Malaysia: Indonesia agrees to cooperate on rhino breeding; discussion still ongoing

Olivia Miwil and Avila Geraldine New Straits Times 17 Apr 19;

KOTA KINABALU: With no more Sumatran rhinos left in the wild in Sabah, Indonesia has agreed to work with the state on breeding the species.

Deputy Chief Minister and state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said Sabah Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga had informed her that discussions with Indonesia on the matter were ongoing.

She said there had been discussions in the past on “loaning” rhinos from Indonesia for breeding purposes.

“There are two rhinos still in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, but there are no more in the wild,” she added.

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Malaysia: 1km oil spill detected in Tanjung Balau

NURUL AMANINA SUHAINI New Straits Times 18 Apr 19;

KOTA TINGGI: Johor Sea Department detected a one kilometre oil spill along Tanjung Balau waters here this afternoon.

Its director Dickson Dollah said the oil spill was discovered during a patrol at the area at about 3pm.

He said some of the oil spill has reached Tanjung Balau beach.

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Malaysia: Pahang wants federal compensation for use of water catchments

Bernama New Straits Times 17 Apr 19;

KUANTAN: The Pahang government plans to seek compensation from the federal government for the forest and wildlife reserves in the state used as water catchments for the benefit of people outside Pahang.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the land involved covered one million hectares and this forced the state government to bear high opportunity cost.

“In the case of the Kelau Dam which was ‘sacrificed’ for supplying water under the Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project (PPAMPS), the state government had to forgo logging revenue, minerals, oil palm land premium and land tax for areas measuring 33,000 hectares.

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