Best of our wild blogs: 2 Jul 16

World Environment Day 2016 Saving Gaia Beach Cleanup and video
News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

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Disrupting dependence in water, food, fuel

Audrey Tan Straits Times 2 Jul 16;

Planning and innovation are how Singapore intends - in the face of new threats - to put food and water on the table
On the surface, it would seem a no brainer that a large country blessed with mountains, rivers and lakes would have a more ready source of water to rely on than a tiny city state.

And yet this year, in the midst of a blistering heatwave and drought in Malaysia that saw water levels in reservoirs fall to new lows, it was tiny Singapore that supplied additional potable water to Johor to help it tide over a shortfall.

For the record, Singapore is by land area 460 times smaller than Malaysia. The city state's 17 freshwater reservoirs combined are but a fifth the size of Johor's Linggiu Reservoir, which when rainfall is as expected is able to meet 60 per cent of Singapore's water needs.

So how has the city state managed to overturn conventional wisdom on water supply?

The story of how it broke a cycle of water dependence that once threatened its very survival is a tale of determined and astute planning, learning and innovation which, after 50 years of unceasing effort, has wrought a disruption that has won it international acclaim. Today, Singapore is not only steadily moving towards greater self-sufficiency in water supply, but also exporting water purification technology to countries around the world.

Its ambition for security of supply is not limited to water alone but extends to food and energy, two other essentials whose shortfall has long been the bane of small states since their production is usually tied to the amount of land a country controls.

So it is no mean feat that Singapore was last year ranked in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Food Security Index as the second-most food secure country, behind the United States.

And yet, this is no time to sit back and relax for climate change and political instability in various parts of the globe pose new threats to supplies of water, food and fuel.

Just how does Singapore hope to further disrupt its dependence in these areas, and what are its chances of success?

WATER: GETTING THERE

Out of sheer necessity, Singapore became an accidental pioneer in the logistics and technology of weather-proof water supply. For that is precisely what Newater and desalination are - water sources that do not depend on rainfall from one year to the next. This quality has turned out to be a great virtue in a world plagued by increasingly unpredictable weather patterns due in part to global warming.

Singapore has four sources of water. The lion's share is raw water from Malaysia, largely from Linggiu Reservoir; followed by Newater or treated used water; then treated sea water or desalination; and finally local catchment water from the reservoirs here.

The recent decline of water levels at Johor's Linggiu Reservoir, which fell from 80 per cent at the start of last year to a record low of 33 per cent last month, has added to the urgency of finding new sources or enhancing the efficiency of recycling and desalination. One other consideration is that Singapore's remaining water treaty with Malaysia expires in 2061.

Singapore's small size limits the amount of rainwater it can harness and store. Going by this measure, it is water challenged. That could be why last August, Washington-based think-tank World Resources Institute (WRI) ranked Singapore among the countries in greatest danger of running out of water by 2040, against a backdrop of climate change and rapid population growth. The ranking was based on an index that measures competition for and depletion of surface water, such as lakes and rivers.

STAYING AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Singapore has had to develop its own sustainable urban solutions for many decades to address constraints such as the lack of land, water and energy, long before sustainability became a megatrend.

MR GOH CHEE KIONG, executive director of cleantech and cities, infrastructure and industrial solutions at the Economic Development Board.
As it is, two-thirds of Singapore's land area is water catchment. The PUB, the national water agency, plans to increase this to 90 per cent of the island by 2060. A future reservoir could be created between Tanjong Pagar and Pulau Brani to retain rainwater from the Greater Southern Waterfront, a new precinct in Marina South.

But what the WRI overlooked was Singapore's ability to treat sea water, which it is surrounded by, and re-use water, thanks to the technology behind Newater and its building of a Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS).

Phase 1 of the DTSS was completed in 2008 at a cost of $3.4 billion. Planning work for Phase 2 began two years ago and tenders for various parts of it are expected to be called from this year.

This is a superhighway to channel used water to a centralised water reclamation plant and allow Singapore to close the water loop. It can then, in theory, recycle 100 per cent of its water infinitely - and go without rain.

That is why water experts here were quick to rubbish the WRI's findings, saying scientific developments will boost the Republic's water security.

Currently, Newater and desalination can meet up to 55 per cent of Singapore's water needs. But PUB says they could together make up up to 85 per cent by 2060, when water demand is expected to double from the current 430 million gallons used daily. Singapore is already building its fifth Newater plant, and PUB had in April called for a tender for Singapore's fourth desalination plant, set to be completed by 2019. PUB is also exploring the possibility of a fifth desalination plant on Jurong Island.

It is this foresight that has allowed Singapore to turn a weak spot into a competitive advantage.

Research in this area is ongoing and to date, PUB has been involved in 467 R&D projects with a total value of $323 million. Singapore has developed more cost-effective and energy-efficient ways to filter water. These technologies have travelled far.

How far? A water purification membrane developed at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is now being tested in the International Space Station. It contains aquaporin, a protein found in all living things, including the human kidney, which speeds up water flow and acts as a gate that allows only water molecules through, filtering out pollutants in the process. And a self-cleaning membrane is being used by a dye factory in Qingdao, China, to clean waste water before it is discharged back into rivers and lakes.

"Singapore's experience," says Professor Ng Wun Jern, executive director of NTU's Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, "has helped us prepare in advance... We are now in a good position to offer our technologies to meet the needs of other developing countries which are facing water stresses due to climate change, increasing populations from rural-urban migration, and development."

FOOD

Singapore imports more than 90 per cent of its food but does so from more than 160 countries, a diversification strategy that acts as a safeguard against shortages and price volatility. That means even if a country were to impose a restriction or ban on food exports to Singapore, as Malaysia has done with fish exports during festive seasons such as Chinese New Year, Singaporeans can still enjoy food at stable prices.

In contrast to its water strategy where it has moved to reduce imports over time, it has actually cut local food production, phasing out over the last few decades farms where pigs and other animals were once reared, to free up land for housing and industry. The share of land used for agriculture has fallen from 25 per cent in 1965 to barely 1 per cent today.

Yet, Singapore was last year ranked the second-most food secure country, behind the United States, in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Food Security Index. Food security is measured in terms of food availability, affordability and quality and safety.

There are only three food items for which the Government has set a target of being partly self-sufficient: eggs for which the target is to have 30 per cent produced locally, fish at 15 per cent and leafy vegetables at 10 per cent. Thanks to R&D, it is moving steadily towards meeting these targets. Last year, Singapore produced 24 per cent of eggs consumed, 10 per cent of fish, and 13 per cent of leafy vegetables.

Singapore can aim for partial self-sufficiency in these three items because they do not require lots of land to produce - egg and leafy vegetable production can be done in layers, and fish farms are offshore, says Dr Cecilia Tortajada, senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Local farmers also receive government help to boost productivity. Between 2012 and last month, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) disbursed more than $15 million to local farms for R&D to boost productivity and capability. "With limited resources and land, there is a need to harness technologies and innovations to produce more with less," says the AVA.

The goal? Intensive farming that maximises space and resources and needs minimal manpower.

The AVA has worked with farm entrepreneur Sky Greens, for example, to do research on a vertical farming system that could offer 10 times the yield, compared to traditional land-based farming. "Our agricultural sector, though small, plays an important role in Singapore's food security as it helps to buffer against sudden supply disruptions," the AVA says.

Dr Tortajada, who conducts research into food security, says: "There is no country in the world that is self-sufficient when it comes to food, as it is more important to invest in diversifying sources of food that are safe and reliable from countries where they grow more readily." On Singapore's strength, she says: "It started planning as early as 1965, which has helped the country stay resilient."

ENERGY

Imagine if Singapore could capture and store every ray of sunshine that falls on the island. In this scenario, the ubiquitous covered walkways may light a way forward.

Scientists at NTU are working on flexible solar panels that can be installed on the curved roofs of these walkways, as well as on building facades and windows. Professor Subodh Mhaisalkar, executive director of NTU's Energy Research Institute, says innovations like these are ways to overcome land constraints - long cited as a factor limiting widespread solar adoption.

Even though solar energy has been touted as the most promising source of renewable energy for Singapore, the sun now accounts for less than 1 per cent of electricity generated. The plan is to ramp up solar energy to 5 per cent by 2020. Most of Singapore's natural gas supply - which powers about 95 per cent of the country's electricity - comes from Malaysia and Indonesia via offshore pipelines as well as liquefied natural gas imported from farther afield and stored at the Jurong Island terminal.

Scientists are also looking into other forms of renewable energy, such as from wind and the tides.

Yet another NTU project at the offshore Semakau Landfill, called the Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator Singapore, is the region's first micro-grid to integrate multiple renewable energy sources.

Long-term efforts could include an Asean power grid, a planned network to connect the national grids of all 10 Asean countries. It is still in the works even though the idea was floated as early as in the 1980s. The research being done on Semakau in the area of grid integration could pave the way for Singapore to tap various renewable energy sources outside the city state. These could include solar, wind, marine or even geothermal energy from neighbouring countries, says Prof Subodh.

With the Paris Agreement to mitigate climate change by cutting carbon emissions, it is vital that Singapore continue to innovate in this area.

Earlier this year, the Government announced that it will over the next five years pump in $900 million, out of the $19 billion of new public sector R&D funding, into urban solutions and sustainability. These include research into water and clean energy.

As Mr Goh Chee Kiong, executive director of cleantech and cities, infrastructure and industrial solutions at the Economic Development Board, puts it: "Singapore has had to develop its own sustainable urban solutions for many decades to address constraints such as the lack of land, water and energy, long before sustainability became a megatrend."

That has allowed the country to stay ahead of the curve. It is not, however, resting on its laurels but working hard to meet fresh challenges and exploit new technologies.

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Temperatures could hit 35°C in first week of July: MSS

Channel NewsAsia 1 Jul 16;

SINGAPORE: A few days of dry and warm weather conditions can be expected in the first week of July, with daily maximum temperatures reaching a high of 35°C, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said on Friday (Jul 1).

For other days in the first fortnight of July 2016, the daily maximum temperature is forecast to range between 32°C and 34°C, it added.

MSS said prevailing southwest monsoon conditions will continue in the first fortnight of July, and the low level winds are expected to blow mainly from the southeast or southwest.

It added that for the first half of July, most of the thundery showers due to strong solar heating of land areas are forecast to occur in the late morning and early afternoon on four to six days.

In addition, on one or two mornings, the passage of a Sumatra squall is expected to bring thundery showers with gusty winds to most parts of the island, but rainfall for the whole period is likely to be normal.

RECORD DAILY TOTAL RAINFALL IN JUNE

Most of Singapore received above average rainfall in June, said the MSS. The area around Jurong received the highest rainfall of 374.2mm - 126 per cent above average, while the area around Admiralty received the least with 116mm, 19 per cent below average.

Heavy thundery showers on Jun 17 also broke records - the rain that fell over Tuas recorded a daily total rainfall of 217mm, the highest ever recorded for the month of June. The previous highest daily total rainfall record for June was 144.6mm on Jun 4, 2011 at Pasir Ris.

In the last week of June, Singapore experienced a few warm days with low rainfall, and the daily maximum temperature reached 35.7°C on Jun 29, the highest temperature recorded for June 2016. On days that there was widespread rain, daily minimum temperatures hit between 22.2°C and 22.5°C.

MSS said that at the Changi climate station, the mean monthly temperature recorded for June was 28.5°C, slightly warmer than the long-term mean of 28.3°C but cooler than the mean temperature of 29.0°C for June recorded in the last three years.

- CNA/av

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Malaysia: Temporary halt to water rationing in Mersing

The Star 2 Jul 16;

JOHOR BARU: Over 15,000 residents in Mersing are in for some festive joy as their scheduled water supply exercise will be temporarily halted this coming Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Syarikat Air Johor Holdings Sdn Bhh chief executive officer Abdul Wahab Abdul Hamid said that they would ensure that there would be no water supply disruption during the 12 days period between June 29 and July 10 (fourth day of Hari Raya).

He added that after that period, the scheduled water supply would resume as previously planned between May 15 and July 16.

“We understand that during the festive season, many people will come back and get together with their families therefore enough water supply is needed during this period.

“During this time, demand for water will increase to about 300% compared to the normal consumption, therefore people must use water with care to prevent disruptions,” he said during a break of fast dinner with the media at Selasih Restaurant, Sri Gelam here recently.

He added that the water level at Congok dam was last recorded at 3.63m compared to its critical level of 4.88m while the Sungai Mersing water level recorded at 12.08m compared to its warning level of 11.70m.

“Although the water level at Congok dam is below the critical level, it is supported by a back up supply by Sungai Mersing.

“We have also begun pumping water from Sungai Jemari that acts as a feeder river to the Congok dam since June 13 to improve the water level,” he said.

He added that so far other areas in the state were stable and would not be facing any water disruption, especially during the festive season.


Pahang villages to expect low water pressure this Raya
New Straits Times 1 Jul 16;

KUANTAN: With many expected to return to their hometowns for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, some Felda settlements and traditional villages in Pahang are expected to experience low water pressure.

Pahang Water Management Bhd (PAIP) in a statement today, said that in order to ensure enough water supply during the festive period, it has prepared 200 static tanks for the purpose.

“PAIP has also prepared 30 water tankers, which will be mobilised in the event of a death.

“Priority also would be given to critical areas such as dialysis centres, elderly care centres and schools,” the statement read.

As for the areas that are currently experiencing water supply disruption due to the El-Nino phenomenon namely in Temerloh, PAIP would continue to deploy its static tanks (15) and water tankers (three) to the affected areas.

For complaints and enquiries, the public can contact the 24-hour PAIP customer service centre at 09- 573 9999 or visit www.paip.com.my.

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Indonesia: Fire razes forests near Lake Toba

Apriadi Gunawan The Jakarta Post 1 Jul 16;

Forest fires that broke out in the tourist resort area of Lake Toba this week have been made worse as a result of extreme dry weather and strong winds.

Slash-and-burn activities have been blamed for many of the fires.

Karo Regency Forestry Office head Martin Sitepu said the forest fires started on June 27 and continued for almost every day over the past week in the Sipiso-piso tourist area, located at the border area between Simalungun and Karo regencies in North Sumatra.

He added that his office and members of the community managed to extinguish fires in Sipiso-piso but the next day a fire appeared in Kodon-Kodon village, Karo regency, and on Wednesday the fire expanded to other areas in Tongging village.

“Today is Siosar village’s turn. Various efforts have been made to extinguish the fire, but the extreme weather and very strong wind caused difficulties,” Martin told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He said the wildfires were man-made. Martin said during the current dry season a lot of people carried out burning activities in their farms. He, however, said they failed to control the fires, so they spread from their farms and reached the protected forest driven by strong winds.

Martin claimed that none of the residents and plantation companies had been brought to court for the forest fires in the Lake Toba area due to a lack of sufficient evidence to bring the fire starters to trial.

Dolok Sipiso-piso Green Forum (Forsidos) leader Hanson Munthe said the lack of prosecutions was proof of the country’s inability to prevent such fires and that forest fires in the region had been taking place annually but the perpetrators had never been brought to justice.

He added that the forest fires in the Paropo and Sipiso-piso areas currently spanned 20 hectares and the authorities should already know who the culprits were because the sources of the fires were in protected areas.

“The law must be enforced to address forest fires in the Lake Toba region, failing which I fear that in the not too distant future, the entire forests around Lake Toba will already have been damaged,” said Hanson.

The 2015 Kalpataru environmental award recipient Marandus Sirait, of Toba Samosir regency, expressed concern about the current condition of forests in the Lake Toba region because nearly 50 percent of the forested areas around Lake Toba had been razed in the course of the past 20 years, such as in Samosir, Simalungun, Karo and Toba Samosir regencies.

“Around 50 percent of forests in a number of areas around Lake Toba have been damaged due to fires and forest conversion,” said Marandus.

The damaged forested areas were located in Ajibata, Lumbanjulu and Bonatualunasi districts in Toba Samosir, Tele district in Samosir and Gersang Sipanganbolon district at the borders of Parapat, Toba Samosir and Simalungun regencies.

Recently, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited the Lake Toba area and instructed all related ministers to speed up the development of the Lake Toba resort area in North Sumatra to transform it into the “Monaco of Asia”.

Jokowi told the North Sumatra provincial administration and all regencies around Lake Toba to work together with relevant ministries in developing the area as an international tourist destination.

The government has allocated Rp 21 trillion (US$1.6 billion), Rp 10 trillion of which is from the state budget and the rest from the private sector, for the cost of developing the area.

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Indonesia: Divers Spot Badly Injured Whale Shark in Bali

Ratri M. Siniwi Jakarta Globe 1 Jul 16;

Jakarta. The authorities are trying to locate a badly injured whale shark that was spotted by divers in the Nusa Penida marine conservation area in Bali earlier this week.

A picture of the shark was circulated on various social media sites after tourist divers Marketa Olmerova and Aldrich Olmer found the giant fish swimming slowly and bleeding heavily on Wednesday (29/06).

The two divers noticed five cuts around the shark's fins and abdomen, presumably caused by a speedboat propeller. They reported their discovery to dive operator and marine foundation Coral Triangle Center (CTC), which is located on Nusa Penida.

The news also caught the attention of the Klungklung district's Marine and Fisheries Agency, as well as the Denpasar Center for Coastal and Marine Resources (BPSPL), which prompted the authorities and the CTC to launch an attempt at rescuing the severely injured fish, as reported by environmental news outlet Mongabay Indonesia.

"Yesterday we found a whale shark, but it was not the injured one. It is still on the loose," the CTC's Nusa Penida coordinator Wira Sanjaya said on Friday. "We are currently monitoring the situation on a daily basis, and cooperating with veterinarians for medical treatment."

According to Wira, they have issued a code of conduct for divers and boat operators to ensure proper handling of such situations in future.

"The whale shark is still a baby, so we're afraid it won't be able to survive," Marthen Welly of the CTC's Learning Site Center told Mongabay.

There are usually several whale sharks present in the Nusa Penida area during this time of year, coinciding with their annual migration. Whale sharks were also spotted in Gorontalo and Sulawesi since last month, state-run Antara news agency reported.

The sharks are a protected species in Indonesia and the authorities are looking at the establishment of a public education program to promote conservation efforts.

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Indonesia: West Kalimantan Government Joins APP and Belantara Foundation for Sustainable Development Project

West Kalimantan government signs a memorandum of understanding with pulp and paper company Asia Pulp and Paper and its affiliate organization of Belantara Foundation for a sustainable landscape development project. (Photo courtesy of APP)
Phoebe Sudargo Jakarta Globe 1 Jul 16;

Jakarta. The West Kalimantan government signed a memorandum of understanding with pulp and paper company Asia Pulp and Paper and its affiliate organization Belantara Foundation for a sustainable landscape development project, APP said in a statement on Wednesday (29/6).

The MoU involves a series of projects focusing on prevention of forest fires, protection of forest and peatlands, as well as local social welfare development in the province.

One such projects includes a sustainable energy development made of Philippine Tung’s (Reutealis trisperma (Blanco) Airy Shaw), locally known as Kemiri Sunan’s fruit.

The biodiesel pilot project, as initiated by the West Kalimantan government, will involve West Kalimantan Forestry Office, APP, Belantara Foundation and Tanjungpura University.

“The development of Philippine Tung plantation has multiple goals: to increase land productivity, local people’s income, environmental sustainability and renewable energy supply,” Agus P. Sari, chief executive of Belantara Foundation, a foundation established by APP to seek and manage funding to support a number of landscape scale conservation projects in Indonesia's Sumatera and Kalimantan islands, said in the statement.

The project will turn 5,000 hectares of land within Production Forest in Landak, Mempawah and Kubu Raya districts into a Philippine Tung plantation, and would fall under Tanjungpura University’s care. The project is expected to produce 30,000 to 40,000 tons of diesel annually.

APP has been involved in several environmental projects in West Kalimantan, including Desa Makmur Peduli Api (DMPA), a forest fire prevention project.

“Sustainable development that is both beneficial for the environment and local people always been the goal of our Forest Conservation Policy [FCP]” Aida Greenbury, APP’s managing director of sustainability, said.

APP pledges to donate $10 million to the forest fire prevention project over the course of fiver years and commit to creating 500 sustainable villages that are less dependent on agroforestry economic.

APP has also built more than 5,000 dams for further forest fire prevention.

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New $25m programme for marine science research and development in Singapore

Singapore’s one and only offshore marine science research facility is now open to all marine scientists here, in a move that will pave the way for more research in this field.
Audrey Tan Straits Times 30 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE - The Republic is blessed with a good location that makes it one of the world's top transshipment hubs, but it is not taking providence for granted.

The Government is starting a new marine science research and development programme, pumping in $25 million over the next five years to spur research into how Singapore can better cope with emerging challenges such as climate change, heavy shipping and urbanisation.

This was announced on Thursday (June 30) morning by the National Research Foundation (NRF), which is collaborating with the National University of Singapore for the programme.

Although they may not look it, the waters around Singapore are home to a surprising amount of marine life. The island state is located at the intersection of the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, within the Coral Triangle - an area considered to be the world's richest treasure trove of marine life.

More than 250 species of hard corals - representing more than 30 per cent of hard coral species found around the world - have been recorded in Singapore's waters. In addition, it has 12 of the 23 species of seagrasses in the Indo-Pacific region, about 200 species of sponges and over 100 species of reef fish, according to data from the National Parks Board.

With so much biodiversity, scientific research will enable Singapore to make full and more intense use of its sea space to increase its blue economy while maintaining its sustainability, says marine conservation veteran Chou Loke Ming, who has been studying corals at TMSI for more than 30 years.

"Alongside the launch of the programme, NRF also on Thursday announced that Singapore’s one and only offshore marine research facility on St John’s Island – located south of Singapore – will be opened up to all marine science researchers here." About 16 marine science research proposals are currently being evaluated and successful ones are expected to be awarded in late 2016.

There are four main research thrusts under the programme: the study of marine ecosystems and biodiversity, environment impact and monitoring, coastal ecological engineering and marine technology and platforms.

The latter hopes to examine ways in which humankind can benefit from nature, in the form of the discovery of new organisms for novel research and the discovery of high value materials. The programme could increase the number of research projects in this area, although such work is already ongoing.

Take, for example, the work done by Dr Tan Lik Tong, a lecturer from the natural sciences and science education academic group at the Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) National Institute of Education. He is studying cyanobacteria - marine organisms associated with the harmful algae blooms that have caused mass fish deaths in Singapore.

But his studies have shown that they are also a treasure trove of useful compounds. He told The Straits Times that a number of cyanobacterial compounds have undergone clinical trials for the treatment of human cancers in the United States.

For example, a synthetic molecule based on the chemical structure of a marine cyanobacterial compound known as dolastatin 10 has been developed, and is currently being used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma. This refers to a a type of cancer originating from white blood cells.

"These marine cyanobacteria therefore represent great new organisms for novel research and discovery of high value materials," he said.

But beyond the synthesis of useful compounds, marine science is also important to Singapore in other ways. This is especially since the Republic is an island nation surrounded by water.

Prof Ng, a crab expert, told The Straits Times: "We use the water for navigation, for our port, even for desalination of sea water. We reclaim for land needs, we use it for recreation - a host of purposes. We share the seaways with many countries.

"How can we not know more about it? How can we manage it better, more sustainably, if we do not understand it well?"

National lab dives deeper into sea research
National Research Foundation launches new $25m, five-year marine study programme
Audrey Tan Straits Times 1 Jul 16;

Singapore's only offshore marine research facility is now open to all marine scientists here, in a move that will pave the way for more sea research .

Previously, the laboratory, on St John's Island, was used largely by scientists from the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI).

In March, it was designated a National Research Infrastructure. This means that all marine researchers here will have access to it, although it will continue to be operated by NUS.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) announced this yesterday, alongside the launch of a new $25-million, five-year marine research and development programme. It is collaborating with NUS on the programme, which will be helmed by Professor Peter Ng, head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and former director of the TMSI.

He told The Straits Times: "We are an island nation after all, and we cannot ignore or be complacent about our marine environment, its inhabitants and ecosystem, and what we do with it and to it."

Science could provide solutions to emerging challenges to the marine environment, such as climate change, urbanisation and heavy shipping.

NUS veteran marine biologist Chou Loke Ming said: "Marine science is a strategic research area... (considering that) maritime trade has contributed to Singapore's economic growth."

The new programme could raise the number of research projects in this area.

Already, a team at the TMSI is studying how marine pests brought in by passing ships can be better controlled and managed.

When invasive marine species such as barnacles and tube worms attach themselves to vessels, they can reduce speeds by more than 10 per cent, owing to drag, and raise fuel consumption of ships.

Sixteen research proposals are being evaluated under the programme, and successful ones are expected to be awarded grants later this year.

Mr George Loh, the NRF's director of programmes, said: "Many of the current marine science research projects are undertaken as and when agencies or companies feel there is a need to be addressed, such as the impact to the corals due to urbanisation works along our coastlines."

But the new programme could spur basic marine research. This is crucial, as there is still much to learn about Singapore's native marine biodiversity, Mr Loh said.

For marine scientists, having access to a facility with direct and immediate access to sea water is critical and many welcomed the move to open up the St John's Island Marine Laboratory.

Dr Tan Lik Tong, a lecturer from the natural sciences and science education academic group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, said the national lab could also increase collaborations between scientists from different institutions.

The NRF said it will support the upgrading of the marine laboratory at a cost of $9.5 million over three years.

This includes the cost of restructuring labs, increasing aquaria capacity and raising laboratory bench spaces.

New facilities, such as aquaria that allow users to control seawater environment such as temperature and salinity, will also be built over the next one to two years, said Dr Serena Teo, the lab's facility director.

The sea around Singapore is home to a surprising amount of marine life. More than 250 species of hard corals - a third of those found worldwide - have been recorded in Singapore's waters.

In addition, it has 12 of the 23 species of seagrass in the Indo-Pacific region, about 200 species of sponge and over 100 species of reef fish, according to data from the National Parks Board.


A $25 million, five-year national programme dedicated to marine science research has been launched by National Research Foundation in collaboration with National University of Singapore. Audrey Tan reports on some marine science research in Singapore and why it is important.

Giving marine pests the slip
Audrey Tan Straits Times 1 Jul 16;

The Asian green mussel, or kupang in Malay, is a delicacy enjoyed in this region, but in places like America they are considered pests.

The original birthplace of these creatures is the Indo-Pacific region, where Singapore is located.

But now they have crossed the Pacific through South America to Florida by "hitchhiking" on the hulls of ships or ballast tanks, which are filled or emptied of seawater to keep a ship stable.

The kupang is a hardy mussel that can withstand a range of temperatures and salinity. It attaches to hard surfaces, forming clumps in places such as on seawater intake pipes and vessels. Such undesirable marine growth on man-made surfaces is known as biofouling.

These clumps reduce vessel speeds by more than 10 per cent owing to drag, and increase fuel consumption of ships when they power up to overcome it.

The Asian green mussel, like other marine pests, can also damage engines and propellers and upset native ecosystems.

Singapore, like many coastal cities with urban harbours, is vulnerable to such invasions, which could hurt its status as the world's top transhipment hub.

Already, another mussel species, Mytilopsis sallei, or the false zebra mussel - an invasive marine pest from the Caribbean - has established itself on Singapore's concrete walls and monsoon drains.

Dr Serena Teo, deputy director for research at the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute, leads a biofouling research team that has been studying, since 2002, the biology of marine pests such as barnacles and tubeworms.

Among other things, they investigate how these creatures respond and adhere to materials, as well as how these biologically active materials may affect the environment.

In the past 10 years, Dr Teo and her team - together with chemists from NUS and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research - have developed new environmentally safe anti-fouling additives and materials, which prevent marine pests from latching on to vessels.

This work has resulted in several patents and findings that are useful for the marine industry.

Said Dr Teo: "It is internationally recognised that fouling in tropics, especially in Asia, is very aggressive. This is not unexpected as tropical Asia has the highest marine biodiversity in the world.''

She added: "With the expertise in our research institutions and local industry, we have an unprecedented opportunity to expedite the development of new anti-fouling technology."

Her ongoing work illustrates the importance of marine science research in Singapore, a field that will get a boost from a $25 million, five-year programme announced yesterday.

This marine science research and development programme, launched by the National Research Foundation with NUS, will include research into emerging environmental challenges such as climate change and urbanisation.


Learning more about an enigmatic creature
Audrey Tan Straits Times 1 Jul 16;

Corals have earned widespread attention for their beauty and important role in the marine ecosystem, but little is known about their cousins, the sea anemones.

Graduate student Nicholas Yap is on a mission to change that with his research.

The 32-year-old is working on setting up a baseline of sea anemones in Singapore, by identifying and documenting the flimsy creatures often seen jiving and jamming to underwater currents.

"They are quite common in Singapore but, more often than not, we don't know what they are," said Mr Yap, the only sea anemone researcher in Singapore.

The National Geographic puts the number of sea anemone species found in the world's oceans at more than 1,000. But in Singapore, only 27 species have been successfully identified, Mr Yap said.

One of the latest discoveries is a warty sea anemone found burrowing in the mudflats of Lim Chu Kang mangroves in 2012. Scientists have nicknamed it Bill because it does not match the identity of any known sea anemones, and so may be new to science.

"They form many symbiotic relationships with algae and different animals, yet we don't know about their role in the ecosystem, and how they contribute to it," said Mr Yap.

Like their coral cousins, sea anemones have algae living in them which, in turn, provide the anemone with nourishment.

Similarly, they also bleach - or expel this algae - when stressed. But how bleached anemones impact the ecosystem is not well understood.

Considering their abundance in marine habitats, understanding how they contribute to the ecosystem is important as it will help with decisions on marine conservation, said Mr Yap.

As veteran marine biologist Chou Loke Ming from the NUS' Tropical Marine Science Institute put it: "Every species has a role in the environment in its interaction with other species and the environment.

"If we don't know where they fit into the ecological puzzle, then we risk throwing them out of the equation we are trying to solve."

The study of these creatures could also have an impact on the medical sector, said Mr Yap. "Anemones have venom-containing stingers which could be extracted to do medical research and may pave the way for the discovery of a new drug."

Similarly, biodiversity research done as part of a new $25 million marine science research and development programme could yield new organisms for novel research and the discovery of valuable materials. The five-year programme was announced yesterday by the National Research Foundaton (NRF) and NUS.

NRF's director of programmes George Loh said: "Singapore is strategically located at the intersection of the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and is within the Coral Triangle. This creates uniquely rich marine biodiversity off Singapore that is not well understood, and presents unprecedented opportunities to study our complex marine ecosystem and its many organisms."

PLACE IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Every species has a role in the environment in its interaction with other species and the environment.

If we don't know where they fit into the ecological puzzle, then we risk throwing them out of the equation we are trying to solve.

VETERAN MARINE BIOLOGIST CHOU LOKE MING, from the NUS' Tropical Marine Science Institute.

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Nation-wide electric car-sharing programme to begin mid-2017

Olivia Siong and Chan Luo Er, Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: The Republic is set to launch a nationwide electric car-sharing programme by the middle of 2017, with all HDB towns to benefit from the initiative by 2020.

BlueSG, a subsidiary of French conglomerate Bollore Group, signed an agreement with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Economic Development Board (EDB).

The programme, also named BlueSG, will see 1,000 electric vehicles being deployed progressively in Singapore, with the first batch of 125 electric cars and 250 charging points to be introduced in towns like Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East and Punggol by mid next year.

Under the agreement, BlueSG will operate the programme for 10 years and install 2,000 charging points for electric vehicles island-wide. Up to 20 per cent of these will be available for public use, LTA and EDB said.

After this period, the Government will take over all charging points and make them available to the public, the authorities added.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said the programme would lay a foundation for the greater use of electric vehicles in Singapore.

"The programme will promote our car-lite and green-car vision," said Mr Khaw, adding that 2,000 parking lots would be set aside for the programme in each HDB town, and the CBD and key industrial areas.

"We have embarked on this electric vehicle trial because we see some potential in more widespread adoption of electric vehicles in Singapore. However, electric vehicles are not truly emissions-free," added Mr Khaw.

"The power they consume produces emissions at the power station, but most electric vehicles are quieter than conventional vehicles, and do not have tail-pipe emissions. This makes for a better living environment, particularly in a dense city like ours."

BlueSG is the first large-scale car-sharing programme of its kind that will allow users the flexibility of picking up a car at the starting point and returning it at their destination, unlike the more conventional model where users have to return the car to its original pick-up location, LTA and EDB said.

LTA chief executive Chew Men Leong said the BlueSG programme will provide commuters with an additional form of point-to-point mobility, especially for trips where taking public transport or taxis may not be as convenient.

"It will play an important role in our efforts to create a car-lite society, as car-sharing enables more people to have occasional access to the use of a car, without having to own one. At the same time, it enables us to move towards a greener and more sustainable transport system, by laying the foundations of a nationwide EV charging infrastructure to support wider adoption of EVs," said Mr Chew.

LTA and EDB said Bollore Group was selected out of 13 operators that responded to a request for information exercise in December 2014 based on the quality of its proposal and its strong track record.

In partnership with EDB, BlueSG will also undertake new "high-value" economic activities and create about 250 jobs in the first five years of the programme, set up a Global Innovation Centre to undertake research and development work in the areas of mobility and energy management solutions, and establish its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore to oversee its e-mobility, energy management and system integration business for the region, the authorities said.

ATTRACTIVE PRICING IMPORTANT FOR PROGRAMME'S SUCCESS: EXPERTS

Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport Sitoh Yih Pin told Channel NewsAsia the one concern he has about BlueSG is its pricing.

"As with many things in life, and particularly in business, the price is very important. The price that BlueSG is going to charge, hopefully, should be attractive and acceptable for the public to use," he said.

Car-sharing Association Singapore's president, Lai Meng, added that BlueSG has to note that unlike cities like Paris, London and New York, Singapore has "very inexpensive" taxi fares.

"One-way car-sharing has to offer a different proposition to make it more attractive for commuters to adopt it," he said.

- CNA/mz

You can share an electric car with strangers by mid-2017
AsiaOne 30 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE - A nationwide electric car-sharing programme is set to become part of Singapore's sharing economy when it launches here in the middle of 2017.

BlueSG is the first large-scale car sharing programme of its kind that will allow users the flexibility of picking up a car at the starting point and returning it at their destination.

This is unlike the more conventional model where users have to return the car to its original pick up location, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Economic Development Board (EDB) said.

Under the programme, 1,000 electric cars will be deployed progressively in Singapore.

The first batch of 125 electric cars and 250 charging points will be rolled out in Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East and Punggol by mid 2017.

BlueSG is a subsidiary of French conglomerate Bollore Group. It signed an agreement with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Economic Development Board (EDB).

According to media reports, BlueSG will operate the programme for 10 years and install 2,000 charging points for electric vehicles throughout the country.

Up to 20 per cent of these will be available for public use.

When the 10 years are up, the Government will make all charging points available to the public.

"The programme will promote our car-lite and green-car vision," said Transport Minister Mr Khaw Boon Wan at the signing ceremony.

He added that 2,000 parking lots would be set aside for the programme in each HDB town, and the CBD and key industrial areas.

MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC Melvin Yong tried driving the electric car on Thursday afternoon (June 30).

He wrote on Facebook: "The electric vehicle is compact, easy to drive and very quiet - almost like driving a big-sized buggy on the road. It also does not produce tail-pipe emissions, making it more eco-friendly."


Singapore to launch electric vehicle car-sharing programme in 2017
TOH EE MING Today Online 30 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE — Come next year, you might be able to book an electric car through an app on your phone, pick it up at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block, and return it to a parking lot booked in advance near your destination, where another driver can pick it up.

This is part of Singapore’s first large-scale, nationwide electric car-sharing programme to be launched by the middle of next year, with the first batch of 125 electric vehicles (EV) and 250 charging points to be rolled out in towns such as Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East and Punggol.

The 10-year programme will be developed and operated by BlueSG, a subsidiary of the Bollore Group, which operates the largest fully-electric car sharing programme in the world, with operations in cities such as Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and Indianapolis.

Pricing details are still being worked out, but the service will operate on a subscription basis, and members could be charged less than S$10 for a 15-minute journey.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Thursday (June 30) afternoon, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said: “Car sharing allows more people to have access to a car without needing to own one … Most electric vehicles are quieter than conventional vehicles, and do not have tail-pipe emissions. This makes for a better living environment, particularly in a dense city like ours,” he said.

There are also plans to conduct fleet-based trials involving e-taxis and e-buses, with details to be released in due course.

Bollore’s proposal beat 12 others, after more than a year of “careful evaluation” by government agencies such as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Economic Development Board.

By 2020, a total of 1,000 electric cars will be rolled out under the programme, as well as 500 BlueSG stations and 2,000 charging points. These will be located at all HDB towns, the CBD and key industrial areas.

A total of 2,000 parking lots will also be set aside. And up to 20 per cent of the charging points will eventually be made available for public use.

Mr Khaw added: “While car sharing has been widely adopted in Europe, and is growing rapidly in the United States, it is currently a small market in Singapore ... We hope to see car sharing usage rise through collaborations such as (this one).”

He noted that Singapore has a total of 300 shared cars and 10,000 users, a number he hopes to raise “10-fold”.

As part of efforts to support EV use, the Government will also adopt a nationwide public charging standard from August. All new charging stations installed in publicly accessible areas will use the European Type 2 AC charging standard, which can charge a vehicle in one to two hours.

The EV fleet by BlueSG will not affect the current demand for cars as they will not be considered within the COE quota system.

Mr Franck Vitte, head of Asia at Blue Solutions, which is part of the Bollore Group, said the take-up rate was a little “slow” when the service was introduced in Paris.

Now, it has a total fleet size of 4,000 EVs, with more than 120,000 members in the city.

“We want to be close to where people live, play and work, and where there’s a density of population where a lot of people can benefit ... That’s where the success comes very quickly,” he said.

BlueSG will also set up a centre here for its partners to develop, test and implement innovations in areas such as mobility and data analysis. It is expected to create about 250 jobs in Singapore in the first five years of the programme.

Dr Park Byung Joon, a senior lecturer at SIM University, called the flexibility of such a system a “good starting point” towards fulfilling Singapore’s vision of a car-lite society.

“If you look at the Western world, that’s the direction everyone is heading for … operators can start with a small number, but when it’s more successful, they can look at doubling their fleets quickly,” he said.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der-Horng noted that Singapore’s flat landscape and small size is conducive for EV technology to take off, especially with more charging stations available.

But while Singaporeans might be “receptive” to car sharing schemes, price remains an obstacle to EV adoption. “If the Government wants to promote EV ownership in the long term, it would also have to provide different price considerations to make it (cheaper) and more attractive to own,” he said.

Communications executive Thrina Tham, 24, who drives the family car once a week, welcomed having an alternative to buying her own car.

“It’s a good alternative if they can find ways to integrate such a system seamlessly with public transport, and make it convenient and accessible …You don’t have to pay for petrol, or the parking fees … It’s definitely something I would consider as an option,” she said.

Correction: In an earlier version of this story, we said the goal was to get 10,000 electric cars on the road under the programme. This is incorrect. We apologise for the error.

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PUB to explore use of drones for surveillance, water management

Angela Lim Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: PUB is exploring the use of drones for surveillance and water management purposes, in addition to testing the use of robot swans to monitor water quality in reservoirs.

Since April this year, Singapore’s national water agency has been conducting trial flights of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – commonly known as drones – to look into the possibility of using them for general surveillance at Marina Reservoir.

The drones will help PUB obtain aerial footage for monitoring purposes and act as a deterrent for illegal activities, the agency said on Thursday (Jun 30).

PUB is also considering deploying the small, unmanned crafts – which would be fitted with multiple advanced sensors and cameras – at underground sewers. The drones would be able to navigate the tunnels without GPS and in complete darkness, while capturing 360-degree images in areas difficult for people to reach.

ROBOT SWANS TO MONITOR WATER QUALITY

The PUB also announced earlier that it is testing the use of robot swans to monitor the water quality of reservoirs. Jointly developed by PUB, the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Environmental Research Institute and the Tropical Marine Science Institute, the New Smart Water Assessment Network (NUSwan) will be able to provide more accurate and timely monitoring of water quality in reservoirs.

The robot swans can also be deployed in flocks for more effective real-time monitoring, and can blend in well with its surroundings, while helping to lower the cost of water sampling, PUB said, adding that three swans have been successfully tested for use.

NEW WATER TECHNOLOGIES

The drones and robot swans are some of the new water technologies showcased by PUB at this year's Singapore International Water Week.

Other technologies PUB will feature include the Smart Water Grid, an islandwide wireless sensor network that minimises water leaks, and a fully operational Silt Imagery Detection System to ensure the smooth running of Singapore’s waterways.

The event brings industry experts and delegates together in Singapore to pursue business opportunities, showcase the latest water technologies, as well as share industry best practices.

Now in its seventh run, the annual event will focus on present and emerging smart water technologies, including data-driven technologies that support various aspects of water management.

Singapore International Water Week will run from Jul 10 to 14.

- CNA/ww


Drones could be used to monitor reservoir pollution or detect illegal fishing
Carolyn Khew, The Straits Times AsiaOne 1 Jul 16;

A drone could, in the future, be used by national water agency PUB to monitor reservoirs.

A trial of the drone started in April this year at the Marina Reservoir and PUB is now exploring if it can be used to help monitor pollution or look out for cases of illegal fishing, for example.

Separately, discussions are ongoing with potential partners to develop a drone to be used in the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System - which can go to depths of 50m.

The system consists of a network of sewers which carry used water by gravity to centralised water reclamation plants.

The drone was among five technologies unveiled at the Marina Barrage yesterday ahead of the Singapore International Water Week taking place from July 10 to 14. The others are a robotic swan that "swims" in the water to monitor water quality, automated meter reading systems to track water consumption, sensors and image analytics.

The technologies are at different stages of implementation, and will help improve water surveillance and save manpower costs, among other benefits.

PUB is getting approvals to use the drone to monitor reservoirs, said Mr Tan Nguan Sen, PUB's chief sustainability officer. He added that the drone could help to quickly detect discharges into the water and trace the source of such discharges.

He said: "When someone discharges something into a canal or river, it will eventually find its way into the reservoir." It is hard to trace the discharge to its source from the ground.

To monitor water quality, PUB has developed a robotic swan together with the National University of Singapore Environmental Research Institute and the Tropical Marine Science Institute.

Designed to look like a life-sized swan, it can measure parameters such as chlorophyll and turbidity. The pilot to test out the swans in Marina and Pandan reservoirs ended last month, and PUB hopes to roll them out in the next few years.

One technology already in use is the silt imagery detection system. It monitors silty discharge such as clay and sand.

It sends out real-time alerts when it detects irregularities or when CCTV cameras are not working.

The system has been used to monitor 250 construction sites islandwide.

By next year, 800 sites are expected to adopt it, resulting in about 100,000 man-hour savings a year for contractors.

Since 2002, PUB has worked on 467 research and development projects worth $323 million.

The technologies will be showcased at the Smart Water Solutions Pavilion from July 11 to 13 during Singapore International Water Week.

Using smart technologies to improve planning and operations in water management will be a key focus at this year's event, said its managing director Bernard Tan.

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NEA calls for tender for system to monitor radiation levels in environment

Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) called for a tender on Thursday (Jun 30) for a system that would allow authorities to monitor radiation levels in the environment.

In a statement, NEA said the tender calls for interested parties to supply, deliver, install and maintain equipment for the ambient radiation monitoring network (ARMNet). With the system, NEA said it will be able to establish baseline radiation levels, and in time detect any potential increases of radioactive substances in the environment.

The monitoring stations will be placed at different locations across the island, including along coastal lines and waters. NEA said these stations do not pose any safety or environmental concerns, as they are collecting data “passively”.

The monitoring network is expected to be fully operational by 2018, according to NEA. The tender will close on Aug 30, and is expected to be awarded in February next year.

NEA said the gathering of such data through the network is timely, and supports Singapore’s response to any nuclear or radiological incidents that could occur in the region. A national pre-feasibility study conducted in 2010 concluded that nuclear energy would not be an option for Singapore given current technologies. But it also found a need for the island state to strengthen the capabilities to understand nuclear science and technology.

In 2014, more than S$63 million was set aside for the Nuclear Safety Research and Education Programme, to fund research and the development of nuclear safety, science and engineering over five years.

- CNA/mo

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Indonesia: Reclamation may cause annual losses of Rp 178 trillion

Corry Elyda The Jakarta Post 30 Jun 16;

A lawyer has claimed during the hearing of a lawsuit challenging Jakarta gubernatorial permits for the construction of man-made islets F, I and K in Jakarta Bay, that the controversial reclamation and Giant Sea Wall projects have the potential to cause losses amounting to trillions of rupiah every year.

Martin Hadiwinata, a lawyer for the plaintiffs the Coalition to Save Jakarta Bay Movement, said after the hearing at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) on Wednesday that his team had submitted written documents as proof that the projects brought many disadvantages for residents and the environment.

Martin said the total losses from the projects could amount to Rp 178.1 trillion (US$13.76 billion). The figure was calculated using three components only. “They comprise the loss of fishing grounds, the threat of flooding and the loss of mangroves,” he said.

A research document, entitled “Jakarta Bay Recommendation Paper”, by Denmark-based consultant company DHI Water and Environment at the request of the Environment and Forestry Ministry in 2012, showed that the estimated loss of 586.3 hectares of fishing grounds could cause a total loss of $1.36 billion in livelihoods annually.

Meanwhile, the increased risk of flooding is estimated to cause losses of $9.7 billion and the loss of mangrove habitat, including its role as coastal protection would cause losses of $2.7 billion.

Martin said the total loss excluded the potential reduction in electricity generated at Muara Karang and Muara Tawar power plants, which could reach $26.78 million. “Both power plants fulfill 53 percent of Jakarta’s electricity needs,” he said.

The developer-driven reclamation project, which comprises the construction of 17 artificial islets in Jakarta Bay, has been rejected by many residents and environmentalists, who argue that the projects only benefit private companies and will cause great danger to the environment.

The project came into the national spotlight after a City Council member was allegedly caught red-handed while receiving bribes from property development company Agung Podomoro Land (APL) whose subsidiary holds the permit for building Islet G.

The coalition previously won their lawsuit challenging the permit for Islet G.

The construction of all islets has been suspended by the central government. The government has formed a task force from various ministries, including the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) and the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Ministry to reevaluate the projects.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo recently said the project would continue as part of the Giant Sea Wall, or the National Coastal Integrated Capital Development (NCICD), mega project.

Nadia, lawyer for the city administration, said her side had also submitted two documents as evidence.

“We gave the recommendation letters of the BPLHD [Environmental Management Agency] on environmental permits and AMDAL [environmental impact analyses],” she said, declining to elaborate further.

Oswar Muadzin, the assistant to the governor on spatial planning and the environment, made it clear that the city administration had no intention of halting the project.

“We’ll simply repeat the permit issuance process should the court annul the permits,” he said when asked whether the city would stop the project once and for all if the court so ordered.

Oswar argued that the project was for the public good. “Those who are going to live in the islets are members of the public. They are also our citizens,” he said.

Developers bite the bullet in Jakarta reclamation
Agnes Anya The Jakarta Post 1 Jul 16;

Developers of the Jakarta Bay reclamation project are repeatedly biting the bullet as an investigative team has imposed strict penalties on the tangled project, including permanently ceasing development of an islet.

“The joint team concluded that islet G has committed gross violations as it is being built above electricity wires in the sea and among ship lanes. We decided that the development of the islet has to be stopped,” said Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli on Thursday, referring to an islet developed and marketed by PT Muara Wisesa Samudera, a subsidiary of PT Agung Podomoro Land.

Rizal announced the decisions after a meeting with the joint team, which consists of experts from the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Environment and Forestry Ministry and Transportation Ministry, as well as the Jakarta administration.

In the meeting, he added, the team reported irregularities in the Jakarta Bay reclamation project, which has been halted amid a dispute regarding overlapping regulations.

The official classified the irregularities as gross, moderate and minor violations.

Classified as a gross violation, the development of islet G has been deemed a danger to the environment, strategic vital projects and ship traffic, as it is being built above submarine electricity wires and between ship lanes.

Aside from islet G, which had been offered to the market while having commenced construction, the joint team has also penalized islets C, D and N.

Islet C and D belong to PT Kapuk Naga Indah, a subsidiary company of Agung Sedayu, while Islet N is owned by state-owned port operator Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo).

Development of the three islets were considered a moderate violation because they had undergone construction without following their initial design plans, as agreed to in Gubernatorial Regulation No. 121/2012 on the spatial management of reclamation the northern Jakarta coast, Rizal said.

Developers of islets C and D, which have been integrated as one big islet, are required to construct a canal to separate the two islets, as stipulated in the regulation with consideration that the canal functions as flood control, ship lane and sea current path.

“Islets C and D can still be developed but they have to reconstruct the islets as they were built without following the initial reclamation plan,” Rizal said, adding that to carry out the work, the developer might require hundreds of billions
of rupiah.

He, however, did not elaborate on the violations in the development of islet N, which is set to be a new port.

Asked whether the decisions will be stipulated in a particular legal form, Rizal said the government would consider its options once it finished the investigation, which is expected to be completed in the next three months.

The team still has tasks to complete, including evaluating the development plans of 13 other islets that have yet to be built, Rizal added.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta administration will not enforce the decisions on the existing projects, unless the decisions are stipulated in a regulation issued by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who holds the authority to impose the penalties, said Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.

“I see the decisions as recommendations,” Ahok said, adding that Muara Wisesa may sue the government, as well as the administration, as it held permits to build islet G.

The reclamation project hit headlines after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested APL president director Ariesman Widjaja and Jakarta councillor Muhammad Sanusi in a bribery case related to the project in the Jakarta Bay in April.

Ariesman is allegedly to have bribed Sanusi, a politician from the Gerindra Party, with Rp 1 billion (US$76,000) to influence the drafting of bylaws related to the reclamation project.

The city administration plans to require developers to pay a 15 percent additional fee in the bylaws while developers have reportedly attempted to approach councillors to lower the fee.

Besides the arrest, the KPK has also banned Ahok’s expert staff Sunny Tanuwidjaja and Agung Sedayu chairman Sugianto “Aguan” Kusuma from traveling overseas in relation to the bribery case.

Meanwhile, the head of the spatial planning and environment bureau of the Jakarta administration, Vera Revina Sari, admitted on Thursday that the additional fee was decided without a legal basis.

Speaking in Ariesman’s hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Vera said the additional fees, which had been received by the administration, had been approved by the governor.

“Most of [the fees] were used to build low-cost apartments,” Vera said responding to a question from KPK prosecutor Ali Fikri.

Vera said among the reclamation developers that had paid the fee was Muara Wisesa, a subsidiary of APL, and that the fee had been used to build a low-cost apartment in Daan Mogot, West Jakarta.


Government cancels G Island reclamation project
Antara 30 Jun 16;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government officially cancels the G island reclamation project in the Jakarta bay saying development of the project was a serious offense.

The reclamation project would endanger the environment , sea traffic and vital projects, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Natural Resources Rizal Ramli said here on Thursday.

"The Joint Committee of Ministers agree that the G island reclamation project is a serious offense," Rizal said at a meeting on the controversial project of reclamation of the northern beach of Jakarta.

Rizal said the project is categorized as a serious offense as the state electricity company PT PLN has electrical cables to be buried under the island project.

"The island would also hamper fishing vessels. Before the island was made fishing boats could easily pass and land in Muara Angke. Now with the island fishing vessels have to make a detour costing them more fuel," he said.

He said based on analysis of the Joint Committee the island of G has been arbitrarily built as it would damage the environment and destroy the marine biota.

"Therefore, we decide to permanently cancel the G island reclamation project," he said.

It was also decided that the C, D and N island projects were moderate offense that the developers are required only to make some repair and dismantling .

The C and D islands , which already almost become one are required to be set separate to form a canal of at least 100 meter wide with a depth of at least 8 meters to allow vessels to pass by .

The N island , which is part of the Kalibaru port project of state-owned port operator Pelindo II was considered to be technical offense against the environment.

"The developer agreed to mend the damage that the project is allowed to continue," Rizal said.

Marine and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said all members of the joint committee have worked on their respective skills that the decisions are considered the best they could make.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has found irregularities in the implementation of the Jakarta bay reclamation projects.

A number of government officials including members of the Jakarta city council have been named suspects and arrested on charge of graft.

(SYS/H-ASG/H-YH)

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