NHB launches tour of abandoned war site in Marsiling

Today Online 7 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE — With no walking tracks in sight, the dense Marsiling jungle is one area many city slickers would probably give a miss.

But amid all the thick vegetation lies an abandoned war site that was once used as a fuel depot by the British Royal Air Force, and later the Imperial Japanese Army for their aviation fleets during World War II.

To commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Battle of Singapore this year, the National Heritage Board (NHB) has launched the guided Marsiling Tunnels Tour covering the site, which has several sealed tunnels.

Those who join the tour assemble at Kranji MRT Station and are taken by bus to the jungle. They then trek a 100m to the site.

Although the site has several tunnels, tour participants will not able to explore them since they have been sealed.

The NHB said the tunnels were last seen open in 2008. It is not known who sealed the tunnels.

When asked if the board is planning to unseal the tunnels for future use, NHB Group Director for Policy Alvin Tan said: “The NHB is presently embarking on a fact-finding exercise, and will explore the possibility of opening the tunnels with the relevant agency (or) agencies, subject to an assessment of the tunnels’ structural integrity and other safety considerations.”

Based on wartime intelligence reports and declassified documents obtained from the United Kingdom’s national archives, NHB researchers found that the Marsiling site, despite its close proximity to a British naval base, was used as a fuel reserve facility for the Royal Air Force and not for the Royal Navy.

During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore in the early 1940s, the Imperial Army modified the facility and included five tanks to store fuel.

While most war structures built by the Japanese were destroyed after they surrendered in 1945, the facility at the site is still intact because of its remote and isolated location, said Mr Tan.

Apart from the Marsiling Tunnels Tour, four other tours will be available to the public between Feb 8 and 15. They include a visit to the Tiong Bahru Air Raid Shelter and a night tour at Opium Hill, where a battle between the Malay Regiment and Japanese soldiers raged. All the tours are free of charge.

For more information on the Battle of Singapore Tours and registration details, visit www.nhb.gov.sg and www.museums.com.sg.

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Chance of El Nino conditions seen after Northern Hemisphere spring: U.S. forecaster

Chris Prentice PlanetArk 7 Feb 14;

U.S. weather forecaster Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said on Thursday there was an increasing chance of the El Nino weather pattern after expecting neutral conditions through the Northern Hemisphere spring 2014.

In its monthly report, the CPC maintained its outlook that El Nino was unlikely through the spring, but noted that a change in temperatures "portend warming in the coming months."

That represented a change from the CPC's previous outlook of neutral conditions through summer 2014.

El Nino can cause flooding and heavy rains in the United States and South America and can trigger drought conditions in Southeast Asia and Australia.

(Reporting by Chris Prentice in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

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Sea wall 'eco-engineering' can help boost biodiversity

Mark Kinver BBC News 6 Feb 14;

Slight modifications to sea defences - at little or no extra cost - can boost the level of biodiversity found in intertidal zones, a study has shown.

Researchers found that attaching artificial rock pools to the structures created habitats suitable for mobile creatures, such as starfish or crabs.

They added that they hoped the results would encourage future designs to incorporate "ecological engineering".

The findings have been published in the Marine Ecology Progress Series journal.

"When we looked into the economics, more than 80% of money that is spent to protect coastlines from climatic changes is spent building new sea walls, increasing the height, stability and length of existing ones," explained co-author Mark Browne, an ecologist based at the US-based National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.

"This is because we want to protect human lives and we also want to protect the important infrastructure," he told BBC News.

"But when we looked at how those seawalls were being built, they were being built according to engineering and financial criteria, not really on their capacity to support marine life."

Dr Browne, who was based at the University of Sydney for the research, said colleague and co-author Prof Gee Chapman had spent many years examining how plants and animals found in the intertidal area of shorelines were affected by engineering.

"The overwhelming evidence she had was that there were major differences between the types of organisms that you find on seawalls compared with those on natural shorelines," he said.

"One of the major differences was the absence of mobile organisms - such as limpets, starfish and crabs."

So the researchers set up an experiment to find out why this was the case and what could be done to mitigate the impact of the structures.

Previous studies had shown that when artificial shorelines replaced the natural ones, there was usually a change of species locally as sedimentary habitat was replaced with hard materials.

"Although many native species live on the hard substratum, they are not usually the same species that live in or on soft substratum," they wrote.

They suggested that the changes to the composition of organisms living on or near the structure may be the result of the steep sides of the sea defences, limiting the intertidal area available to species.

"Alternatively, the walls may lack important intertidal habitats microhabitats," they added. "The most obvious are rock pools."

In order to test the idea whether simple additions to otherwise featureless sea walls in Sydney Harbour would make the structures more biodiversity friendly, the researchers installed a number of large, concrete flowerpots to create artificial rock pools.

They observed: "The size of the pot, its height on the wall and its location affected the assemblages that developed, with greater abundances and diversity of organisms in shallower pots and those at mid-shore levels."

Dr Browne explained: "We have shown quite clearly that you are able to improve levels of biodiversity by more than 110% and the size of the pot and the location it is situated matters.

"If we are going to be spending more than US $144bn each year to build new [flood defences] or increase the height or stability of existing ones and 80% of those funds on coastal defences, we really need to be starting to think about how we can put these types of ecological engineering approaches into practice.

"The measures can be added to the work with little or no additional cost without diminishing the integrity of the structure."

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Best of our wild blogs: 6 Feb 14

Pulau Semakau Workshop
from The Leafmonkey Workshop

Malayan Water Monitor with a collar
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Butterflies Galore! : Cruiser
from Butterflies of Singapore

German Girl Shrine (Ubin Island)
from Rojak Librarian

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Dry, hot weather could have caused fishes' death: PUB

Channel NewsAsia 5 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE: Hot, dry weather may have caused the death of some 400 fishes in the Kallang River at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park on Tuesday.

National water agency PUB said in statement on Wednesday that the recent dry spell could have led to lower levels of dissolved oxygen in the water.

The recent hot weather in Singapore is due to a dry phase of the Northeast Monsoon season, which is predicted to persist for another two more weeks.

Only two types of fish -- Tilapias and Mayan Cichlids -- were affected.

The PUB said the fishes did not die from a drop in water quality or contamination, and it is continuing with its investigations.

The clean-up of the river began on Tuesday and was completed at 3pm on Wednesday.

The PUB has urged the public to continue with water activities in the river as it is safe for use and the agency will continue to monitor the situation closely.

- CNA/rw

Hot weather may have caused fish deaths in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park
Today Online 6 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE — Hundreds of dead fish were found floating in the scenic river at the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park yesterday, with national water agency PUB attributing the mass deaths to the hot and dry weather.

Several residents in Bishan said they were surprised to see clusters of dead fish floating in the usually clean river, with some wondering whether the water had been contaminated. Others had spotted the dead fish on Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s the first time we are seeing anything like this in our river,” said Madam Karen Seah, 56.

Following reports of the sighting on Tuesday morning, the PUB said it immediately deployed contractors to clean up the section of the river between Marymount Road and Bishan Road.

After collecting water samples from the river, “laboratory results showed that the water quality is not affected and there is no contamination”, a PUB spokesperson said.

“However, due to the hot and dry weather, there are lower levels of dissolved oxygen in the water (and) that could have led to the death of the fish. The two species of fish affected are Tilapia and Mayan Cichlid. About 400 fish were affected,” the spokesperson added.

TODAY reported yesterday that the dry spell in Singapore over the past few weeks had prompted the PUB to ramp up the supply of NEWater and desalinated water to maintain water levels in the reservoirs.

When TODAY visited the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park yesterday afternoon, workers were seen cleaning up the area, picking up the dead fish near the lower end of the river, opposite Block 221 on Bishan Street 23.

While the change in oxygen levels in the water had a fatal effect on the two fish species, it did not appear to affect other marine life, with catfish and turtles spotted yesterday swimming in the river, which is part of the Kallang River.

Dr Tan Heok Hui, from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences, said this was because “oxygen demand varies for different species”.

For instance, catfish and terrapins breathe air the same way as humans do. Thus, both were not affected by the oxygen content in the water, he said.

The PUB said it released more water from Lower Peirce Reservoir into Kallang River yesterday to improve the circulation and the low dissolved oxygen levels arising from the dry weather.

With clean-up work at the river completed, the PUB spokesperson said: “It is safe for the public to continue with water activities at Kallang River @ Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. PUB will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

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Volcanic ash affecting several areas in Malaysia

The Star 6 Feb 14;

PETALING JAYA: The Department of Environment (DOE) has recorded unhealthy and moderate API readings at several locations across Malaysia following a thin layer of ash cloud blowing from a Sumatran volcano located 271km west of Pulau Pangkor.

The highest API was recorded at SK Jalan Pegoh in Ipoh, Perak at 124 while Cheras, Kuala Lumpur reached 107, breaching an unhealthy level, followed by Nilai, Negeri Sembilan at 96, 95 in Banting, Selangor, 87 in Putrajaya and 86 in Seremban, according to its website.

Other API readings recorded were 83 in Malacca city, 72 in Sri Aman, Sarawak and 71 at both Bukit Rambai, Malacca and Jalan Tasek Ipoh, Perak as at 5pm yesterday.

API reading of below 50 is regarded as good, 50-100 (moderate), 100-200 (unhealthy), 200-300 (very unhealthy), and above 300 (hazardous).

The Meteorological Department in a statement on Monday had said that volcanic ash from Mount Sinabung, which erupted over the weekend and again on Monday, could be blown towards the southern states due to a northwesterly wind.

An advisory by the department had been sent to the aviation industry as the ash could affect flights and reduce visibility.

The peak of the volcano located in north Sumatra is 2,450m above sea level. AFP reported that 15 people were killed when Sinabung erupted over the weekend, shooting hot ash and rocks into the air.

Local authorities had evacuated about 30, 000 people.

Sinabung, which had been sporadically erupting since September, is one of 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia.

The DOE also recorded moderate API readings in several states including Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Pahang, Perlis, Penang, Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

The department said that there was no significant effect on air quality due to the ash cloud from the Sumatran volcano.

“Referring to areas which appeared to be affected by haze in Klang Valley, the department said it was due to dust and particles during hot weather. We also found no open burning that could cause haze in Klang Valley,” it said in a statement.

46 hotspots were also detected nationwide by the NOAA-18 Satellite and shown on the Meteorological Service Singapore’s website as at 4pm yesterday.

Malaysia: Current haze from local sources
New Straits Times 6 Feb 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The current hazy spells are caused by local elements and has nothing to do with the eruption of Mount Sinabung in Indonesia.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department Central Forecast Office director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said the cause of the haze included open-burning, emissions from vehicles and industrial gas release.

Debris from Mount Sinabung and the forest fire in the Riau province, he said, would not adversely affect Malaysia.

"The situation will be bad only at areas close to these disaster zones.

"The mild winds from Indonesia are not strong enough to bring massive amounts of ash here.

"We do not predict the haze would worsen, as it is currently the northeast monsoon season, where wind is coming from China."

Helmi said the wind from northwest could transport only small haze particles to Malaysia and that at the most, only the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia would be affected.

The air quality in Seremban, Negri Sembilan and Cheras, Kuala Lumpur at 5pm yesterday, reached "unhealthy" levels with the Air Pollutant Index (API) recording readings of above 100.

The Department of Environment (DoE) website listed the API readings for both areas at 103 and 108 respectively.

The air quality in 23 areas was recorded at a moderate level, with API readings of between 51 and 100.

The department said the haze was caused by suspended particles in the air because of the hot and dry weather as well as human activities.

It also said the stagnant state of the atmosphere and the topography of the Klang Valley caused the suspended particles in the air to be trapped and not dispersed quickly.

Following the current air condition, DoE has enabled the Open Burning Prevention Action Plan in all states.

Hot and dry weather expected throughout M'sia until Monday
Patrick Lee The Star 6 Feb 14;

PETALING JAYA: It is going to be hot and dry in most parts of Malaysia, with scorching afternoons to be followed by cold nights.

“It’s going to be dry for most of the regions. Some showers here and there, but mostly dry and hot weather,” said National Weather Forecast Centre director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah,

Muhammad said the dry spell was caused by regional wind patterns that were not conducive for rainy weather.

These, he said, were attributed to an inactive monsoon trough; a lack of a monsoon surge from China and the non-influence of easterly winds from the Western Pacific Ocean.

He added that rain clouds appearing north of Australia might have also been responsible for drawing moisture from our region, further drying the weather here.

Muhammad said lack of clouds in the region meant that cold nights and hot afternoons were going to be common.

As an example, he said rural areas such as Kuala Krai and Chuping may experience temperatures below 20°C.

This, he said, might also hold true for northern sides of Peninsula Malaysia and the eastern and western parts of Sabah.

“There will be some fluctuations in wind pattern, but we don’t expect much different weather for the next few days,” he said, adding that widespread rain was not expected.

According to a list by the Meteorological Department, it has not rained in more than 50 areas in all states in the peninsula for five or more consecutive days as of Feb 4.

They include Padang Besar, Langkawi, Seberang Prai Utara, Petaling, Klang, Kepong, Jasin, Cameron Highlands, Muar, Besut and Kota Baru.

According to the Meteorological Department’s website, Kuala Lumpur was expected to see a constant maximum temperature of 33°C from now until Feb 10, with no rain on the horizon.

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Indonesia: Riau Haze Back Again as Dry Season Sets In

Jakarta Globe 6 Feb 14;

Jakarta. Heavy smog has been reported in the provinces of Riau, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan from suspected slash-and-burn forest clearing, reviving the specter of the diplomatic row sparked by the same problem last year.

Tri Budiarto, the deputy for disaster management at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said in Jakarta on Wednesday that those regions had for the past two weeks been experiencing a dry spell, while the rest of the country was hit by torrential rains causing widespread flooding.

“What we’re seeing in Riau, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan is local weather that’s different from the general weather across the country,” he said.

“Elsewhere it’s raining, but there it’s already dry.”

The extended spell of days with no heavy rain is believed to have encouraged residents to begin clearing land for farming, Tri said, with most setting forest fires as the easiest means of doing this.

The BNPB has recorded haze from forest fires in the Riau districts of Bengkalis and Meranti and the town of Dumai, as well as in the Central Kalimantan district of Pontianak and two other districts in Central Kalimantan.

“We’ve notified the local offices of the BNPB in all three provinces, and they’ve begun observing the spread of the fires and the haze,” Tri said.

He said the provincial disaster mitigation agencies, or BPBD, were working with other local authorities to stop the spread of the fires and to be on the alert for fires burning out of control.

Forest fires in Riau last June generated immense amounts of smoke that drifted across the Malacca Strait, shrouding Singapore and parts of Malaysia and Thailand for several days, and sending air pollution indexes there to record highs.

The conditions prompted officials from Singapore and Indonesia to trade diplomatic blows over who was responsible for the thick smog covering much of the region. Singapore criticized Jakarta for failing to curb the annual fires, while Indonesian officials alleged that the plantation companies accused of setting the fires were registered in Singapore and Malaysia.

At the time, several individuals were named suspects by the police for setting some of the fires, but no prosecutions have taken place.

In Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province, officials recorded 61 fire hot spots as of Sunday, following a week of heavy smog.

The local office of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the most hot spots, each indicating a major fire, were in Bengkalis district, which had 29, followed by Siak district, Indragiri Hilir (nine), Pelalawan (eight), and Rokan Hilir with three hot spots.

The number of hot spots is expected to increase, with the BMKG saying the rainy season had effectively ended in Riau.

Officials at Pekanbaru’s Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport said visibility was down as a result of the haze, but not to the point that flights would have to be grounded or redirected to other airports.

However, in Pontianak, the West Kalimantan capital, heavy smog prompted officials at the city’s Supadio Airport to ground seven flights on Wednesday morning because of poor visibility.

Chandra Dista Wiradi, the airport’s general manager, told Tribunnews.com that flights scheduled to take off in early the morning had to be delayed for two hours until the haze lifted somewhat.

He said 700 passengers were affected by the delay.

The local office of the BMKG has recorded 55 hot spots in neighboring Kubu Raya district.

Indonesia: Haze back in Riau as farmers slash and burn
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, The Straits Times/ANN, Jakarta Post 6 Feb 14;

An unusual dry spell in Riau over the past fortnight has seen farmers taking the opportunity to start fires to clear land, creating haze over the city of Dumai and elsewhere in the Indonesian province second-closest to Singapore.

Dumai was at the epicentre of the worst haze in the region in years last June, when air pollutant levels hit record highs in nearby Singapore and Malaysia.

On Wednesday morning, more intense haze was reported in West Kalimantan, and flights at Pontianak's Supadio airport were disrupted for several hours due to low visibility.

The new Riau fires suggest that the root cause of last year's severe transboundary haze has yet to be resolved, even as officials step up action against offenders.

Open burning is against Indonesian law but the law is widely flouted.

"Farmers used the two weeks without rain to carry out slash- and-burn," Tri Budiarto, the National Disaster Management Agency's deputy for emergency management, said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

"We are closely monitoring the situation in these areas."

So far, Singapore has been spared, but experienced slightly hazy conditions Wednesday morning, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a statement.

With the northeast monsoon prevailing, the likelihood that Singapore will be affected by the haze is low, said an NEA spokesman.

The air pollutant index in Dumai, some 270km north-west of Singapore, fell from 186 on Tuesday morning to 89 on Wednesday. A reading above 100 is deemed unhealthy.

The Bengkalis and Meranti Islands districts, south-east of Dumai, also saw haze from burning peatland. The area has many oil palm plantations.

This is usually Indonesia's rainy season, which tends to last till March.

But Riau and West and Central Kalimantan are instead seeing raging fires even as disaster workers tackle floods across Java.

The local authorities in Riau and affected areas of Kalimantan have appealed to residents to wear a mask outdoors.

Dumai residents such as Rahimi, who is in her 30s, fear a repeat of last year's severe haze, when many people suffered respiratory infections.

"We are worried this haze will spread and stay like it did last year," she said.

Riau Disaster Mitigation Agency head Said Saqlul Amri said that a recent drop in hot spots detected by satellite was likely to be momentary as the hot weather looked set to continue - a point also made by weather forecasters in Pontianak.

The Jakarta Post reported that, apart from forests and farms, seven hot spots were spotted in oil palm plantations and forest concessions.

Air quality drops, health at risk
Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post Pekanbaru 5 Feb 14;

Residents living in a number of regions in Riau province have been reminded of the dangers of inhaling haze from forest and peat fires, which has caused air quality to drop.

In Dumai city, the quality of air on Tuesday was categorized as unhealthy and sunlight was obstructed by the haze. Based on the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), the air quality touched 186 PSI in the morning.

“Air pollution exceeded the normal tolerable level, which is 100 PSI,” Dumai Health Office head Marjoko Santoso said.

On Monday, nearly 7 hectares of the Wisata Dumai forest conservation area was razed by fire.

“Residents should be more careful when engaged in outdoor activities and if they have to be outdoors, wear a mask,” said Marjoko.

“Besides respiratory issues, the haze and dust can also cause eye irritation. Residents must wear a mask and something to cover their heads, such as a helmet, when outdoors,” he added.

In Siak regency, the local health office has been distributing masks to motorists traveling on main roads so as to minimize the impacts of the haze. Office head Tony Candra urged residents, especially parents with toddlers, to cease outdoor activities.

Separately, Riau Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Said Saqlul Amri said the latest satellite images showed there were 62 hot spots in Riau stood, compared to the previous count of 93. The majority were in Meranti Islands, followed by Bengkalis and Pelalawan.

“The drop is most likely momentary, as Riau is still experiencing hot weather,” he said.

Besides hot spots detected in forests and on farms, seven hot spots were spotted in oil palm plantations owned by five major private companies. In the concession areas of Industrial Forests (HTI), 16 hot spots were seen, while four others were found in production forest concessions (HPH).

“All companies have been asked to tackle the fires in their respective concessions. According to law, firefighting and anticipation is the companies’ responsibility,” said Amri.

“All plantation and forestry companies are required to have their own firefighting teams. In the event of fire, they must be prepared to extinguish the fire,” he added.

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Best of our wild blogs: 5 Feb 14

Butterflies Galore! : Tailed Jay
from Butterflies of Singapore

Remembering the Battle of Pasir Panjang
from Otterman speak

World Pangolin Day
from sundapangolin

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Oil spillage clean-up and containment efforts continue - Update 3

MPA 4 Feb 14;

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) continues to coordinate the containment and clean-up of the oil spillage in Singapore's waters following two collisions south of Jurong Island and off Marina South on 29 and 30 January 2014 respectively.

The clean-up efforts have resulted in significant improvements to Singapore's port waters, except for minor oil patches in the vicinity of the Southern Islands, and a few patches of oil at Pulau Seringat shoreline which are being removed by response craft and personnel using oil booms and skimmers.

MPA continues to work closely with the National Environment Agency and the Sentosa Development Corporation on the landward clean-up operations.

MPA is monitoring the situation in case there are undetected patches of oil.

Members of the public who spot any oil patches in our waters or coastlines can also contact MPA's 24-hour Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325-2488/9.

Vessel traffic in the Strait of Singapore and port waters remain unaffected. Port operations are also not affected.

Investigations on both incidents are on-going.

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Water supplies ramped up as dry spell hits S’pore

Woo Sian Boon Today Online 5 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE — The dry spell in Singapore over the past few weeks has prompted national water agency PUB to ramp up the supply of NEWater and desalinated water to maintain water levels in the reservoirs.

For the past two weeks, 20 to 25 million gallons per day (mgd) of NEWater have been pumped into reservoirs to top up water levels, a PUB spokesperson said in response to TODAY’s queries.

Over the past 19 days, only 0.2mm of rainfall — which fell in Jurong on Sunday — was recorded across the island, the National Environment Agency said.

Skies were overcast yesterday afternoon, but no rain fell. Last month, only 75.4mm of rainfall and five “rain days” — defined as having a minimum rainfall of 0.2mm — were recorded at the Meteorological Services Singapore’s Changi climate station. In comparison, the long-term average rainfall for January is 242.4mm and there are, on average, 15 rain days in the month.

The NEA said the Republic is in the dry phase of the Northeast Monsoon season, which is characterised by generally windy conditions, cooler temperatures and drier weather. The phase set in earlier this year, and is expected to last till the end of this month or early next month, the NEA said.

For the next two weeks, “generally fair and occasionally windy conditions” can be expected on most days while some passing showers can be expected on a few days towards the end of next week, the NEA said. The rainfall for this month is expected to be below average, it added.

The NEA said Singapore last experienced similar dry periods between Jan 26 and Feb 10 in 2009, and between Feb 3 and 18 in 2011.

NEWater and desalinated water are two of Singapore’s four national water sources, meeting up to 30 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, of the country’s water needs. The other sources are imported water and water from local catchment areas.

During dry months, the PUB works closely with the NEA to monitor weather conditions and the implications on reservoir levels, the PUB spokesperson said.

She noted that, as with previous years, water usage increased slightly — by about 10 to 15 mgd — two weeks before Chinese New Year due to activities such as the traditional spring cleaning. After the festivities, it returns to the usual level.

Nevertheless, the spokesperson called on the community and industries to “play their part to save and conserve our precious water resource”.

Meanwhile, due to dry weather conditions in the region, fires and hot spots were detected yesterday in central Sumatra, the NEA said.

A total of 108 hot spots with “a few isolated plumes” of smoke were visible over northern and central Sumatra, it added.

Nevertheless, the NEA said that Singapore is not likely to be affected by the smoke from the fires in Sumatra due to prevailing winds blowing from the north-east. It will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary, the agency added

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Govt to release granite stockpile to mitigate supply disruption

Chitra Kumar Channel NewsAsia 4 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE: The government will release the national granite stockpile from Wednesday to main contractors who have on-going projects that require granite for concreting works.

This comes after a temporary disruption in the supply of granite from Indonesia.

The Building and Construction Authority said in a statement on Tuesday that it has briefed various industry groups about the situation.

The release of the national stockpile will tide the industry over as supply from other regional sources is ramped up.

The BCA also urged the industry to continue to diligently look for alternative sources and diversify.

- CNA/al

National granite reserve released as Indon supply disrupted
Today Online 5 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE — The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is activating the release of its national stockpile of granite, in light of the temporary disruption in the supply of granite from Indonesia.

The national stockpile for granite was last activated in 2007, when there was a short disruption. In the same year, the Government activated the national stockpile of sand after the Indonesian government issued a blanket ban on sand exports.

Last month, Indonesia imposed an export ban on a range of mineral exports globally, which has reportedly affected some construction projects here. Yesterday, the BCA said it would activate its granite stockpile from Feb 5 for main contractors who have ongoing projects that require granite for concreting works.

“The release of the national stockpile will tide the industry over, while it ramps up supply from other regional sources. The BCA urges the industry to continue to diligently look for alternative sources and diversify,” the BCA said.

The authority is also helping importers and other stakeholders in the industry to ramp up supply from other sources of granite.

Granite supply disruption expected to have little impact on S'pore construction
Kimberly Spykerman Channel NewsAsia 5 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE: The temporary disruption of granite supply from Indonesia is expected to have minimal impact on the building and construction industry in Singapore.

Industry players said that is because contractors are likely to have other regional sources of the material - such as Indochina and China - that they can count on to tide them over.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said the construction industry has been diversifying its granite sources since 2007, when there was a similar disruption to the supply.

Kenneth Loo, first vice-president of the Singapore Contractors Association, said: “BCA had encouraged suppliers to procure from a distant source as part of their policy... it's very easy for us to ramp up supply to ease the shortage."

Mr Loo is also the executive director of Straits Construction Singapore.

Early last month, the Indonesian government imposed a global ban on a range of mineral exports that include forms of granite.

Contractors in Singapore cautioned that turning to alternative sources could lead to higher shipping costs, which could push up the price of granite slightly.

But they do not expect building projects in Singapore to be impeded.

They are also optimistic that supplies of granite from Indonesia will resume soon.

The BCA said the national granite stockpile will be released to main contractors who have ongoing projects requiring granite for concreting works, to mitigate the impact of the disruption.

HDB said on Wednesday that it does not foresee the disruption having a major impact on the progress and completion of its projects.

Mr Loo said: "Even though the situation is not that bad, actually the move by BCA to release the stockpile is actually very good. I would say it's a gesture that will put the confidence level back in place. People won't panic and there won't be any disruptions."

- CNA/xq

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Singapore Botanic Gardens progresses in UNESCO World Heritage Site bid

Channel NewsAsia 4 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's first bid for a UNESCO World Heritage Site moves ahead with the submission of the official nomination dossier for Singapore Botanic Gardens.

The dossier details the gardens' historical, economic and socio-cultural importance.

It also includes a proposed site management plan, which outlines the nation's long-term commitment towards the site's protection, if it is successfully awarded World Heritage status.

The submission to UNESCO follows four months of public consultation led by the National Heritage Board (NHB) and the National Parks Board (NParks).

In a statement on Tuesday, NHB said over 200 feedback submissions were received for both the nomination document and the site management plan.

Most participants contributed memories or pledged their support for the bid.

Many fondly recalled their visits to the gardens, band performances, feeding of the swans, as well as romantic walks.

The statement said the rich heritage of Singapore Botanic Gardens will continue to be shared through various activities organised by NHB and NParks, including learning journeys for students, musical performances, and an exhibition focusing on the use of plants in the Malay culture.

In March 2014, NHB will present an exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore that traces the progress of Singapore from a colony to a garden city through the historical development of Singapore Botanic Gardens.

- CNA/gn

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