wildsingapore news: pulau-ubin

Showing posts with label pulau-ubin. Show all posts

Showing posts with label pulau-ubin. Show all posts

It takes a community to protect mangroves: Desmond Lee

Marcia Lee Straits Times 6 Jul 19;

As both the biggest threat to and beneficiary of mangroves, the local community needs to be involved in protecting the tropical trees growing in and around intertidal communities.

Anyone can help by volunteering with organisations like the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Restore Ubin Mangroves initiative, a mangrove rehabilitation project led by researchers, community groups and government agencies.

They can get involved in nature walks, biodiversity surveys and mangrove cleanups in the Central Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin or Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR).

Floating wetlands in Pulau Ubin to be expanded, more amenities for wheelchair users

Felicia Choo Straits Times 29 Jun 19;

SINGAPORE - Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers will soon have more to enjoy in Pulau Ubin, where floating wetlands will be vastly expanded to provide more habitats for various species of migratory birds.

The mangroves at abandoned aquaculture ponds in the south-eastern part of the island will also be restored.

These are part of plans announced by the National Parks Board (NParks) on Saturday, which will also see improved accessibility to Pulau Ubin for wheelchair users.

New MRT line for northeast S’pore will benefit underserved areas: Analysts

DARYL CHOO Today Online 26 May 19;

SINGAPORE — A new rail line to connect Singapore’s northeast to its south would not only be possible but a step in the right direction, as it would plug gaps in underserved areas and maybe even rekindle talks about a third link to Johor, transport analysts said.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in its Land Transport Master Plan 2040 on Saturday (May 25), that it is studying the feasibility of a new line that could serve residents in Woodlands, Sembawang, Sengkang, Serangoon North, Whampoa, Kallang and the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront development.

Speaking to reporters at the launch event, Senior Minister of State for Transport Janil Puthucheary said that the master plan represents the Government's commitment “to deliver the idea of 20-minute towns and 45-minute cities”.

“The key thing that is going to allow us to do that is the expansion in our rail infrastructure,” he added.

If and when the new rail line is completed, it could serve more than 400,000 households, and commuters in the northern region would have their travel time to the city centre cut by 40 minutes, LTA said.

Malaysia: Johor fishermen in dire straits

remar nordin The Star 13 Apr 19;

KOTA TINGGI: Fishermen from Kampung Baru Sungai Telor here have lost their source of daily income due to the ammonia pollution in Sungai Sayong.

The affected 30 said they cannot fish at Ulu Sungai Johor, the downstream part of Sungai Sayong, now and that hundreds of fishes had died due to the pollution, affecting their livelihood.

They said they noticed the condition last week, when the fishes were swimming to the riverbank.

Mohd Jumadi Poniman, 58, said hundreds of fishes were also seen floating in the river.

“The fishermen are at a loss over what to do. Their source of income has been affected by some irresponsible people’s action,” he said.

Mohd Jumadi, popularly known as Wak among the villagers, said this incident was the third so far this year.

Malaysia: 70 police reports filed in Sungai Kim Kim pollution case

Malaysia: 17,000 households in Kulai go dry after ammonia pollution in Sungai Sayong

mohd farhaan shah The Star 4 Apr 19;

JOHOR BARU: High-level of ammonia pollution in Sungai Sayong has disrupted water supply to about 17,000 households in Kulai.

Johor International Trade, Investment and Utility Committee chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said a reservoir at a bio-composite centre next to an oil palm refinery in Sedenak burst, causing the ammonia-contaminated water to flow into Sungai Sayong, which is one of the creeks that supplies raw water to Sungai Johor.

Malaysia: Plans to relocate Pasir Gudang factories - Don’t take the easy way out, groups urge Johor govt

mohd farhaan shah The Star 5 Apr 19;

JOHOR BARU: The state’s plan to relocate factories within the Pasir Gudang industrial area to other suitable districts have come under fire from non-governmental organisations and political leaders.

Malaysian Nature Society vice-president Vincent Chow said the suggestion from Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian showed it was a lazy man’s approach that does not solve environmental issues in the state.

“It will not solve anything but would create more environmental problems in the future if the government goes ahead with their plan,” he said when contacted here yesterday.

No correlation between chemical smells and air quality readings: Amy Khor

Cindy Co Channel NewsAsia 1 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE: There is no correlation between burning or chemical smells and the ambient air quality readings, Senior Minister of State for Environment and Water Resources Dr Amy Khor said in Parliament on Monday (Apr 1).

This was in response to a question by Member of Parliament (MP) for Nee Soon GRC Lee Bee Wah, on whether there was any cause of concern for Yishun residents with regards to burning and pungent smells in the area.

There have been several fires in Johor over the past two months, including fires at two landfills in Bandar Tenggara and Tanjong Langsat and a fire in an oil palm plantation in Punggai.

"Between early-February and mid-March when the hotspots were detected in Johor, the 24-hour PSI readings remained within the good to moderate range, and the 1-hour PM2.5 levels remained in the normal range," Dr Khor said.

She also highlighted the specific measures taken by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to monitor and keep Singaporeans informed of pollution levels in Singapore's air quality and water supply.

Malaysia: 111 Pasir Gudang schools reopen after Sg Kim Kim pollution disaster

Mohamed Farid Noh New Straits Times 31 Mar 19;

PASIR GUDANG: Classes resumed at 111 schools in Pasir Gudang today after being closed for approximately two weeks following the chemical pollution of Sungai Kim Kim, which sickened thousands.

Checks by the New Straits Times at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Pasir Gudang 2, which is located about 5km from Sungai Kim Kim, saw many students still wearing face masks as a precautionary measure.

It is learnt that roughly 90 per cent of pupils have returned to their respective schools.

St John's Island, Pulau Hantu cleared of asbestos: SLA

Channel NewsAsia 29 Mar 19;

SINGAPORE: All asbestos removal works on St John’s Island and Pulau Hantu have been completed, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) announced on Friday (Mar 29).

SLA also added that the campsite on St John’s Island will reopen in June.

Malaysia: All Sungai Kim Kim victims released from hospital

Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 28 Mar 19;

JOHOR BARU: All victims of the Sungai Kim Kim toxic waste dumping case who were hospitalised for inhaling toxic fumes have been discharged.

State Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman Dr Sahruddin Jamal said he was informed that the last victim who sought treatment following the incident was allowed to go home on March 25.

"All patients who were hospitalised have been released. So far, we have not received any new cases relating to the incident," said Dr Sahruddin.

Malaysia: 3 charged over Sg Kim Kim pollution

Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 25 Mar 19;

JOHOR BARU: “THERE are no chemiclas in court, so why are you wearing a mask? Remove it.”

This was the stinging rebuke delivered by judge Jailani Rahman to the director of a used tyre processing factory, who was wearing a disposable mask for his charge proceedings at the Sessions Court here yesterday.

The accused, Wang Jing Chao, 34, a Singaporean, was called out for the charge to be read.

Wang was the last of three people brought to court over charges of collusion and of disposing of a scheduled substance into Sungai Kim Kim.

Malaysia: Singapore’s help sought to find Sungai Kim Kim pollution suspect

remar nordin The Star 25 Mar 19;

JOHOR BARU: Johor police are working with their Singaporean counterparts to track down a man in his 30s in connection with the Sungai Kim Kim chemical waste pollution case.

The man is believed to be the owner of a used tyre-processing company allegedly involved in the pollution incident in Pasir Gudang.

State police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said the man was on the wanted list and police were waiting for the Singaporean authorities to arrest him.

He added that seven out of the 11 people detained in relation to the Sungai Kim Kim toxic waste dumping had been released on police bail after investigations revealed that they did not have any relation to the case.

Malaysia: All 111 schools in Pasir Gudang to re-open on March 31

The Star 22 Mar 19;

JOHOR BARU (Bernama): All 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang area closed following the Sungai Kim Kim chemical waste pollution incident will re-open on March 31.

Johor Education Department deputy director Azman Adnan said

work to clean-up the schools would be carried out first, with the cooperation of the Parent-Teacher Association.

“Those involved in the cleaning-up will be the parents, communities, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector. Students won't be involved.

Malaysia: Pasir Gudang toxic spill clean-up to cost over RM10mil

mei mei chu, lo tern chern, and rena lim The Star 22 Mar 19;

KUALA LUMPUR: The operation to clean Sungai Kim Kim will cost the authorities more than RM10mil, says Yeo Bee Yin.

The Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister said the cost of removing the toxic pollution in the 1.5km stretch of the river cost RM6.4mil.

"It is RM6.4mil for the clean-up alone. This does not include the movement of the officials and all that," she said at a press conference at the inaugural Malaysian Industrial Development Berhad (MIDF) Green Conference yesterday.

It was previously reported that the clean-up operation for Sungai Kim Kim included 900 tonnes of soil and 1,500 tonnes of polluted water.

Malaysia: Guideline review for factories handling hazardous chemicals

MOHD FAHMI MOHD YUSOF New Straits Times 20 Jan 19;

JOHOR BARU: The government will review existing guidelines of licence applications from factories which handle hazardous chemical substances.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the ministry will bring the matter before the Cabinet for a decision.

She said such a review was necessary to prevent the recurrence of Sungai Kim Kim toxic waste pollution.

Malaysia: Satellite data shows Pasir Gudang has 46 possible illegal dumping grounds

mohd farhaan shah The Star 20 Mar 19;

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Satellite data shows that Pasir Gudang has about 46 potential illegal dumping locations, says Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin.

She said this was one of the findings by the scientific committee formed to look into the chemical dumping incident at Sungai Kim Kim on March 7.

"The committee used satellite data to look at the whole Pasir Gudang area to identify possible illegal dumping locations.

"We hope that the state government and local authorities will take action by cleaning the identified locations," she said, adding that the ministry would provide the list to them soon.

Singapore continues to monitor situation in Pasir Gudang as more illegal dumping found

Channel NewsAsia 20 Mar 19;

SINGAPORE: Authorities in Singapore are monitoring the situation in Pasir Gudang, as more illegal waste dumping sites have been found in the area.

One of the new dumping sites found this week is along Johor's Sungai Masai, which empties into the Johor Strait opposite Singapore's northern coast, near Yishun.

The air and water quality in Singapore, as well as the water supply, remain unaffected by the latest developments, said the National Environment Agency (NEA), Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Singapore's water agency PUB and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in a joint statement on Tuesday (Mar 19).

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam described the illegal chemical waste dumping as "an irresponsible act".

Malaysia: Govt working on stiffer punishment following Pasir Gudang toxic fumes incident

Syed Umar Ariff New Straits Times 19 Mar 19;

KUALA LUMPUR: Stiffer punishment may be introduced as part of amendments to the Environmental Quality Act 1974, following the toxic fumes incident in Pasir Gudang.

Deputy Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis told the Dewan Rakyat today that measures were also in the pipeline to significantly reduce pollution.

"We are proposing to change (amend) the Act, and continuously strengthen overall enforcement to ensure pollution can be significantly reduced effectively," she said.

Malaysia: Sg Kim Kim free of toxic pollution

Reports by NELSON BENJAMIN, MOHD FARHAAN SHAH, REMAR NORDIN and AUSTIN CAMOENS The Star 20 Mar 19;

PASIR GUDANG: The 1.5km stretch of Sungai Kim Kim – which was put under the national spotlight after it became polluted with chemical waste – is declared free of toxic pollution.

This declaration was made after carrying out an extensive cleaning operation, said Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin.

The authorities will still continue to monitor the river for the next 25 days to ensure the water and air quality within the surrounding is clean.

“Now, the job is to bring all the chemical waste collected to a factory for disposal. A total of 900 metric tonnes of soil and 1,500 metric tonnes of water that was polluted has been cleaned,” she said at a press conference held at the main dumping ground near Sungai Kim Kim here yesterday.

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