is full.

When the rain stops and sensors detect that the drains are less than 25 per cent filled, the water from the tank will be pumped back and released.

Orchard Road Business Association (Orba) executive director Steven Goh said that they welcomed the two projects "very very much".

"There was some inconvenience during the eight-year planning and construction, such as taking two minutes longer to get from one building to another due to traffic diversions, but all of our stakeholders were supportive because they understood why this project was being done," he said.

Speaking at the opening of the two drainage projects, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said one of the key challenges was minimising disruption to users of the Orchard Road area.

"PUB engineers had to exercise great care to protect the structural integrity of nearby buildings and roads," he said, adding: "Throughout the four years of construction, motorists remained unaware that they were driving on top of major tunnelling works, as the roads above remained open and safe to use."

Mr Masagos said: "The Government has invested $1.2 billion in drainage improvement works since 2012 and will spend another $500 million in the next two to three years... We have to prioritise our investments and look for cost-effective and practical solutions to meet our needs. The SDT and SDC are key outcomes of (this) pragmatic approach."

Assistant Professor Aron Meltzner from the Earth Observatory of Singapore said it is almost impossible to calculate how much extra capacity the SDC and SDT would have if the same rains as 2010 and 2011 happened because many factors cause floods.

"If a similar deluge happens in a slightly different location, say even 1 km away from where it happened in 2011, the water would take a different path and the details would be different," said Prof Meltzner.

He said that Singapore should expect more intense rains because of climate change, and that the highly developed urban landscape adds to the country's flood risk.


Improved flood prevention measures around Orchard Road from this month
LOW YOUJIN Today Online 28 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE – Two new flood protection measures to help divert stormwater and reduce flood risks around Orchard Road will go into operation this month, national water agency PUB announced on Friday (Sept 28).

The completion of the Stamford Detention Tank (SDT), which began construction in 2013, will allow for the temporary storage of up to 38,000m3 – or 15 Olympic sized swimming pools – of stormwater from the drains on Holland Road during heavy rainfall.

"The excess stormwater will flow from the drains into a weir chamber where a pair of inlet pipes will then channel the water into the SDT by gravity," said the PUB.

At its max capacity, the PUB said that it will take about four hours to empty and prepare the tank for the next heavy rainfall.

Once the rain subsides, water levels in the Holland Road drains will fall. This allows the water stored in the tank to be pumped back into the drains, which leads to the Stamford Diversion Canal (SDC).

The canal, which started construction in 2014, will divert stormwater from upstream areas such as Holland Road and Napier Road areas, into the Singapore River. The water will be discharged into the Singapore River through two underground tunnels of 4.5m in diameter and drains, before leading into the Marina Reservoir.

"Previously, stormwater from these areas was channelled directly into Stamford Canal. The SDC will now be able to relieve Stamford Canal of a portion of stormwater," said the PUB.

The SDC runs for two kilometres underneath Tanglin Road to Grange Road, across to Hoot Kiam Road, off Kim Seng Road and to the Singapore River.

Besides the new SDT and SDC, other flood prevention measures around Orchard Road have also been implemented, such as raising the road from Orange Grove Road to Cairnhill Road by an average of 30cm, introducing a lining to smoothen the walls of Stamford Canal to channel stormwater more quickly and working with building owners along Orchard Road to install flood barriers.

Intense rains in 2010 and 2011 had caused floods in Orchard Road as the Stamford Canal, which stretches 4.7km under Orchard Road shopping belt from Tanglin to Marina Reservoir, could not cope with the heavy rain then.

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Singapore’s total population inches up to 5.64 million, after flat growth last year

TODAY Online 28 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE — After posting the slowest growth in more than a decade last year, Singapore's total population size has rebounded slightly, based on government statistics released on Thursday (Sept 27).

As of June, Singapore’s total population stands at 5.64 million — inching up by 0.5 per cent over the past year. The population growth was almost flat (0.1 per cent) between June 2016 and June 2017.

The slight increase this time was “mainly due to stable growth in the citizen population”, said the latest annual population brief issued by the Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group, in collaboration with partner agencies.

The citizen population grew by 1 per cent, to reach 3.47 million as of June. Both the number of permanent residents (PRs) and the non-resident population remained “relatively stable” at 0.52 million and 1.64 million respectively.

However, the citizen population continues to age, with 15.2 per cent aged 65 and above compared with 14.4 per cent last year.

The flat growth between June 2016 and June 2017 was because of fewer citizen births and a drop in non-resident population driven by a decline in foreign employment.

Over the past year, foreign employment continued to fall, but at a slower rate. Excluding foreign domestic workers, foreign employment shrank by about 10,000 — mainly due to a drop in the number of work-permit holders in the construction and marine shipyard sectors. In comparison, foreign employment fell by about 36,000 between June 2016 and June 2017.

RISE IN SINGLEHOOD, FALL IN CITIZEN BIRTHS

The report also highlighted a growing proportion of singles among citizens across most age groups last year, compared to a decade ago. The biggest increase was among female citizens aged 25 to 29, where the proportion of singles rose from 60.9 per cent to 68.1 per cent.

For male citizens in the same age group, the proportion increased from 77.5 per cent to 80.7 per cent. For most other age groups, a similar trend of rising singlehood was observed.

As for the number of citizen births last year, it fell about 2.4 per cent to 32,356, compared with 33,167 in 2016.

This was still higher than the average of the past decade of about 32,200 citizen births.

In March, Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that Singapore’s total fertility rate (TFR) dropped to 1.16 last year — the lowest since 1.15 in 2010.

The population brief attributed the fall partly to “a larger cohort of young Singaporeans (aged 19 to 29 in 2017) — many of whom are children of baby boomers — who are entering the peak childbearing ages, but have not yet had children”.

The TFR has fallen in recent years: It stood at 1.25 in 2014, and fell to 1.24 and 1.2 in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Speaking on population strategies at the Committee of Supply debate then, Mrs Teo said in Parliament that at the current TFR and if there was no immigration at all, Singapore’s citizen population will shrink in the long term. “At around the current rates of immigration, we are close to achieving the same effect as if we had full-replacement TFR. Therefore, we do not expect any major changes to our immigration policy presently,” she said.

OTHER KEY STATISTICS

IMMIGRATION

Last year, there were 22,076 new Singapore citizens and 31,849 new PRs. In comparison, the figures were 22,102 and 31,050 in 2016.

The number of citizenships granted includes children born overseas to Singaporean parents. Last year, such children made up 7 per cent (or about 1,600) of the new citizens.

The Government noted that since the tightening of the immigration framework in late 2009, there have been about 30,000 new PRs a year. “This keeps the PR population size stable, and provides a pool of candidates who may be suitable for citizenship. The majority of our PRs are in the prime working ages of 25 to 49 years,” it said.

MARRIAGE

Last year, there were 24,417 citizen marriages, up from 23,873 in 2016. In the past decade, this has averaged about 22,500.

More than one in three citizen marriages last year involved transnational couples. Over the past 10 years, there is also a steady increase in inter-ethnic marriages, with about one in five citizen marriages being between persons of different races.


Singapore population reaches 5.64 million, with 30,000 more citizens
Rachel Au-Yong Straits Times 27 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE - The total population here grew by 0.5 per cent in the 12-month period ending in June 2018 to reach 5.64 million, an increase of 30,000 buoyed mainly by births among Singaporeans as well as the addition of new citizens.

The new rate is an increase over the previous 12-month period when the population grew by 0.1 per cent, which was the slowest in more than a decade.

Of the 5.64 million, the number of Singapore citizens went up to 3.47 million, according to the annual Population in Brief report, released on Thursday (Sept 27).

The rest comprises permanent residents and non-residents, who include people who are here to work, their dependants and international students.

The number of PRs remained relatively stable at 0.52 million while that of non-residents totalled 1.64 million.

There was a slight decline in foreign employment, of around 10,000 people, during the 12-month period. This was mainly due to the decrease in the number of Work Permit Holders in the construction and marine shipyard sectors.

Meanwhile, the number of citizen births totalled 32,356, a 2.4 per cent drop against that in 2016.

Still, the figure is higher than the average of the past decade of about 32,200 births.

The resident total fertility rate, however, fell from 1.20 in 2016 to 1.16 last year - the lowest in seven years. The rate needed to replace the population is 2.1.

On the other hand, Singapore continues to age, with 15.2 per cent of the people aged 65 and older compared with 14.4 per cent in the previous period.

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Singapore and Malaysia to boost collaboration in tackling climate change, managing plastic waste

Channel NewsAsia 27 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE: The environment ministers of Singapore and Malaysia on Thursday (Sep 27) agreed to enhance collaboration in new areas such as climate change, managing plastic and packaging waste as well as industrial pollution and radiation safety.

Those issues were discussed during an annual meeting between the environment ministries of the two neighbours, which was held in Putrajaya this year.

The Singapore delegation, led by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, included senior officials from the ministry, the National Environment Agency and other government bodies.

Mr Masagos was in Malaysia for a two-day visit at the invitation of Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change.

A host of environment-related matters were discussed, including the joint monitoring of water quality in the Straits of Johor.

“The two ministers agreed on the importance of good water quality in the Straits of Johor, and encouraged both sides to continue efforts to improve water quality by implementing measures to control sources of pollution,” said a joint press release by the two environment ministries.

On land reclamation works in the Straits of Johor, the ministers noted the potential transboundary impact of such activities, and agreed that it is important for both sides to fulfil their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“In this regard, the ministers urged the Danga Bay Joint Task Force to work closely and resolve the issues pertaining to the findings of the bathymetry surveys at Danga Bay expeditiously,” said the joint press release.

Danga Bay, at the southern tip of Johor Bahru not far from the Causeway, is home to residential and commercial developments. Land in the area has been reclaimed for several projects.

Singapore and Malaysia also agreed to continue to update each other on policies to reduce harmful vehicular emissions and identify areas of cooperation.

In addition, the ministers acknowledged the progress made by ASEAN member states in addressing transboundary pollution, and reaffirmed their commitment to work together and with other countries on such issues.

Source: CNA/gs


Singapore and Malaysia ministers discuss environment at meeting
SHANNON TEOH The New Paper 28 Sep 18;

Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes yesterday, led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.

The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits between Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change however did not discuss the regional haze issue.

Singapore Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early next month in Myanmar.

"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement.

"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings.

Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait.

ADVERSE IMPACT

They also discussed land reclamation works at the strait and their potential adverse impact on the environment.

The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.

Mr Masagos said Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.

In an informal meeting with Malaysia's Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian premier Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore in January.


Singapore, Malaysia agencies talk environment and waste at annual meeting
Shannon Teo Straits Times 27 Sep 18;

PUTRAJAYA - Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes on Thursday (Sept 27), led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.

The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits (MSAEV) between Singapore's Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) however did not discuss the regional haze issue.

Singapore Minister Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early October in Myanmar.

"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement which was a response to open burning in Indonesia's palm oil plantations which shrouded the region in thick smoke in recent years.

"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said that she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings.

"I have faith that Asean as a region will be able to solve this problem not only for haze, but to really build our brand in sustainable palm oil," she said.

Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait. They also discussed land reclamation works at the Strait of Johor and their potential adverse impact on the environment.

The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero-waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.

Ms Yeo said the challenge was to implement a "circular economy" where products can be repeatedly reused so "the net production of waste that we eventually have can be reduced as we cope with an increasing population".

Mr Masagos said that Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.

In an informal meeting with Malaysia’s Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian PM Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore in January.

The study is intended to help increase the water yield and conserve supply at the Linggiu Reservoir, which discharges water into the Johor River. Singapore buys its water from Johor under a 1962 agreement.

“The environment has changed, rainfall has changed, water catchment areas that feed into the Johor River and Linggiu Reservoir have also changed. So there is a need for us to study,” Mr Masagos told reporters on the sidelines of the MSAEV.

During his two-day visit which ends on Thursday, Mr Masagos also met Malaysia's Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah and Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Fuziah Salleh.


Singapore, Malaysia discuss the environment
Water quality in Johor Strait, emergency response to spills among topics at meeting
Shannon Teoh Straits Times 27 Sep 18;

Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes yesterday, led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.

The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits (MSAEV) between Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, however, did not discuss the regional haze issue.

Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early next month in Myanmar.


"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement which was a response to open burning in Indonesia's oil palm plantations which shrouded the region in thick smoke in recent years.

"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said that she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings. "I have faith that Asean as a region will be able to solve this problem not only for haze, but to really build our brand in sustainable palm oil," she said.

Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait. They also discussed land reclamation works in the Johor Strait and their potential adverse impact on the environment.

The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero-waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.

THANKING INDONESIA

We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years.

MINISTER MASAGOS ZULKIFLI, on Indonesia "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said the challenge was to implement a "circular economy" where products can be repeatedly reused so "the net production of waste that we eventually have can be reduced as we cope with an increasing population".

Mr Masagos said that Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.

In an informal meeting with Malaysia's Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore in January.

The study is intended to help increase the water yield and conserve supply at the Linggiu Reservoir, which discharges water into the Johor River.

Singapore buys its water from Johor under a 1962 agreement.

"The environment has changed, rainfall has changed, water catchment areas that feed into the Johor River and Linggiu Reservoir have also changed. So there is a need for us to study," Mr Masagos told reporters on the sidelines of the MSAEV.

During his two-day visit, which which ended yesterday, Mr Masagos also met Malaysia's Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah and Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Fuziah Salleh.

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Indonesia: BMKG detects 84 hotspots in Sumatra

Antara 27 Sep 18;

Pekanbaru, Riau, (ANTARA News) - A total of 84 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, indicating the onset of land and forest fires on the island.

Pekanbaru`s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Office (BMKG) stated that the provinces of Riau and South Sumatra recorded the highest number of hotspots based on the latest data at 6 a.m. local time on Thursday, with 23 and 27 hotspots respectively, followed by 12 hotspots in Bangka Belitung, nine in Lampung, six in Jambi, five in West Sumatra, and one each in Riau Islands and Bengkulu.

Head of the BMKG Pekanbaru Station Sukisno noted that 23 hotspots in Riau were scattered across three regions, with 18 in Indragiri Hilir (Inhil) District, three in Meranti Islands, and two in Kuansing.

Of these, there are 15 hotspots, as they have a confidence level of above 70 percent.

"Some 13 hotspots are located in Inhil, and one respectively in Meranti and Kuansing," he noted.

In general, Riau`s weather conditions in the morning are cloudy. Light rain has the potential to occur in parts of the districts of Inhil and Siak.

Mild to moderate rainfall was experienced during the day in parts of Rohil, Rohul, Kampar, Dumai, and Pelalawan Regencies.

This condition is forecast to continue until night.

He added that the air temperature in Riau is forecast to reach 24 to 33 degrees Celsius, with air humidity of 45 to 97 percent.

The wind blew from the East to the South, at a speed of nine to 27 kilometers per hour.

Reporting by FB Anggoro
Editing by Andi Abdussalam, Eliswan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf

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Indonesia: Rare Sumatran tiger found dead in trap

AFP 25 Sep 18;

The carcass of a critically endangered Sumatran tiger which died after being caught in a pig trap near Pekanbaru on the island of Sumatra
A critically endangered Sumatran tiger has died after being caught in a hunter's trap on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, an official said Wednesday.

Locals told the conservation agency that a female Sumatran tiger had been seen on Tuesday caught in a pig trap set by a hunter in Muara Lembu village of Riau province.

Officers immediately visited the location but the tiger was gone.

The next day officers scoured the area once again and found the tiger dead near a ravine, with rope from the trap wrapped around its belly.

They believed the rope caused the animal's death.

Local conservation agency head Suharyono said the death was especially regrettable because the tiger was an adult female expected to give birth to cubs.

Sumatran tigers are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild and environmental activists say they are increasingly coming into conflict with people as their natural habitat is rapidly deforested.


Man arrested after death of pregnant Sumatran tiger
Dyaning Pangestika & Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 27 Sep 18;

The authorities have arrested a man in connection with the death of a pregnant Sumatran tiger after it was caught in a hunter's trap, an official said on Thursday.

The man in question, identified only as E, was detained by the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (Riau BKSDA) near the location of the tiger's corpse on Wednesday night.

The head of Riau BKSDA, Suharyono, said E was still being questioned as a witness.

“He admitted that he had set up several traps in various areas,” Suharyono told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

According to Suharyono, E, who works as a security guard for an oil palm plantation, denied that he killed the tiger intentionally and said he used the traps to catch pigs.

“I told E that he was supposed to wait around the trap to prevent other animals from being harmed if he actually wanted to catch a pig. If a tiger passed by, then he should shoo it away. What would happen if it was his kid instead who was trapped?” he said.

The tiger, which was estimated to be between 3.5 and 5 years old, was found dead with the wire from the trap wrapped around its belly. The autopsy report showed that the wire had ruptured the tiger’s kidney, which led to her death.

The autopsy also revealed that the critically endangered animal was carrying two fetuses and was expected to deliver her cubs in two weeks.

If the authorities name E a suspect, he could face 5 years in prison and a Rp 100 million (US$6,708) fine as stipulated in Article 21 of Law No. 5/1999 on the conservation of biological resources and the ecosystem. (ahw)

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