Best of our wild blogs: 17 Apr 16

Ubin Field Survey 2016
Butterflies of Singapore

Night Walk At Venus Drive (15 Apr 2016)
Beetles@SG BLOG

Yellow-vented Bulbul juveniles visit our home! (Part 2)
My Nature Experiences

Read more!

Govt taking steps to cut Singapore’s carbon emissions

YUEN SAI KUAN, DIRECTOR (CORPORATE AFFAIRS), NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE SECRETARIAT
Today Online 16 Apr 16;

We thank Mr Richmond Lee for his interest in climate action (“More Govt action needed to help tackle climate change”; April 9).

Before the Paris Agreement, Singapore committed to reduce our emissions intensity by 36 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and to stabilise emissions with the aim of peaking around the same time. This is an ambitious goal given our limited renewable energy options.

Singapore uses natural gas, the cleanest form of fossil fuel, for over 90 per cent of our power generation. We will step up plans to increase the adoption of renewable energy.

By 2020, 350 megawatt-peak of solar power, representing five per cent of peak electricity demand, will be installed. More solar photovoltaic systems will be deployed on government agencies’ facilities and roofs of Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks.

The National Environment Agency administers the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme, which provides consumers with more information on the energy cost and consumption of major home appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators.

Minimum Energy Performance Standards are mandated to eliminate the sale of energy-inefficient home appliances. The standards are regularly reviewed and updated in tandem with technological advancements.

These programmes encourage consumers to choose more efficient products with lower life-cycle costs and carbon emissions.

The Building and Construction Authority encourages buildings to be designed with good natural ventilation through its Green Mark scheme. The target is for 80 per cent of buildings to be Green Mark-certified by 2030.

To encourage recycling, all HDB estates now have one recycling bin per block. Since 2014, all new HDB blocks have been designed with centralised chutes for recyclables, accessible on every floor.

The Government will continue to enhance existing measures and introduce new ones to lower our greenhouse gas emissions. All stakeholders, including businesses, households and individuals, must also play a part by conserving energy and minimising waste.


More Govt action needed to help tackle climate change
RICHMOND LEE Today Online 9 Apr 16;

Climate experts have warned that this could be the next hottest year on record after two straight years. (“Planetary warming reaches new level of worrying extremes”; March 19).

Climatologist James Hansen cautioned presciently in the 1980s that the effects of global warming could be abrupt.

Now, the unfolding weather abnormalities and disasters often catch us off guard.

The effect of sudden change should seep into the consciousness of Singaporeans and Malaysians, as we are experiencing warmer, drier days owing to the extended El Nino, made worse by global warming.

In scientific literature, it is easy to find examples of how climate change has been linked to a higher incidence of extreme El Nino weather events.

The previous extreme El Nino event, in 1997/1998, highlighted to Singaporeans that unpredictable weather patterns precipitated the Indonesian haze, and affected our health and economy adversely.

An extreme El Nino and haze severity are correlated, proving that it takes only a tiny temperature change to cause an observable domino effect. The haze in 2013 and last year were probably disasters, relative to the scale of the 1997 event.

At this stage, geoscientists and climate experts are providing more accurate models and data for the world, and warning of an even steeper decline in the state of our environment.

Yet, political inertia has left some world powers such as the United States tangled in domestic bickering over the issue of enacting stricter environmental requirements for coal-fired power plants.

Last year’s Paris Agreement on climate change was a landmark, as world leaders were committed to cutting greenhouse emissions. But we now need to ask ourselves: What’s next?

Past environmental letters to Voices have contributed ways of greening our society better, ideas that are worth pursuing.

Take, for instance, the plastic reduction initiative by the National University of Singapore Students Against Violation of the Earth (“Awareness of plastic waste is insufficient to bring change”; March 31, online).

On the whole, the Government should be more proactive and rigorous by enacting laws similar to that in South Korea, Japan or Taiwan to separate trash, recyclables and batteries, which could contain toxic chemicals.

This would be a clear signal of progress towards a more environmentally conscious future.

We have a good track record of using clean fuel for our power, but we must still keep track of advances in photovoltaic and other renewable sources. Our future energy mix should be less dependent on fossil fuel.

Homes could be more energy-efficient by favouring energy-saving appliances.

We could build houses with higher ceilings, and buildings with architecture that encourages natural wind to enter the apartments.

There should also be a shift in our consumption habits, while redesigning products that eliminate waste should be another green goal.

Climate change is inevitable; what is not is the scale of its severity. If those effects are not attenuated now, there would be more uncertainty and any environmental fallout would have greater political and socio-economic repercussions.

Read more!

Malaysia: Banning shark finning alone not solution to dwindling shark numbers

Kristy Inus New Straits Times 16 Apr 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Banning shark finning alone is not a solution to dwindling shark numbers here.

Instead, creating shark sanctuaries and educational awareness are key to mitigating the issue.

Tourism Malaysia diving advisor Clement Lee said such sanctuaries should be created at different locations on Sabah's coast so that everyone can get involved, including fishermen who rely on catching sharks as their livelihood.

He said there was a need to create an alternative source of income for these fishermen by absorbing them into the hospitality sector where they would then have direct influence on choices made by family members when it comes to fishing activities.

Lee said this following the recent Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents' (Matta) call on members and partners to boycott restaurants that offer shark fins soup in their menus, revealing that sharks attracted over 55,000 divers to Sabah and generated RM323 million in economic revenue.

Sharing his experience as one of the pioneers in Sabah’s diving sector when he ventured into the business in 1983, he said as an industry player, he practiced the concept of bringing fishermen into hospitality as well as other sectors.

"We sent people from the island for training ... Some are now dive masters or even mechanics," he said in a statement released by the Sabah Shark Protection Association.

Read more!

Malaysia: Expert paints grim picture with future El Nino episodes

The Star 17 Apr 16;

PETALING JAYA: Future El Nino episodes could be hotter, drier and would worsen river pollution.

Climatologist Prof Datuk Dr Shaharuddin Ahmad from Univer­­siti Kebangsaan Malaysia said global warming could bring a multiplier effect to the El Nino weather pattern, raising temperatures further.

“We could get a situation of higher than normal temperatures due to global warming going up even further when El Nino happens – an ‘El Nino Plus’,” said Shaharuddin.

He said the current episode of El Nino, which was causing dams to dry up and threatening water supply in various states, should serve as a wake-up call to Malaysians.

“We have to open the minds of people on what could happen if we continue to waste water. If it gets worse, measures such as cloud seeding will only have a limited effect,” he said.

Furthermore, severe hot spells could lead to worsened pollution in rivers since pollutants discharged into water bodies could not be diluted, thus disrupting water flow.

Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER) president S. Piarapakaran said ammonia pollution, the most common cause of water treatment plant shutdowns, would be harder to clean up if El Nino starts to lower the water level in rivers.

“The contaminants need lots of water to dilute, so dry weather with no rainfall will make clean-ups harder.”

He said many treatments need to be upgraded to improve their ability to clean up ammonia contamination.

He said the extra equipment needed for this required space which plants located in dense urban areas do no have.

One solution, said Piarapakaran, would be to set up “ammonia stripping” facilities in the rivers upstream from the water intakes, which AWER proposed in 2014.

“This is going to be a repetitive problem so we need a permanent solution now instead of waiting for things to get worse before acting on it.”


Hot spell can worsen river pollution
CHRISTINA CHIN The Star 17 Apr 16;

PETALING JAYA: Of the 477 rivers monitored by the Department of Environment last year, 168 were slightly polluted while 33 were polluted, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.

The number of clean rivers, however, has increased from 244 in 2014 to 276 last year. Water quality was assessed from a total of 5,469 samples taken nationwide.

The main reasons for the pollution was high levels of bio-chemical oxygen demand, ammoniacal nitrogen and suspended solids due to inadequate treatment of sewage and effluents from agro-based and manufacturing industries, animal farming, domestic waste and improper earthworks and land clearing activities, the Natural Resources and Environment Minister said.

“Why polluted? Because of domestic and industrial waste, and buffer zones between development areas and rivers that aren’t big enough.

“Siltation goes into the river and reduces river capacity and quality. Once water quality is bad, even the machine used to purify and make it drinkable, will stop functioning. Some rivers are reaching that level,” Dr Wan Junaidi said in an interview.

It would be alarming if the main rivers that supply raw water for public consumption was polluted, he said, adding that the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) – a new mechanism used in developed nations – would be implemented this year to assess the permissible pollution load of rivers.

Research has been done locally on the mechanism that sets the maximum amount of a pollutant which a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards, but operating it full-scale hasn’t been worked out yet, he said.

Under the current assessment method, the pollution level was based on the concentration of pollutants.

TMDL, which will complement the existing assessment method, was the best way of controlling pollution because the carrying capacity of each river could be identified and enforced, he said.

“The pilot project findings will be presented to the respective state governments for legislation and enactment.

“It’s the states that will determine TMDL’s effectiveness,” he said, adding that RM50mil was approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan for the integrated management of 25 main river basins, each measuring over 8,000ha, nationwide.

The move, he said, would improve water quality, reduce flood risks, ensure water supply and protect the environment.

On April 3, Sunday Star reported that despite having four times more than what we need, dry taps were part of life here.

The main reason, according to Institution of Engineers Malaysia president Datuk Lim Chow Hock was pollution.


Worrying about La Nina floods as we bake under El Nino heat
RAZAK AHMAD The Star 17 Apr 16;

PETALING JAYA: It’s ironic that Malaysians burning under the merciless El Nino heatwave that is drying up rivers and reservoirs will have to face possible monster floods at year end.

The latest data from a US climate agency said there was a 60% chance that El Nino “sibling” La Nina – which in Malaysia causes heavier than normal rainfall – will happen sometime from October to Decem­ber (see graphic).

“We should be on the lookout from now, especially in areas prone to floods during the year-end northeast monsoon season,” said climate expert Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah.

El Nino, which means “the boy” in Spanish, is an irregular weather phenomenon that causes sea temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean to rise while La Nina, “the girl” in Spanish, leads to a cooling of seawater.

La Nina often takes place after El Nino ends.

Both lead to unusually heavy rainfall in some parts of the world and drought elsewhere.

Dr Azizan, who is director of Universiti Malaya’s National Antarc­tic Research Centre, said the 2014 year-end floods in the east coast of the peninsula, which were the worst in decades, occurred even when there was no La Nina.

As such, it was possible that severe flooding could take place if a strong La Nina happens this time.

He said US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data indicated that the current El Nino phenomenon had al­­ready peaked.

Its severity this time was almost the same as in the 1997-1998 period when the previous extreme El Nino episode took place.

Dr Azizan said some parts in the peninsula’s east coast were flood prone due to improper drainage despite being very developed.

“Also, more rainfall does not necessarily mean bigger floods as it depends on where the rain falls. If much of the rain falls over the sea, it may not cause floods,” he said.

Meteorological Department director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail, when contacted, said the department was closely monitoring the data but has not reached a conclusion yet.

She said there have been instan­ces when El Nino or La Nina did not materialise despite 70% predictions that they would happen.

“We feel it is still too early to conclude that La Nina will take place,” she added.


Memories of dry period come flooding back for settler
The Star 17 Apr 16;

KOTA TINGGI: The current water woes in the district have caused memories of a similar dry period some 30 years ago to come flooding back for Felda settler Ismail Abd Rahman.

The 75-year-old said when he first moved to Felda Lok Heng Timur in the early 1980s, water was scarce and temper among the settlers reached a boiling point.

“The area just opened up then and there was hardly enough water for the settlers and we usually had to fight for it.

“It came to a point where settlers would lock their pipes to make sure that no one stole their water,” he said.

Ismail said this time around, taps in the Felda scheme had been dry for more than a week and people even stored their water in plastic barrels placed in front of their houses.

“I have to guard the barrels to make sure no one steals them. I cannot afford to lose the barrels of clean water as my family needs it,” he added.

But he was puzzled why only Felda Lok Heng Timur and Lok Heng Barat were affected when Felda Lok Heng Selatan did not have water problem.

Sundry shop owner Hairusabri Samsuri, 46, said that people had been buying cartons of mineral water bottles ever since the area was hit by the problem.

“In just a couple of days, I had doubled the sale of 1.5-litre mineral water bottles.

“The villagers are not buying the bottled water just for drinking. Some even use it for bathing,” he added.

He said Syarikat Air Johor had given them a schedule where every two days, the company’s tankers would come and provide water to the settlers.

Read more!

Malaysia: Penang fears ‘super drought’, calls for delay in padi planting

The Star 16 Apr 16;

GEORGE TOWN: The nation should temporarily stop irrigating padi fields because the “super drought” is here.

This is one of the four measures that Penang’s state-owned water corporation, PBA Holdings Bhd, is calling for.

Its chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa urged the Federal Government to instruct all water authorities nationwide to cease the irrigation of padi fields, especially in the northern region, until the rains return.

Jaseni said Teluk Bahang Dam, for example, received 955mm of rain last April but this month, it only got 91mm of rain so far.

“Air Itam Dam had 200mm of rain last April but we only had 59mm in the last two weeks.

“We are now faced with a super drought,” he told reporters during a tour to the waterfall treatment plant in Penang Botanic Gardens.

Citing Muda River in Kedah, Jaseni said its water was too precious now to wet the tens of thousands of hectares of padi fields in Kedah and Penang.

“If we start irrigating for the planting season and run too low on water level later, the padi will just die.

“It is better to delay the planting season and compensate the farmers financially so that they can tide over till it rains again,” he said.

He also called on the Federal Government to instruct all water authorities to reduce their draw-down from the country’s dams and rivers, launch massive cloud seeding operations and urgently raise the water conservation awareness of Malaysians.

Jaseni’s sense of urgency, however, does not seem to be shared by Kedah.

Muda Agricultural Development Authority deputy general manager (technical) Datuk Hor Tek Lip, when contacted, assured that the state’s dam levels were still “comfortable and not worrisome”.

The authority supervises Pedu, Ahning and Muda dams and provides irrigation for over 50% of the state’s padi fields.

“Muda Dam is now releasing water to help Beris Dam regulate Muda River. Normally, we keep Muda Dam’s water.”


Padi planting activity to go on despite hot weather
The Star 17 Apr 16;

PENDANG: There is no cancellation in the padi planting activity schedule for the new season this year in the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) area although the hot weather will persist until June.

Mada chairman Datuk Othman Aziz said the water level at the three major dams supervised by Mada, namely Pedu, Ahning and Muda were at 70% as of yesterday and sufficient for this season.

“We will implement the first planting season according to schedule and at the same time, we will help the state government supply water from the Muda Dam to the Beris Dam.

“In turn, the Beris Dam will channel water via Sungai Muda to Sungai Petani, Kulim, Penang including Penang,” he said after opening the Jom Turun Bendang programme at Kampung Pulau Tengah, Mukim Padang Kerbau, here yesterday.

Also present were Sungai Tiang assemblyman Datuk Suraya Yaacob and Pendang Umno division chief Datuk Paduka Md Rozai Safian.

According to the schedule, three phases of water supply was established by Mada – March 30, April 9 and April 19.

Earlier in his speech, Othman said almost 30% of about 55,000 padi planters in MADA did not use the correct padi seeds resulting in poor quality crops.

“The authorised padi seeds are produced under the Rice Seed Verification quality standard scheme conducted by the Agriculture Department as a confirmation agency,” he said.

Suraya, who is also state Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Committee chairman, said the coordination of 449ha of padi field in Mukim Padang Kerbau here, was much lauded. — Bernama

Read more!

Malaysia: Water rationing begins in northern Perlis

The Star 17 Apr 16;

KANGAR: Water rationing in the northern parts of Perlis from Wang Kelian, Kaki Bukit, Titi Tinggi, Beseri and Abi has begun.

Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man said 13,000 domestic users would be affected by the rationing.

He said residents in Kampung Melayu, Kampung Kolam and Kampung Kok Mak in Padang Besar; Jalan Batu 16; National Service Training (PLKN) Complex in Guar Chenderai; and Kampung Bukit Merah, Beseri would still receive water supply, but with lower pressure.

The affected areas, he said, would be supplied with clean water from lorry tankers and static tanks placed at several strategic locations and Syarikat Air Perlis (SAP) would supply clean water to schools or institutions of higher learning in the affected locations if there were requests.

Azlan, who is also SAP chairman, suggested that leave be given to the Guar Chenderai PLKN trainees for the 2.0 Series 13/2016 who started their training on March 26 until water supply returned to normal, while students of the Mara Junior Science College in Beseri could be given leave to return home during the weekend.

“The water rationing plan is subject to changes from time to time by SAP because if it rains in the near future, we can stop the rationing.

"During the critical period, consumers in the affected areas are advised to conserve the water available," he said.


Water rationing in northern Perlis begins today
The Star 16 Apr 16;

KANGAR: Water rationing in the northern parts of Perlis from Wang Kelian, Kaki Bukit, Titi Tinggi, Beseri and Abi began Saturday, said Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man.

He said 13,000 domestic users would be affected by the move while residents in Kampung Melayu, Kampung Kolam and Kampung Kok Mak in Padang Besar; Jalan Batu 16; National Service Training Programme (PLKN) in Guar Chenderai; and Kampung Bukit Merah, Beseri will still receive water supply with lower pressure.

He said the affected areas would be supplied with clean water from lorry tankers and static tanks placed at several strategic locations in the villages concerned.

He said Syarikat Air Perlis (SAP) would supply clean water to schools or institutions of higher learning (IPT) in the affected locations if there were demands from them.

Azlan, who is also SAP chairman, suggested that leave be granted to the Guar Chenderai PLKN trainees for the 2.0 Series 13/2016 who started their training on March 26 until water supply returned to normal, while students of the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Beseri could be given leave to return home during the weekend.

"The water rationing plan is subject to changes from time to time by SAP because if rain occurs in the near future, we can stop the rationing.

"During the critical period, consumers in the affected areas are advised to conserve the water available during times of emergency," he said after feting 44 former village heads at a gathering at the Dewan Residensi, here Saturday night.

He said the cloud seeding operations in Perlis would be continued for the fifth day Saturday and is expected to end on Monday. - Bernama

Enough water in Malacca dams to last 50 days without rain
KELLY KOH New Straits Times 16 Apr 16;

MALACCA: The state government here has a water shortage contingency plan for water rationing should there be no rain till early June.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron however said there is adequate water at the dams here and this would be able to last for the next 50 days before water rationing should happen.

"Malacca has water to last for the next 50 days without any rain.

"If there is no rain for 50 days, then we may be forced to do water rationing," he told reporters at the Malacca International Air Carnival at Batu Berendam International Airport here, on Saturday.

As of yesterday, Idris said water levels at Jus dam was at 70 per cent and Asahan dam was at 80 per cent, while Durian Tunggal was at 50 per cent.

"If it hits 40 per cent, then we have to be cautious.

This is why we are now pumping between 100 million litres and 200 million litres of water a day from the Jus dam to Durian Tunggal dam.

"We are using a pump system for the first kilometre with the rest using gravitation system."

He added that another 100 million litres of water is being pumped to the Gadek water treatment plant also through the gravitational pipe system.

Idris said Malacca was also sourcing 3.78 million litres of water from Sungai Muar per day.

The state consumes 535 million litres of water per day for both domestic and commercial use. On a related issue, Idris acknowledged that the current heat wave and dry spell had affected the Gadek and Menggong water treatment plant resulting in complaints from residents.

He said water levels at the Gadek treatment plant were low resulting in accumulation of chlorine and causing the water to have a reddish tint.

"We have stopped treatment at the treatment plants and began delivering water to the affected residents.

No need for water rationing yet in Kedah
The Star 17 Apr 16;

ALOR SETAR: The Kedah government will not be carrying out water rationing yet although the levels at three dams are below 50%.

State Housing and Local Government, Water Supply, Water Resources and Energy Committee chairman Datuk Badrol Hisham Hashim (pic) said the total capacity in all the five dams in the state was still sufficient to supply water for domestic and agriculture use.

“Pedu Dam and Ahning Dam are more than 60% full. The level at three other dams – Beris Dam, Muda Dam and the Padang Saga Dam in Langkawi – are less then 50% ,” he said after launching the Tree For a Tree programme organised by Tenaga Nasional Berhad at the Pendang Recreational Park yesterday.

Badrol said cloud seeding was carried out at areas around the dams since last week and would resume again next week.

As of Friday, the water level at Pedu Dam was 91.92m (minimum level is 77.19m), Ahning Dam - 107.05m (81.45m), Muda Dam - 93.86m (88.36m), Beris Dam - 77.27m (68m) and Padang Saga Dam - 17.72m (17.9m).

In Sik, Kedah, chalet owner Mohamad Nasir Mohd Zain was able to repair and strengthen the foundations of the jetty at his Hill Lake View Resort due to the low water level at the Beris Lake.

Mohamad Nasirsaid the water level had subsided about five metres, exposing structures beneath the water surface.

“All these while, even during the dry season, the water level only subsided a little.

“This season is the worst I’ve seen and for the past two months, I’ve been noticing the water level dropping daily,” she said.

A check at one of the pillars beneath a bridge over Beris Lake showed that the water level was at 77m while the watermark for the highest level was at 84m.

A spokesman of the Beris Dam management urged the public not to panic as the water level has not reached a critical stage.

“The water level is at nearly 80m, and water is being released on schedule into Sungai Muda for padi farming and general consumption,” he said.

The concrete faced rockfill Beris Dam is located in a narrow valley of Sg.Beris, 1.6km upstream of the confluence between Sg Muda in the district of Sik, Kedah.

In George Town, the Penang government has underlined three measures to face the “super drought.”

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has proposed that regular cloud seeding activities be carried out in the northern region.

Lim also suggested for all operators to reduce water supply and to provide only sufficient amount of water to meet consumers’ demands. Checks showed that Penang’s Air Itam Dam has a 59.5% capacity while the Teluk Bahang Dam is at 61.1% capacity.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 16 Apr 16

The Marine Park at ADEX (15 -17 Apr 2016)
Sisters' Island Marine Park

Preserving Tangible Links to Past
IPS Commons

Read more!

Singapore recorded highest temperature in 10 years on Wednesday at 36.7 deg C: NEA

Chew Hui Min, The Straits Times AsiaOne 16 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE - A searing 36.7 deg C was recorded in Seletar on Wednesday (April 13), the hottest temperature seen in Singapore in 10 years.

Singapore experienced significantly warmer conditions in the first two weeks of April, when the highest daily maximum temperature ranged between 34.1 and 36.7 deg C.

The latter was recorded at Seletar, and is the highest daily maximum temperature recorded so far this year and also the highest in the last ten years, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Friday in a press release.

As of April 14, the mean monthly temperature for the month was 29.4 deg C, which is 1.4 deg C warmer than is usual for April.

The unusually warm conditions are expected to persist for the rest of April, even as inter-monsoon conditions have set in and are forecast to persist for the rest of April and into May. Light and variable winds are typically seen in this period.

While more rain is expected, the daily maximum temperature could reach a high of up to 36 deg C on a few days, NEA said.

On most days, it may range from 33 to 35 deg C.

Short thundery showers are expected in the afternoon on five to seven days.

Pre-dawn rain and "gusty winds" caused by a Sumatra squall may visit on one or two days, NEA said.

The rainfall for April is expected to be near average, after two months of dry weather.

In the first half of April, rainfall was below average. The highest rainfall of 126mm was recorded around Jurong. Rainfall was lowest around Admiralty, where 20mm - 82 per cent below average - was recorded.

Additional reporting by Melissa Lin

Temperatures expected to hit up to 36°C over next 2 weeks: MSS
This is despite it being the inter-monsoon period, when "short-duration thundery showers" are expected, says the Meteorological Service Singapore.
Channel NewsAsia 15 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE: Warm days can be expected in the second half of April, with temperatures ranging from 33°C to as high as 36°C.

In an advisory issued on Friday (Apr 15), the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said this is even with the forecast of "short-duration thundery showers", which are expected to occur mostly in the afternoons on five to seven days.

MSS said Singapore is currently experiencing inter-monsoon conditions, which are characterised by "low level winds that are light and variable in direction".

It said that in the first two weeks of April, Singapore experienced "significantly warmer conditions" where the highest daily maximum temperature ranged between 34.1°C and 36.7°C.

"There were rain showers on many days during this period, (but it) brought only brief relief to the warm conditions," it added.

MSS also said that the temperature of 36.7°C was recorded in Seletar on Wednesday - the highest daily maximum temperature recorded so far this year and the highest in the last 10 years.

- CNA/hs


The next two weeks will see thundery showers and hot days: Met Service
Today Online 15 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE – The weather in the next two weeks is likely to be wet and hot, according to the Meteorological Service in a statement on Friday (April 15).

There will be “short-duration thundery showers mostly in the afternoons” on five to seven days and thundery showers with gusty winds in the pre-dawn hours and morning on one or two days. Rainfall for April is expected to be near average.

The daily maximum temperatures will range between 33°C and 35°C, and could reach a high of up to 36°C on a few days.

Warmer conditions are common during the inter-monsoon period when there is strong solar heating and the winds are generally light, said the weatherman.

The Met Service also said that Singapore experienced its warmest day in 10 years on Wednesday when the mercury hit 36.7°C in Seletar.

As of 14 April 2016, the mean monthly temperature for April 2016 was 29.4°C, 1.4°C warmer than the long-term mean for April.

In the first half of April 2016, rainfall was below average. The highest rainfall of 126mm (near average) was recorded around Jurong. Rainfall was lowest over the northern part of Singapore around Admiralty, where 20mm (82 per cent below average) was recorded.

The highest total daily rainfall recorded was 111mm around the Upper Pierce Reservoir area on April 3.

Read more!

Zero chance of haze like last year in region, says Indonesian official

NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 16 pr 16;

SINGAPORE — There is “zero chance” that any haze this year will be as severe as last year’s episode — where air quality hit hazardous levels and forced the closure of schools in Singapore and in the region — the head of an Indonesian agency recently set up to restore degraded peatland has boldly promised.

Acknowledging that fire prevention had not been a focus previously, Mr Nazir Foead, who was making his first overseas speech since taking the reins at the Peatland Restoration Agency, said “we are not in the denial stage anymore, we’re in the stage of correcting the mistakes of the past”.

“There will be hotspots, I cannot deny,” he added. “There will be fires, but the scale of the fires that create haze that choke the Indonesian public and our neighbours will dramatically be less.”

Mr Nazir, a former environmental activist, was addressing an audience of agroforestry and business players and non-governmental organisation representatives at the 3rd Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs think tank on Friday (April 15).

Asked if his prediction of less severe haze was too bold, Mr Nazir said things are very different this time round. Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Thursday issued a moratorium on new permits for oil palm plantations, and had vowed in January to sack local military and police chiefs for uncontrolled fires in their provinces, for example.

“I cannot emphasise how seriously now Indonesia is preparing actions, programmes, changing policies to prevent fires from happening,” he said, at the event held at the Ritz-Carlton, Millennia Singapore.

The scale of the disaster last year, which affected tens of millions of people and cost Indonesia up to 475 trillion rupiah and Singapore about S$700 million, shocked the Indonesian government and sparked determination to not allow history to repeat, he added.

The haze episode in Singapore was protracted last year, lasting from September to November. The Pollutant Standards Index levels breached 2,000 in Central Kalimantan and Indonesians fled their homes for other cities, while in Singapore, the PSI crept to hazardous levels (above 300), causing schools to close on Sept 25.

The Peatland Restoration Agency was formed in January, with Mr Widodo setting the target to restore 2 million hectares of peatland in seven provinces. The agency has mapped out 2.26 million hectares of dry or canalised peatland that has been burnt frequently in recent years. Of this area, 360,000 hectares is conservation land. The remainder are in cultivation areas — three-quarters are concession areas awarded to companies and one-quarter is community land.

Of 2.6 million hectares that was burnt last year in Indonesia, nearly 1 million was peatland.

Mr Nazir’s agency aims to re-wet the peatland — carbon-rich wetlands that burn easily when drained — and provide alternative livelihoods to communities by identifying crops such as sago palm that grow well in wet conditions.

Peatland restoration in Riau province’s Meranti Islands was launched a few days ago, and Mr Nazir said peatland maps of four districts will be available in about three months.

His “dream” is to make the information publicly available. Asked about legal concerns previously cited, that have prevented Indonesia from publicly disclosing the concession maps of companies, Mr Nazir said it is something government institutions need to dicuss internally. “What I see (is), there is no national secret in providing the information of the concessions (to the public),” he said. Instead, companies and land managers would know they are being watched and be motivated to do right.

“When companies do good, communities and smallholders, the government has to think how to give incentives to do better, and let the public also see what is happening on the ground. That can only happen if we expose the maps,” he told reporters.

His agency has its work cut out, working with 12 ministers and seven governors and ensuring quality dams are built to raise the water table, among other tasks. But Mr Nazir reckoned the toughest challenge will be getting companies that have not adopted sustainability measures on board. “There might be corporations that might think (it’s) not my problem, it’s the community that burns the land.”

After mapping out the 1.9 million hectares of peatland in cultivated areas at a suitable scale, his agency will engage companies on restoration plans. Pulp companies commonly grow acacia on rather dry land but Mr Nazir said switching to species that grow well on wet peatland would be iyestdeal.

Singapore can play a role in the financing of alternative crop cultivation and serve as a market for products, he said.


'Zero chance of last year's haze happening again this year': Indonesian agency
The head of Indonesia's Peatland Restoration Agency says determination from the government, palm oil and pulp and paper companies, as well as the community will see that fires do not break out on peatlands this year.
Liyana Othman Today Online 15 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE: There is "zero chance" that the region will experience the same bout of haze this year as it did in 2015, according to the Head of the Peatland Restoration Agency in Indonesia, Mr Nazir Foead.

This is due to the determination from the government, palm oil and pulp and paper companies, and the community to make sure that steps are taken to ensure that fires do not break out on peatlands, added Mr Nazir, who was speaking at the third Sustainable World Resources dialogue on Friday (Apr 15).

The Peatland Restoration Agency was set up in January this year by Indonesian President Joko Widodo to restore about 2 million hectares of peatland that have been damaged by fires.

It is a move by the Indonesian government to prevent fires from happening, which is a shift from a focus on mitigation efforts in the past.

The agency is now in the process of creating more detailed maps to complement the One Map initiative. This will be completed in the next two to three months.

It is also urging companies to play their part in restoring peatlands, which is something touched on by Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli at the same event.

"Agro-forestry companies should take full responsibility for fire prevention and mitigation in their concessions. There must not be a repeat, for example, of last year's fires... Companies should invest in efforts to rehabilitate degraded and fire-prone peatlands. Companies must ensure that sustainable policies and practices don't stop with them," said Mr Masagos.

Restoration involves rewetting the carbon-rich peatlands, which burn easily when dry. The agency wants to create dams and canals to increase the water level in peatlands. It will also identify other types of crops besides palm oil that can grow well on peatlands, like the sago plant.

Mr Nazir added the agency is in talks with the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), to consider including companies' efforts in peatland restoration as a criteria in issuing the Singapore Green Label certification.

"SEC has just announced that it is now taking it further and working on a new category for products with pulp and paper, which will include in its criteria the requirement for peatland management and fire prevention standards. When fully developed, I believe this standard will be the most holistic certification standard for pulp and paper in the world," said Mr Masagos.

- CNA/dl

Read more!

Fire prevention part of new SEC certification for paper companies

TOH EE MING Today Online 16 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE — By the end of this year, consumers buying pulp and paper products could have another indicator to help them choose the more environmentally-responsible companies.

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is in the midst of drawing up a new category under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme, which will look at companies’ management of plantations, with an emphasis on peatland management and fire prevention.

This was revealed by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, during his speech at the Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources yesterday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the dialogue, SEC chairman Isabella Loh said that they are looking to work with stakeholders such as plantation owners, mills and operators, and peatland agencies regionally, and non-governmental organisations such as Indonesian activist group Eyes on the Forest.

To get companies on board, Ms Loh said it would be crucial to reach a consensus where companies can “take on a certification of this size” without it being too costly for them.

“It has to start from the root cause to see how we can be more responsible ... There are many multi-stakeholders (to work with) ... But it’s not going to be an overnight process,” she said.

Further details about the certification will be announced later, said SEC.

In his speech, Mr Masagos commended the effort as a “bold initiative” that would set global standards by being the “most holistic certification standard” for pulp and paper worldwide.

It would also be a tool to “empower consumers to make a very safe non-haze pro-conservation choice”.

Civil society plays a crucial role in pressuring companies to be more transparent and accountable, and in supporting sustainable businesses, he added, pointing to the ground-up efforts in last year’s haze episode, the worst yet experienced by the Republic.

The SEC and the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) had jointly led a movement against unsustainable practices, with the SEC imposing a restriction on the use of its Singapore Green Label certification by companies allegedly linked to the haze.

This led to supermarkets such as NTUC FairPrice, Prime and Sheng Siong pulling the products of an affected company — Asia Pulp & Paper — off their shelves.

He also cited the We Breathe What We Buy campaign in increasing public awareness on the sustainability of agroforestry products, which was led by partners such as the World Wildlife Fund Singapore and People’s Movement to Stop Haze.

He said: “As consumers, each one of us can influence the agroforestry industry through our purchasing decisions.

“We have choices, and we should make our choices count ...These actions demonstrate the significant power of a collective consumer voice, and an increasingly active and empowered consumer movement, led by civil society.”

He also noted the importance of governmental efforts such as the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act in galvanising companies to take action, pointing out how prominent agroforestry companies had “frantically taken out advertisements and gone on talk shows to show that they are doing something”.

“My message to all these companies is simply this — companies practising unsustainable production that affect us with haze must know that their actions will not lead to profitability and that they will have to face the consequences sooner or later,” he added.

Organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, the dialogue was attended by more than 350 stakeholders from government bodies, the agroforestry sector, banks and financial institutions, and non-governmental organisations. TOH EE MING

Read more!

More waste produced in 2015, recycling rate also goes up

More waste produced in 2015, recycling rate also goes up
KENNETH CHENG Today Online 16 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE — A growing population and rising affluence led to a rebound in the total amount of waste generated by the Republic, even as the recycling rate saw an uptick.

The country churned out 7.67 million tonnes of waste last year, a 2.1 per cent increase from the 7.51 million tonnes generated in 2014, according to figures released by the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The 2014 figure represented a 4.3 per cent dip from the amount of waste generated in 2013 — an anomalous decline amid a general upward trend in recent years.

The NEA said the increase in total waste generated last year was “in tandem with Singapore’s growing population and affluence”.

Regardless, last year’s figure was lower than the 7.85 million tonnes of waste generated in 2013.

Meanwhile, the amount of waste recycled rose from 4.47 million tonnes in 2014 to 4.65 million tonnes last year, although this was still shy of the about 4.83 million tonnes recycled in 2013.

The overall rate of recycling inched up by one percentage point last year to 61 per cent, from 60 per cent in 2014. The recycling rate has hovered consistently between 59 and 61 per cent over the last five years.

The NEA attributed the increase in last year’s recycling rate to “an uptick in the recycling of wood, horticultural waste and metals”. The recycling rate for horticultural waste, for instance, climbed to 66 per cent in 2015, from 59 per cent the previous year.

The amount of food waste generated — which the authorities have been trying to combat through a range of initiatives, including a campaign to tackle the problem last November — declined for a second straight year.

It stood at 785,550 tonnes last year, down from 788,600 tonnes and 796,000 tonnes in 2014 and 2013 respectively. Last year’s food waste levels were nevertheless markedly higher than the 675,500 tonnes generated in 2011.

But the recycling of food waste has continued on a steady ascent, with the amount of food waste recycled reaching 104,100 tonnes last year, up from 101,400 tonnes in 2014. In 2011, 69,700 tonnes of food waste were recycled.

The amount of plastic waste recycled, however, dipped to 57,800 tonnes last year, continuing the decline seen between 2013 and 2014.

In 2014, 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste were recycled, down from 91,100 tonnes in 2013.

After registering the biggest fall in 2014, the amount of construction-debris waste generated headed north again to reach 1.41 million tonnes last year.

In 2014, the Republic generated 1.27 million tonnes of construction-debris waste, a 25.1 per cent decline from about 1.7 million tonnes recorded in 2013.


159,000 tonnes more waste generated
Samantha Boh, The Straits Times AsiaOne 16 Apr 16;

The total amount of waste generated in Singapore rose by 159,000 tonnes last year to hit 7.67 million tonnes - just short of the high of 7.85 million tonnes in 2013.

But for the second year running, food waste has dropped slightly, going by figures released by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on its website yesterday.

The increase in total waste generated is "in tandem with Singapore's growing population and affluence", said the NEA.

Ms Nuramirah Suyin Zaihan, an environmental engineer at the Singapore Environment Council, noted that the average amount of waste generated by individuals here each year has increased by almost 200kg from 2000 to 2014.

The authorities have been trying to get people to recycle more, given that space in the landfill in Pulau Semakau is expected to run out between 2035 and 2045.

"At the rate at which we generate waste currently, it would speed up the time for which Pulau Semakau reaches its limit," said Ms Nuramirah.

On the positive side, she said it was encouraging that Singapore threw away slightly less food last year, but added that reducing food waste is an ongoing effort.

According to NEA figures, people in Singapore threw away 785,500 tonnes of food last year, down from 788,600 tonnes in 2014.

Compared to 2014, this is a 0.39 per cent decrease, and a 1.32 per cent decrease from 2013.

Separately, the overall recycling rate rose to 61 per cent last year from 60 per cent the year before, "due to an uptick in the recycling of wood, horticultural waste and metals", said the NEA.

A new facility that recovers metals from incineration bottom ash has also helped, the agency said.

The facility, which started operations in July last year, has helped to increase the amount of metal recycled from 1.48 million to 1.49 million tonnes.

Overall, 4.65 million tonnes of waste was recycled.

One area for improvement is in food waste recycling, which remains low, at 13 per cent, despite making up 10 per cent of the total waste generated here.

Ms Nuramirah said the recycling of domestic waste materials, such as paper, cardboard and plastics, could be improved.

The recycling rate of paper and cardboard fell by 1 percentage point to 51 per cent, and the rate for plastics fell from 9 per cent to 7 per cent.

"We need to ramp up recycling efforts in these areas, and encourage consumers and businesses to recycle more of their waste," she said.

Read more!

Malaysia: Massive water crisis threatens nation

NEVILLE SPYKERMAN, RUBEN SARIO, T. AVINESHWARAN, MOHD FARHAAN SHAH, TEOH XIU JONG, ONG HAN SEAN, R.S.N. MURALI, ZAZALI MUSA, LO TERN CHERN, and G.C. TAN
The Star 16 Apr 16;

PETALING JAYA: First, the prolonged dry spell, and now a potentially massive water crisis ahead as the country faces the full impact of El Nino.

The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has raised the alarm bells, warning that not enough was being done to conserve water.

Rivers are drying up and dam levels are dropping acutely by the day.

SPAN chief executive Datuk Mohd Ridhuan Ismail said urgent measures were needed to remind the public to stop wasting and start conserving water.

The prolonged hot and dry spell is impacting different parts of the country in different ways.

The worst hit will be 85,000 domestic and industrial consumers in parts of Johor when rationing starts on Monday.

Output from four water treatment plants in the Kota Tinggi and Mersing districts have reached critical levels.

During the exercise, water supply will run normally for one day in the affected areas while there will be no water supply for the next two days.

In Pahang, Pengurusan Air Pahang Bhd (PAIP) said there was a need to start looking for alternative sources of water, including from wells.

This comes after the water level at rivers in Pahang dropped drastically, making it difficult for treatment plants in three districts to get raw water.

More than 7,000 account holders in Lipis, Pekan and Temerloh are facing supply disruptions.

In Malacca, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said the state will have to consider water rationing if the dry spell continues.

For now, there is enough water in all three major dams.

Up north, near the Perak-Thai border, an entire lake has all but “disappeared”.

The man-made Tasik Takong, in the Takong Recreational Park, used to be popular spot for anglers, picnickers and tourists.

In Rantau Panjang, Sungai Golok which divides Kelantan and Thailand is now easier to cross without the need for any travel documents.

Dry weather has turned the river into a stream and some parts of the river can be walked across.

In Kangar, cows were seen grazing in the Timah Tasoh Dam which saw water levels dipping below the critical level.

A village road submerged when the dam was built over two decades ago is now usable again.

In Sabah, villagers on Banggi Island have resorted to digging into dry riverbeds while others are relying on wells and springs which are also drying up.

Penang’s state-owned water corporation – PBA Holdings Bhd – urged the Federal Government to instruct all water authorities to stop irrigation of padi fields, especially in the northern region, until the rains return.

PBA Holdings chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa said the extraordinary move was needed to counter the effects of what he described as a “super drought”.

Jaseni said the water of the Muda River in Kedah was too precious to be used in the thousands of hectares of padi fields in Kedah and Penang.


Manage water carefully, SPAN urges users
The Star 16 Apr 16;

PETALING JAYA: Manage your water very carefully from now before the situation turns critical. This is the advice to all state governments from the National Water Services Commission (SPAN).

It wants state governments to take steps to secure water for both consumption and irrigation, instead of waiting for a supply crisis.

The call came as an expert warned that the recent scattered afternoon rains, which accompanied the inter-monsoon season, were not enough to mitigate the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon on the country.

SPAN chief executive Datuk Mohd Ridhuan Ismail said regardless of water levels in their dams, all states needed policies to get the public to conserve the resource.

He singled out Penang’s rigid no-rationing policy, which he said was not helping but compounding the problem.

Mohd Ridhuan pointed out that he was from Penang and was not criticising the state for the sake of it.

He added that the almost free water rates enjoyed by the public in Penang also sent the wrong message to consumers and did not promote conservation.

“It may be good for consumers there in the short term, but these policies can stress the state’s water supply,” he said.

He added that the no-rationing policy could mean Penang was not equipped with an adequate number of water tankers should there be a crisis.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said on Thursday that the state’s dams were getting drier by the hour due to El Nino and there would be a water crisis in two months if the rains did not come soon.

Mohd Ridhuan said water rationing scheduled to start in parts of Johor on Monday could be delayed if heavy rains fell over the weekend.

But he said consumers in Kota Tinggi and Mersing must still be prepared for water rationing.

SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd is due to start scheduled water rationing to 85,000 domestic and industrial consumers in the Kota Tinggi and Mersing districts, starting from April 18 until May 15.

SPAN is also concerned with the dwindling water level in the Timah Tasoh dam in Perlis, which had only 15.7% of effective storage. The dam is used for both water supply and irrigation.

Over in Pahang, water treatment plants in Temerloh, Lipis and Chini were not operating at full capacity due to the reduction of raw water from rivers.

Consumers in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, however, have no cause for concern yet.

Air Selangor corporate communications head Amin Lin Abdullah said the water situation in Selangor was stable and all water treatment plants were fully operational.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Climatology and Oceano­graphy Prof Dr Fredolin Tangang said parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah were still expected to be affected by the drought and hot weather.

He said the scattered afternoon rainfall as a result of the inter-monsoon season had not been enough to mitigate the impact of El Nino.

“Generally, I think there is still lack of moisture in the region because of the El Nino effect,” he said.

Dr Fredolin expects the weather to be back to normal in June.


Hot spell reduces Sg Golok to a stream
The Star 16 Apr 16;

RANTAU PANJANG: The El Nino effect in this district is so severe that it has reduced Sungai Golok to a stream.

The river divides Kelantan and Thailand and it is now especially easy for those wanting to cross the border without a passport to do so.

In fact, it is even possible in some spots to do that without getting your feet wet.

“This is the worst of the hot seasons to have happened here, and for residents to see a river turn into a mere stream, it is unreal for them,” said restaurant owner Mokhtar Ismail, 61.

“This has never happened before to the extent that one can cross the river without even getting their shoes wet.

“We are seeing the worst of this river, which must be at its lowest ebb in over 20 years,” added Mokhtar, who runs a restaurant at Chabang Tiga here.

He said conditions in the river during the dry season also posed a danger, being similar to low tide – the sand in some parts is like quicksand.

“It may look harmless and shallow but the sand is swirling underneath,” added Mokhtar, who said children had been known to drown in such conditions.

Boat operator Zailani Ibrahim, 44, who charges RM1 to ferry passengers between Thailand and Kelantan, said he had never seen the river turn into a stream before.

This year’s dry season, he added, was very long compared with previous years.

“I lost my whole income for the month. It is also not possible to anchor my boats here so I have anchored them about 1km from here,” he said.

“If this continues for the next two or three months, I will have to find another job to feed my family,” said Zailani, who is one of the 60 boat operators along the 34km river.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Bukit Kong, a dam built to supply water for agricultural purposes, is becoming popular with the locals as its level has dropped tremendously.

People go to the dam daily to enjoy a swim in the shallow waters.


Man-made lake near Thai border dries up
The Star 16 Apr 16;

GRIK: A 4ha lake near the Perak-Thai border has dried up, possibly becoming the first “lake casualty” of El Nino in the country.

Takong Lake, in the heart of Pengkalan Hulu, a rural town about 45km from here and 7km from the border, has only a rivulet of water remaining while the rest of the lake bed has become an expanse of mud-cracks.

This man-made lake is in the Takong Recreational Park, which is a local haunt of anglers, picnickers and tourists who rent paddle boats.

In January, Pengkalan Hulu assemblyman Aznel Ibrahim announced plans to create a floating market on the lake by August to match the one in Haadyai.

It is learnt that after the lake shrunk drastically, the local authority further drained it 10 days ago to let locals catch the fish in it.

A resident, who only identified himself as Rosli, said townfolk and Thai visitors came by the thousands and caught hundreds of kilos of freshwater fish like tilapia, carps, common snakeheads (haruan), catfish, jungle perches (sebarau) and freshwater prawns (udang galah) using nets, pails and even bare hands.

“We call it Pesta Gagau and the last time we did it was four years ago, when the lake had also dried up,” said Rosli.

In Kangar, the bed of the Timah Tasoh Dam is so parched that cows are grazing there.

A tarred village road that was submerged when the state’s only dam was completed in 1992 is now usable again. As of yesterday, the Perlis dam water level would only need to go down by 0.2m before a full blown crisis hits.

“The level is now 26.2m. When it hits 26m, we will alert the state government and Syarikat Air Perlis to start water rationing,” said state Drainage & Irrigation Department director Najib Abdullah yesterday.

He said plans were in motion to start water rationing in certain areas today, adding that Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man was expected to announce it.

The dam’s maximum level is 29.1m, and although it is still about 90% full now, the lake is so small its critical level is 25m.

When The Star visited the dam, motorcyclist Nor Hisham Jusof, 34, was spotted riding along the previously submerged road with a friend.

“Word that this road has resurfaced is spreading. So I rode out here to check it out. I’ll come back again to go fishing. In a drought, it’s easy to catch lake fish,” he said.


Rains in Sabah ensuring dependable supply of water
The Star 16 Apr 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Rains over many parts of Sabah in the past week have assured a sufficient water supply, particularly for the state’s west coast.

The rains since April 9 increased levels at the Babagon dam and Sungai Moyog in Penampang, said Sabah Water Department deputy director Teo Chee Kang.

He added that the water level at the dam had risen to 112.1m from 111.7m in recent days.

“We are still far away from the lowest level of 102m at the height of the drought in 1998,” Teo said in an interview.

He said the higher water level at Sungai Moyog has enabled the department to increase its raw water intake there from 75 million litres to about 100 million litres per day.

Teo said together with the 120 million litres daily from the dam, water production was now at 215 million litres per day, sufficient for the state capital, Penampang and its surrounding areas.

“We anticipate more rainfall in May. We are quite confident that we have enough water to see us through until June when this dry spell is expected to end,” he added.


Desperate situation persists for islanders
The Star 16 Apr 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Desperate islanders at the parched northernmost island of Banggi are digging into riverbeds to get water even as supplies are reaching the island.

Islanders at remote villages such as Kampung Pangkalan Darat and Kampung Lok Tohog, about 20km from Banggi’s main settlement of Karakit, have had to find their own water supply.

As a result, some have resorted to digging a dried-out riverbed and begun pumping whatever water available there.

Banggi islander Salma Marail said there was still no rain on the island and water supply from Kudat was only available at the Water Department’s makeshift depot at Karakit.

“To get the water, we need to have a vehicle such as a small truck or hire one. Some islanders cannot afford it,” she said.

She said remote settlements like Pangkalan Darat were about 20km from Karakit and travelling the distance to get water was too time consuming for villagers.

Kudat assistant district officer for Banggi, Awang Shahrin Awang Bakar, said the Water Department would be shipping about 20,000 litres of treated water from Kudat to the island three times a week.

Read more!