Malaysia: Book on Islam and conservation available online

New Straits Times 1 Feb 13;

PETALING JAYA: In conjunction with Prophet Muhammad's birthday 1434H, WWF-Malaysia has made available online its reference book entitled Islam, Pemuliharaan Hidupan Liar & Anda (Islam, Wildlife Conservation & You) which underpins environmental consciousness and stewardship in wildlife protection.

Launched in July 2012 by Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) chairman Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the publication is the first of its kind in the country and a joint initiative between WWF-Malaysia and Ikim.

It was produced to provide a larger representation of the Muslim community in conservation efforts and highlights the conservation of species according to the teachings of Islam.

Not for sale, the book is targeted specifically at those in Muslim leadership positions nationwide, including imams, preachers and educators to champion environmental issues. Published in Bahasa Malaysia, the book will soon be translated into English to reach a wider audience.

"We are pleased to share the 160-page reference book on our website and members of the public, regardless of religion, can access this publication and learn about wildlife conservation through the Islamic lens," said WWF-Malaysia executive director and CEO Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma.

With special focus on Malaysia's national icons -- the tiger and marine turtle, both endangered species, Sharma said: "Now more than ever, we need to connect faith and conservation, which will stir action to reverse the trend of the dwindling population of these majestic species. Compassion and care is a thread that runs through every religion and it is hoped that the publication will resonate with readers."

The book has been an effective tool in reaching out to local communities. Last October, the Ma'Daerah Community Heritage Association, a community-based organisation championing turtle conservation in Kemaman, Terengganu, organised a one-day workshop with WWF-Malaysia which was attended by local imams and religious speakers. It was used in advocating the direct link between Islamic obligation and the environment, with special emphasis on turtle conservation. WWF-Malaysia aims to conduct similar workshops at other project sites.

The book was produced after a memorandum of understanding was inked between WWF-Malaysia and Ikim in December 2011.

Read more: Book on Islam and conservation available online - Central - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/book-on-islam-and-conservation-available-online-1.210783#ixzz2JbSdLZYh

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Malaysia: Protect our water source, Cameron Highlands farmers urge Government

Isabelle Lai The Star 1 Feb 13;

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Over 100 farmers in the Kampung Raja-Sungai Ikan area have banded together to protest land clearing plans in the area which they feel could jeopardise a vital water catchment area.

Kampung Raja village head Yong Leong Meng said such an occurrence would spell disaster for over 50 farms and thousands of people who were depending on it for irrigation and household purposes.

“We request that the Government stop the land clearing and protect our water source.

“We don’t want action to be taken only after something has happened and it is too late”, he said after the farmers raised banners and placards in protest against the planned development at Taman Desa Corina.

Yong said he lodged a police report on Jan 22 at the Kampung Raja police station, accompanied by 30 other residents and met District Officer Datuk Ahmad Daud on Jan 8 and yesterday.

Kampung Raja Water Catchment Protection Association president Chong ChanKong said land clearing in such a vital area could result in disastrous water pollution.

He added that not only could soil flood into and contaminate the dam, but it could also result in water supply to farms in the vicinity being cut off.

“We need trees and plants to ensure a good water catchment area.

“We can’t have them being cleared. Even if a legal permit has been granted, the developer must take into account the community’s needs and environmental impact. This could affect the local school as well as temple,” he said.

Ahmad confirmed meeting Yong but said that there were no problems with the water catchment area yet.

“If we receive any reports of the water catchment area being damaged, we will investigate and might revoke the licence,” he said.

Cameron Highlands MP Datuk S.K. Devamany said he did not see why the development should be carried out in the area as it was close to the main road as well as river reserve.

“There is a big bridge there, the only way into Taman Desa Corina. There are a few thousand people living there and the construction will be very dangerous to the movement of vehicles,” he said.

Meanwhile, water woes still continue for farmers at the 49th mile, whose water catchment area was damaged months ago by another farmer conducting illegal clearing in the area.

Farmer V. Selvadurai said the same farmer had begun the clearing work once more, completely des­troying the remains of the water catchment area.

'Don't blame land clearing'
New Straits Times 1 Feb 13;

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The Cameron Highlands Land and District Office has set up a committee to advise some 60 vegetable farmers in Sungai Ikan, Kampung Raja, on the importance of practising proper agricultural activities.

Its district officer, Datuk Ahmad Daud, said at present, the farmers were carrying out their activities without proper control, which led to pollution of a river in the area.

"They have no control. They just dump fertiliser and pesticide wastes on the ground. When it rains, the wastes will flow into the nearby river, causing pollution," he said when met at his office yesterday.

Ahmad was commenting on claims by some farmers that land clearing activities by a farmer had caused pollution to a water-catchment pond in the area.

He said the farmers would be called in groups by the committee soon.

He also said his office was monitoring the land clearing activities.

Ahmad said the farmer concerned had not violated any of the conditions set by his office.

"The other farmers have requested the Land and District Office to issue a stop-work order on the land clearing activities.

"But this is unfair as the operator, who is conducting the land clearing, has not done anything which is against the regulations.

"However, I have given my contact number to the farmers. They can call me if the operator breaks any regulation and necessary action will be taken."

Farmers' representative Chong Nam Hong had claimed that the land clearing activities had polluted the water-catchment pond in the area and demanded the activities to be stopped.

The farmers also staged a peaceful protest near the water-catchment area yesterday to voice out their concern.

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Wave of Styrofoam from 2011 tsunami threatens Alaska environment

Yereth Rosen PlanetArk 31 Jan 13;

Alaska cleanup crews last year found some beaches covered with polystyrene foam that floated across the Pacific from the 2011 Japanese tsunami and threatens wildlife, a state official told legislators on Tuesday.

A main concern of environmentalists and officials is that the lightweight specks, which have been broken down by storms and waves, will harm small animals. They could choke or die slowly from malnutrition if pieces block their intestinal system, officials say.

So far, no dead birds have been found on the beaches, Elaine Busse Floyd, acting environmental health director for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, told lawmakers in her report. But officials are on the lookout for animals harmed by the ingested foam, she said.

Polystyrene foam accounted for 30 percent of the weight of the total debris, compared to the usual 5 percent rate before the tsunami, she said. Considering that it is so light, "it's a huge volume."

Closed-cell extruded polystyrene is often referred to as Styrofoam, a trademarked name owned by Dow Chemical Co which manufactures it for insulation and crafts, among other uses. It is not biodegradable because it resists breaking down in sunlight, so it can in theory last forever.

Scattered bits of foam are difficult to retrieve from the environment and are easily mistaken by animals for morsels of food, Floyd told a legislative committee in Juneau.

Animals are already munching on tsunami polystyrene foam, said Chris Pallister, president of the nonprofit Gulf of Alaska Keeper which conducted most of last year's beach cleanups.

"We have personally seen plenty of animals eating it, pecking at it, playing with it," Pallister said.

Cleanup crews have spotted foam bits in scat from bears and other animals, he said. "The question is, are animals metabolizing that or is it breaking down and being released into the environment?"

Pallister's group worked from May to October to clean up about 300 miles of beaches in outlying coastal areas. Other groups conducted more short-term cleanup projects.

Already, Gulf of Alaska Keeper is preparing for next summer's cleanup. "It's a pretty amazing sight when you go out to the coast and see nothing but Styrofoam as far as you can see," he said.

The material that has washed ashore in Alaska from the 2011 tsunami in Japan includes foam buoys and insulation ripped from people's homes, officials said.

Debris from the tsunami has also washed ashore in other U.S. states on the Pacific Ocean, including in Washington and Oregon where a Japanese dock turned up on the coast.

But the problem is particularly acute in Alaska because it has a longer coastline than other states, and many beaches are remote which makes cleanup difficult and expensive, Floyd said.

(Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Eric Walsh)

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Growing palm oil could speed up climate change, study says

Nina Chestney PlanetArk 31 Jan 13;

Growing palm oil trees to make biofuels could be accelerating the effects of climate change, new research showed on Wednesday, adding further weight to claims the crop is not environmentally sustainable.

In a paper published in the journal Nature, an international team of scientists examined how the deforestation of peat swamps in Malaysia to make way for palm oil trees is releasing carbon which has been locked away for thousands of years.

Microbes then penetrate the carbon and the harmful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is released, which is thought to be the biggest contributor to global warming.

Unsustainable methods of growing crop-based biofuels have come under fire as environmentalists question the emissions savings they make, the agricultural land they occupy and whether the growth of certain crops contribute to deforestation.

More than 80 percent of palm oil is grown in Indonesia and Malaysia. According to some estimates, an area the size of Greece is cleared every year for palm oil plantations.

As governments and companies look to biofuels to provide a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels in transport, the industry has expanded rapidly.

Palm oil is especially attractive because it is cheaper than rapeseed oil and soybean oil for biodiesel.

However, leaked European Union data has shown palm oil biodiesel to be more polluting than conventional gasoline when the effects of deforestation and peatlands degradation is taken into account.

In their study, the research team measured water channels in palm oil plantations in the Malaysian peninsular which were originally peatland swamp forest.

They found ancient carbon came from deep in the soil, then broke down and dissolved into nearby streams and rivers as deforestation occurred.

"We have known for some time that in South East Asia oil palm plantations were a major threat to biodiversity (..) and that the drainage could release huge amounts of carbon dioxide during the fires seen there in recent years," said Chris Freeman, one of the authors of the report and an environmental scientist at the University of Bangor in Wales.

"But this discovery of a 'hidden' new source of problems in the waters draining these peatlands is a reminder that these fragile ecosystems really are in need of conservation," he added.

There are approximately 28,000 sq km of industrial plantations in Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo and there are even more planned, making them a major contributor to peat swamp deforestation in the region, the paper said.

"Our results are yet another reminder that when we disturb intact peat swamps and convert them to industrial biofuel plantations, we risk adding to the very problem that we are trying to solve," said Freeman.

The research team included scientists from the British universities of Leicester and Bangor, the Open University, the Met Office Hadley Centre, the Natural Environment Research Council Radiocarbon Facility in Scotland, the University of Palangka Raya in Indonesia and water research institute Deltares in the Netherlands.

(Editing by James Jukwey)

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Best of our wild blogs: 31 Jan 13

A guide to plants in Singapore's Urban Forest
from wild shores of singapore

Rings a bell
from The annotated budak and Daylight robbery

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Singapore intercepts illegal shipment of raw ivory tusks

Channel NewsAsia 30 Jan 13;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has stopped a large illegal shipment of raw ivory tusks on the way from Africa.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority and Singapore Customs intercepted the shipment of about 1.8 tonnes of tusks in the second largest ivory seizure since 2002.

Acting on a tip-off, the AVA and Singapore Customs inspected the shipment that was declared as waste paper on January 23 and found 1,099 pieces of raw ivory tusks packed in 65 gunny sacks.

Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, of which Singapore is a signatory to, all African and Asian elephants are endangered species.

International trade in ivory has been banned since 1989.

-CNA/ac

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WWF-Malaysia: Long-Term Solutions Needed for Conservation of Borneo Pygmy Elephants

WWF 30 Jan 13;

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia – WWF-Malaysia is concerned about the recent pygmy elephant deaths in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve.

“WWF-Malaysia is providing support to the Sabah Wildlife Department and is part of the special taskforce that has been set up by the Department to further investigate the matter. Our patrolling teams worked closely with the Department in unearthing the incident,” said WWF-Malaysia Executive Director/CEO, Dato’ Dr Dionysius S K Sharma.

According to reports, all the deaths have happened in areas where forests are being converted for plantations within the permanent forest reserves.

“The central forest landscape in Sabah needs to be protected totally from conversions. All conversion approvals need to be reviewed by the Sabah Forestry Department and assessed not purely from commercial but the endangered species and landscape ecology perspectives”, Dr Dionysius said.

“Conversions result in fragmentation of the forests, which in turn results in loss of natural habitat for elephant herds, thus forcing them to find alternative food and space, putting humans and wildlife in direct conflict”, he added.

Holistic long-term solutions need to be put in place to address and mitigate the problem, Dr Dionysius said.

He said that elephants need to be elevated to a ‘totally protected’ status under Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment of Sabah, which has been recommended in the Sabah Wildlife Department’s Elephant Action Plan 2012-2016, but yet to be implemented.

“Frequent and large scale patrolling is critical to avoid such conflict from happening again. However, given the vast area that requires patrolling, it is a massive task for the Sabah Wildlife Department. More resources, including manpower, hardware and finances, should be allocated for the Department. The existing honorary wildlife warden programme of the Department is doing well and should be expanded,” Dr Dionysius said.

The Borneo pygmy elephants are an endangered species. There are approximately 1,200 of these evolutionarily unique elephants in Sabah and all of Borneo. Ten carcasses of the endangered elephants were found dead within the central forests of Sabah which is also a part of the Heart of Borneo.

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Dolphin slaughter affecting Solomon Islands tourism

Campbell Cooney and Sam Bolitho Radio Australia 30 Jan 13;

A Solomon Islands tourism operator has called on the government to take urgent steps to resolve a dispute that has led to the killing of dolphins.

A Solomon Islands tourism operator has called on the government to take urgent steps to resolve a dispute that has led to the slaughter of dolphins.

Earlier this month, Fanalei village on Malaita Island captured and killed 700 dolphins after falling out with US conservation group, the Earth Island Institute.

The dispute was over money the villagers say they were owed, in return for foregoing their annual hunt.

Another 300 animals have since been killed, with the villagers saying the slaughter will continue until they get their money.

Dive operator, Danny Kennedy, says the dispute is affecting tourism to the country and it is up to the government to end it.

"They should be looking to do something within the next few days, fly in somebody from the Ministry of Conservation, maybe the general manager of the tourism authority to go out there and talk to them and try to quell the slaughter."

The chairman of the village's representative association in Honiara, Atkin Fakaia, says they are not talking yet.

"They have the negative attitude towards us for the slaughters over a week ago," he said.

The institute says it has provided all the money it promised but the Honiara-based villagers are not passing it on.

The kill has led to a stand-off in Fanalei, with the chief there criticising it, and then being removed from his position for his words.

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Let's build green defences against rising sea

Waterfront cities such as Auckland need buffers to combat likely flooding, writes Matthew Bradbury.
New Zealand Herald 30 Jan 13;

When Hurricane Sandy hit New York, the city was buffeted by immense tidal surges and inundated by flood waters. It was both a reminder of the might of nature and a warning to all waterfront cities.

It illustrated that the construction of dense, heavily built up cities exacerbates the effects of storms. Roads and pavements increase the chances of flooding by preventing rain from soaking into the soil.

Heavy seawall defences can actually aggravate flooding.

An answer could be found in the building of a soft green infrastructure that imitates natural systems.

This is one of the conclusions of a draft report by the NYC2100 commission. The report makes a number of recommendations. Green roofs, pavement swales and urban wetlands that will reduce stormwater build-up. The restoration of a natural littoral by rebuilding native marshes and wetlands to help mitigate storm surges.

If this sounds far-fetched we should look at the new waterfronts being constructed in China.

With so many Chinese cities either on the coast or along rivers, the environmental issues of flooding, stormwater control and pollution have concerned the Chinese authorities for a number of years.

However, Chinese designers have also seen these environmental problems as an opportunity to create sorely needed public space.

Houtan Park, designed by Turenscape and built for the Shanghai Expo in 2010, is a great example. The 17ha park is located along the heavily polluted Huangpu River.

The park features a 1.7km-long wetland (roughly the distance from the Wynyard Quarter to the Bledisloe container terminal in Auckland). The wetland acts as a soft waterfront flood barrier replacing the stark concrete levee and is also a green retreat from the hectic city life of Shanghai. In addition it treats the heavily contaminated water from the Huangpu River through a series of ponds and reed beds, improving the quality of the water before returning it to the river. The Auckland CBD is a highly urbanised district with large areas of impervious surfaces. During storms there are large discharges of stormwater into the harbour. A rise in sea level through climate change with increased storm events can be expected to lead to widespread urban flooding.

To prevent this we should consider a waterfront that is radically different to the promenade of bars and restaurants of the Viaduct.

It will be more like a park, a watery littoral with native wetlands and coastal planting. Paths and boardwalks would weave in and out of an ever-changing landscape as the tide rises and falls, the growth of native flora would encourage the return of native fauna, the waterfront could become a valuable ecological link between the Waitakeres and the archipelago.

A good example of how this new waterfront might look is a proposed park for the Wynyard Quarter designed by Bryce Hinton. He suggests turning the end of the Wynyard quarter into a park with reserves, public spaces and fields. The edge would be protected with buffer zones of mangroves. The green infrastructure would also treat the millions of litres of contaminated stormwater from the Freemans Bay catchment. The result would be a new kind of public park for Auckland.

The implications of Hurricane Sandy are profound. This is an opportunity for Auckland to develop the techniques needed to ameliorate the effects of climate change.

The green waterfront could become New Zealand's calling card to the world.


Matthew Bradbury is senior lecturer in the department of landscape architecture at Unitec, Auckland.

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Best of our wild blogs: 30 Jan 13

2 Feb (Sat): World Wetlands Day - Wetlands take care of water
from Celebrating Singapore's BioDiversity!

Asian Openbill migrating south
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Checking out marine life of Chek Jawa with TeamSeagrass
from Peiyan.Photography

Giant octopus on a busy Changi shore
from Peiyan.Photography

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Population projected at 6.9 million by 2030 with strong Singaporean core

Imelda Saad, Tan Qiuyi Channel NewsAsia 29 Jan 13;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's population could hit 6.9 million in 2030 - up from the current 5.3 million - if strategies outlined in the White Paper on Population to mitigate the country's ageing and shrinking population are met.

The population projection also takes into account a lower GDP growth rate beyond 2020.

The White Paper on Population, released on Tuesday, is the first comprehensive report to outline the country's strategy to ensure a sustainable population.

The numbers are grim -- by 2025, Singapore's citizen population size will start to decline.

Between now and 2030, over 900,000 baby boomers will retire from the workforce -- that is more than a quarter of Singapore citizens.

At the same time, Singapore's fertility rate has been falling. For the past 30 years, the total fertility rate (TFR) has been below the replacement level of 2.1.

Last year, the TFR was about 1.3, according to preliminary figures.

By 2030, more people will exit than enter the workforce. By 2050, there will be more people above the age of 50 than younger Singaporeans.

It is an outlook that has prompted the government to say it needs to act now, before it is too late.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said: "This White Paper is the first time the government has set out a comprehensive population roadmap to strike the best balance in our population policies."

At the heart of the White Paper's strategy lies 3 principles -- maintain a strong Singaporean core, create good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans, and have a high quality living environment.

Strategies to maintain the Singaporean core by encouraging marriage and procreation were released a week ago. But it will be a challenge for Singaporeans to replace themselves.

The proposal is to take in 30,000 new permanent residents (PRs) every year, which will keep the PR population stable at 0.5 to 0.6 million. From this pool, take in 15,000 to 25,000 new citizens each year to stop the citizen population from shrinking.

At this rate, by 2030, Singapore's resident population, made up of citizens and PRs will hit about 4.4 million.

Non-residents, making up mostly of transient workers, will hit 2.5 million -- up by about a million from the number today.

This will bring the total population numbers to between 6.5 and 6.9 million, by 2030.

Mr Teo said: "Going forward, we want to make sure that the roadmap that we have is an appropriate one, and if we focus on those key issues, making sure that we have enough young Singaporeans, a population structure that can provide for our seniors.

"Second, that we have an economic structure that will provide for good jobs that an increasingly better educated Singaporean population wants. And we can provide a high quality living environment.

"I think if we can do these three, then we look at the population number and the population we need to achieve these three objectives and that's the way we looked at it.

"So the growth rate of both the workforce and the population will be half to a third of what it has been in the last three decades, and we have to strike a fine balance because if we don't grow at all, or shrink, then we'll face all the problems of an ageing population, the lack of dynamism in the economy which some of you are concerned about.

"But if we grow too quickly, then we may go beyond the constraints we have. So we've been trying to find the appropriate balance."

The population projections are based on certain assumptions -- that the stretched productivity target of between 2 and 3 per cent for this decade is further moderated to between 1 and 2 per cent between 2020 and 2030; and a workforce growth rate that dips from the 3.3 per cent growth over the last three decades, to just 1 per cent between 2020 and 2030.

At those numbers, the country's GDP growth beyond 2020 will likely fall to between 2 and 3 per cent a year, from the current 3 to 5 per cent projection for this decade.

But the country's leaders stress that lower growth does not necessarily mean lower quality growth.

Mr Teo said the aim is for high quality productivity-driven growth that will create an economy that will provide better jobs for Singaporeans.

While the government is playing catch up now to ramp up infrastructure to support the current population, moving forward, the government said it will build ahead.

It also addressed concerns that Singapore may one day become congested like Hong Kong.

Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said: "Hong Kong in terms of density is much higher, and we must never try to reach that area -- whether in terms of household size, or in terms of crowdedness, or in terms of lacking in greenery and of course the other aspects of population, etc.

"I think we are far away from that and I think we have to keep it that way. I think whatever we do we are quite clear, keep quality of living high.

"In fact, good urban planning to achieve high quality of living is a top priority for the government because this is a key to our survival." Mr Khaw added that Singapore is unlike other cities which have hinterlands.

Long-term planning beyond 2020 includes setting aside land to build 700,000 more homes and doubling the rail network.

The White Paper on Population is the result of almost a year-long public consultation where the government received close to 2,500 responses.

The issues will be debated in Parliament in February.

- CNA/ck/sf/al

Infrastructure development to keep pace with population growth
Sharon See Channel NewsAsia 29 Jan 13;

SINGAPORE: The government is planning to build 700,000 new homes by 2030.

That is one of the long-term plans to support the projected increase in population which is expected to hit 6.9 million in about 20 years.

Some Singaporeans have observed that population growth in Singapore has outpaced infrastructure development in the last five years.

The government is now planning and investing in advance to accommodate a larger population.

Beyond just relieving strains on public transport and housing today are long-term plans to ramp up infrastructure developments to support a population of up to six million in 2020 and then a population of up to 6.9 million in 2030.

There are already plans to add 800 buses over five years, and by 2030, to double of the rail network to 360 kilometres.

This means the addition of three new MRT lines and an extension of two existing lines over the next nine years.

Come 2030, there will be another two new lines and three extensions, allowing eight in 10 homes to be within a 10-minute walk from a train station.

To further alleviate the strain on public transport, more jobs will be located near residential areas, reducing the need to commute.

The White Paper has named Woodlands, Serangoon and Punggol as possible growth areas to create more space for businesses. It also said the Jurong Lake District, Paya Lebar Central and One-North will be expected to mature by then.

More healthcare facilities are also in the pipeline with three general hospitals, five community hospitals and two medical centres set to open between 2014 and 2020.

On the way too are 200,000 new homes which will be ready by 2016.

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said even more land has been set aside to build another 500,000 homes until 2030.

Mr Khaw is confident his ministry will be able to resolve the housing shortage and assured Singaporeans that there will be enough homes.

For first timers who had difficulty applying for a new flat, Mr Khaw said this problem has been largely resolved.

Mr Khaw explained: "There is some mismatch because of our balloting system. If you look at the figure, (there are about 15,000) new family formations every year but I'm building 25,000 new units a year and we have been doing so. This is into the third year now."

Possible sites for these new homes include new towns in Bidadari, Tampines North and Tengah but some will also be built in mature estates, allowing children to stay close to their parents.

"Wherever there are possible sites for development, we have to do so. And that's why sometimes it is a bit painful for us to have to remove some trees which I know many people are upset about. We are equally upset because I love trees… but sometimes it can't be helped because of larger objectives, larger benefits," he said.

Mr Khaw added that good urban planning to achieve a high quality of living is a top priority for the government.

There will be more green spaces and parks, and by 2030, at least 85 per cent of Singapore's households will live within 400 metres of a park.

The National Development Ministry is expected to release more details on land use plans this week.

- CNA/fa

Steps needed to convince S’poreans about population increase
Ashley Chia and Neo Chai Chin Today Online 30 Jan 13;

SINGAPORE — Judging from the immediate reaction to the Population White Paper soon after its release, the Government looks to have its work cut out to convince some Singaporeans that the nation can cope with 6.5 to 6.9 million people on the island.

Members of Parliament (MPs) TODAY spoke to acknowledged that steps have to be taken— including making sure the policies set in motion bear fruit — before Singaporeans can accept the increase in population.

Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah said: “It is not easy to convince (Singaporeans) because people will think that ‘every day I go to work, (it) is already so crowded’.”

She added: “No point talking to them about all these theories ... If you don’t help them to see, resolve the current problem, they won’t be convinced. My suggestion is that you have to resolve the current problem first.”

Some netizens felt the numbers were “frightening”, others noted that infrastructure today has yet to catch up with demand. An overseas Singaporean even wrote that he would stay away and not return to the Republic. Amid the chorus of doubters were some netizens who viewed the White Paper more positively, with one pointing out the need for a sufficient base of working-age people to support the growing ageing population.

Social and policy researchers suggested specifying the types of skills needed from foreigners and beefing up Singaporeans’ sense of security to get the public behind the new population projections.

Policymakers could spell out the areas or sectors where immigrants were needed, as is the practice in some other countries, said Institute of Policy Studies Senior Research Fellow Leong Chan-Hoong. “They may say, if you are an expert in biomedical science or if you are an expert in IT, the chances of getting a long-term residential visa or permanent residency will be much higher than someone else (without such skill sets).

“That kind of transparency and information will be more reassuring and helpful,” said Dr Leong, who added that resentment is generally of the policy towards foreigners, and not the foreigners themselves.

Sociologist Tan Ern Ser said the social and psychological barriers would be harder to overcome than physical barriers when it comes to a higher population density. The “fundamental solution” lies in strengthening Singaporeans’ sense of security, which can lead to more generosity of spirit towards new immigrants and foreigners in our midst, he said.

On some Singaporeans’ resistance to more new immigrants, Ms Lee noted: “If Singaporeans can give birth to more children then, of course, we don’t have to bring in foreigners — that will be the most ideal.”

But she noted that with the dismal birth rates, it would be ambitious to think that they could be raised to such a level that Singapore will need fewer new immigrants in the future.

Now that the White Paper — nearly a year in the making — is out, Chua Chu Kang MP Zaqy Mohamad reckons it is time for more engagement: For Singaporeans to seek reassurance and ask questions, and for the Government to communicate its planning considerations. This way, a consensus can be forged and citizens can be assured that they would not be disadvantaged.

He said: “It has to be a process which the Government has to undertake in terms of helping (Singaporeans) understand the considerations ... Perhaps through the various dialogue platforms … we try to get some consensus.”

Singapore population to be half-foreign by 2030: govt
(AFP) Google News 30 Jan 13;

SINGAPORE — Foreigners could make up nearly half of Singapore's population by 2030, the government said Tuesday as it unveiled its politically sensitive projection for a city of up to seven million boosted by young immigrants.

In a white (policy) paper on population, the government said Singaporeans' flagging birth rates -- which have been below replacement levels for more than three decades -- necessitated immigration into the prosperous Southeast Asian nation.

The paper, released by the National Population and Talent Division, said the total population could range between 6.5 and 6.9 million by 2030.

Foreigners would make up nearly half the population by then, with the proportion of Singaporean citizens projected to fall to 55 percent, from 62 percent as of June 2012 when the population was 5.31 million.

The projection sparked furious online reactions from citizens, with some saying it was time to emigrate.

"This white paper from the government is a betrayal to local born Singaporean(s)," posted Mc Lee on the website of the Straits Times.

"It's hard to call a place home when you got no space & getting out & about is a constant death match," stated keenlen on Twitter.

"I guess migration plans for Singaporeans should begin soon. Singapore is slowly losing its nationality," Shane Goh tweeted.

Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.20 children per woman last year is far below the 2.1 needed to sustain the native population, and has been so for more than three decades.

"We do not expect our TFR to improve to the replacement rate of 2.1 in the short term," the paper said.

"Taking in younger immigrants will help us top up the smaller cohorts of younger Singaporeans, and balance the ageing of our citizen population," it added.

"To stop our citizen population from shrinking, we will take in between 15,000 and 25,000 new citizens each year," it stated, adding that the immigration rate would be reviewed "from time to time".

Immigration has been a politically sensitive issue for the government, which has in recent years widened the door for foreigners to sustain the economy.

But their numbers were reduced following a social backlash, with foreigners blamed for problems including overcrowding, straining public services and driving up housing costs.

The study said the government would take steps such as expanding transport networks and building more public housing to support the increase in population.

Singapore this month also announced increased cash bonuses for parents of newborn babies and introduced paternity leave as part of a package of measures to boost the local population.

Related links
The Population White Paper can be read online at http://www.population.sg/

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Dengue infections at five-year high

Experts fear major outbreak as signs show change of dominant virus type
Salma Khalik Straits Times 30 Jan 13;

THERE is still no sign of an end to the dengue epidemic, with last week's figure of 267 people down with the disease the highest weekly tally in more than five years.

And 85 people have already been infected in the first three days of this week, in a continuation of a steadily growing trend since mid-December.

Dr Mukund Doshi, a private specialist in internal medicine, said he has warded more than 30 patients in Parkway East Hospital this month alone.

He has between seven and 10 patients in the hospital at any one time, compared to a norm of three to four. The hospital is near the biggest cluster of cases today - in the Telok Kurau area - where 81 residents have fallen ill.

The internist, who has been practising for more than three decades, said the illness also appears to be more severe.

"Patients' blood platelet counts drop faster than usual, there is more vomiting and diarrhoea and many have high fever," he noted.

Platelets help blood to clot. A normal person has 145,000 to 450,000 platelets per microlitre of blood. Dr Doshi said he has seen patients this month with counts of as low as 10,000.

But he has not seen any serious haemorrhaging cases this month, only some bleeding in the gums or nose, he added.

According to the Ministry of Health, six cases of the more serious dengue haemorrhagic fever had occurred this year.

The disease in the Telok Kurau cluster is caused primarily by the Den-1 virus.

One fear experts have is a change in the dominant virus type causing infections.

There are four dengue viruses, with Den-2 dominant in the past six years. A change in the dominant strain usually heralds a major outbreak.

Den-1 caused 10 per cent of the infections in 2011. The figure went up to 19 per cent last year, and 27 per cent in the first three weeks of this year.

A spokesman for the National Environment Agency (NEA) said about two-thirds of the mosquito-breeding sites found in the Telok Kurau area were in homes.

Mosquito breeding was also detected at several construction sites. She said the contractors at seven sites had been handed fines of between $2,000 and $5,000 while the contractors at two other sites will be taken to court for repeated offences.

The NEA no longer fogs to kill mosquitoes "as it is neither sustainable nor effective", the spokesman said. Instead, it finds and destroys mosquito-breeding areas.

NEA steps up efforts against mosquito breeding during festive period
Channel NewsAsia 30 Jan 13;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) is stepping up efforts against mosquito breeding during the Lunar New Year period.

It is concerned that there will be a surge in the number of breeding places for the Aedes mosquitoes, which carries the dengue virus.

Based on the pattern between 2007 and 2012, the breeding of the Aedes mosquitoes found in ornamental containers per week in January and February is 2.5 times higher than that of other months.

On average, there are 37 breedings out of 10,000 inspections. For the remaining months, the average is about 10 in 10,000 inspections.

With many families using floral decorations such as Lucky Bamboo, Cherry Blossoms and Pussy Willow, NEA has urged residents to ensure that their vases and plant bowls do not become mosquito breeding grounds.

NEA is also stepping up efforts against littering during the festive period, when residents spring clean their homes. Residents should not clutter the neighbourhood with junk.

Those who want to throw away bulky items should get the town councils to dispose of them.

NEA officers will also be out to nab litterbugs, especially in areas where there are large crowds. These include events such as River Hongbao, CNY Tradefair @ Chinatown and Chingay Parade.

-CNA/ac

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