Malaysia: Haze in Miri hits 'unhealthy' 188-API reading

Bernama New Straits Times 19 Apr 19;

MIRI: The Air Pollutant Index (API) for Miri city reached an unhealthy level early this morning, with a reading of 188 at 5am.

The rising API reading for Miri obtained from the Department of Environment started last night with a level of 117 beginning 8pm.

However, by 6am today, the reading at the Industrial Training Centre in Kuala Baram, the area which is worse-hit by open fires in bush, estates and peat areas, had dropped to a moderate level of 56.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 19 Apr 19

20 Apr (Sat): FREE Talk on "Spawn Stars"
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Read more!

DBS to cease financing of new coal power plants

Straits Times 19 Apr 19;

But it will honour existing commitments as it steps up funding for renewable energy projects

DBS Bank has decided to cease financing new coal-fired power plants in any market, after honouring existing commitments, the second Singapore bank to do so.

South-east Asia's largest bank is also stepping up financing of renewable energy projects.

DBS' latest move is an about-turn from an earlier policy of financing new coal power plants with strict emissions controls in citing the need for a transition period in some parts of Asia, and comes after OCBC Bank said the financing of two Vietnamese coal-fired power plants would be its last.

Read more!

OCBC Says Coal Plants It's Financing in Vietnam Will Be Its Last

Chanyaporn Chanjaroen and Dan Murtaugh Bloomberg 16 Apr 19;

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp., Southeast Asia’s second-largest lender, said two Vietnamese coal-fired power plants will be the last it finances as it increases funding for renewable projects.

“We won’t do any new coal-fired power generation plants in any countries, except for the power projects that we are already in, or we have committed to,” Chief Executive Officer Samuel Tsien said in an interview at its Singapore headquarters Monday. “We hope that by doing this, we are encouraging the governments to do facilitating, arrangements for the countries to move from coal to renewable.”

Read more!

Majority of respondents in poll support initiatives that encourage BYO practices: MEWR

Matthew Mohan Channel NewsAsia 18 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE: The majority of respondents in a new poll support initiatives that encourage people to “Bring Your Own” (BYO) reusable bags and bottles in Singapore, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said on Thursday (Apr 18).

Almost 90 per cent of the 1,300 respondents who took part in an online poll last month are supportive of this, MEWR said. The poll was conducted as part of the final phase of consultations on the inaugural Zero Waste Masterplan.

A majority of respondents also indicated strong support for ideas to make it more convenient to donate excess unexpired food, recycle electrical and electronic equipment, and the designing of recycling information labels on blue recycling bins, said Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor.

Read more!

Malaysia: Sumatran rhinos extinct in the wild

kristy inus The Star 18 Apr 19;

KOTA KINABALU: Studies have confirmed that the Sumatran rhinoceros is effectively extinct in the wild after they were no longer sighted in Sabah, says state Tourism, Culture and Environ­ment Minister Datuk Christina Liew.

She said the studies were conducted at the Ulu Segama Forest Reserve and Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu.

They were carried out by the ministry, through the Wildlife Department, in collaboration with NGOs like the Borneo Rhino Alliance and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malay­sia.The studies looked at the population of the Sumatran rhinoceros in both areas as well as in the Ulu Malua Forest Reserve which were previously identified to have a population of these animals.

Read more!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more!

Malaysia: 1km oil spill detected in Tanjung Balau

NURUL AMANINA SUHAINI New Straits Times 18 Apr 19;

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

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

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

Read more!

Malaysia: Pahang wants federal compensation for use of water catchments

Bernama New Straits Times 17 Apr 19;

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

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

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

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 17 Apr 19

Pulau Ubin mangrove restoration featured on 'Tipping Point' on Channel NewsAsia
Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative

Read more!

NParks volunteer fined S$4,700 for organising illegal night photography session in Windsor Nature Park

LOW YOUJIN Today Online 17 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE — A nature guide abused his position as a volunteer with the National Parks Board (NParks) to lead a photography group into Windsor Nature Park after hours, despite knowing full well that he did not have the authority to do so.

For illegal entry into the Central Catchment Nature Reserve’s buffer park, instigating others to follow, and for blocking the entrance to its carpark, Lee Chin Tiong, 57, was fined a total of S$4,700.

The court heard on Tuesday (April 16) that Lee, also known as Ben Lee, had organised a night macro photography session on Feb 20, 2018, for a group of four photography enthusiasts and two of his assistants.

Lee, who is also the founder of the “self-styled” nature conservation group Nature Trekker, had planned to enter the park at around 8.30pm.

The park, located at Venus Drive, is closed to the public from 7pm to 7am, and this information is stated on signs posted at the park’s entrance and on NParks’ website.

The statutory board’s prosecutor Ron Goh said this enforced closure allows the “nocturnal rhythms of the animals within the reserve to be undisturbed by human activity”.

Read more!

New scheme to entice businesses to use Sentosa as living lab for innovative ideas

JANICE LIM The Star 16 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE — Businesses with innovative ideas about everything from biodiversity enhancement to waste management are being invited to use Sentosa as a testbed for their solutions.

To sweeten the deal, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) will even reduce or waive their rental fees on the island and help them with getting licensing and regulatory approvals.

The new initiative, Sentosa x Enterprise, aims to entice innovative businesses to use Sentosa as their live laboratory and in turn drive visitorship to the island.

Read more!