Indonesia: Low visibility due to haze disrupts flights in Pekanbaru

The Jakarta Post 11 Feb 14;

Haze caused by forest fires and fog blanketing Riau province disrupted flights to and from the Sutan Syarif Kasim II airport in Pekanbaru on Tuesday.

"Garuda and Lion Air, whose flights were scheduled to arrive at 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. from Jakarta, were delayed until 10 p.m.," airport duty manager Baiquni said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He further said that an Air Asia aircraft from Bandung, West Java, had also been delayed for two hours,

A number flights from the airport were also delayed since morning.

This was the worst haze in recent weeks in Riau, with visibility in some places reaching only 500 meters Baiquni said.

He said that the Pekanbaru Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) disclosed that the haze was the result of smoke from forest fires and thick morning fog. (idb)

Air pollution in Riau city soars to hazardous levels
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, The Straits Times Jakarta Post 12 Feb 14;

Air pollution in Dumai, the epicentre of last year's extreme haze, soared to very hazardous levels on Tuesday morning, as the dry season - and open burning - started much earlier this year.

The Air Pollutant Index in Dumai, Riau province, surged on Tuesday to 449, close to levels seen at the peak of the haze last June, when Indonesia was forced to dump water from airplanes to douse forest fires.

Dumai, some 270km northwest of Singapore, was at the centre of the worst haze in years last year as farmers slashed and burned to clear land, causing air pollution to hit record highs in nearby Singapore and Malaysia.

On Tuesday, the number of hot spots in Sumatra more than doubled to over 450, from about 190 a day earlier, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite.

For now, winds are blowing away from Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, said Agus Wibowo, head of the data department at Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB). He said there were no reports of the two neighbouring countries being affected by haze so far.

In Siak district, south-east of Dumai, 210 schools were closed and students sent home on Tuesday. Schools are expected to remain closed at least until Wednesday, after fire raged in a sago plantation owned by PT Nasional Sago Prima in a neighbouring district of Meranti Islands.

Flights in Pekanbaru, Riau and Palembang, South Sumatra, were delayed this week due to low visibility.

Farmers and plantation companies in Sumatra and Kalimantan, faced with unusually dry weather over the past few weeks, have been burning to clear land, the cheapest way to do so.

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

Provincial heads of the disaster mitigation agency from eight haze-affected provinces, including Riau, North Sumatra and West Kalimantan, called on the government on Tuesday to begin water bombing.

"Most of the fires were caused by deliberate burning by residents, not fire accidents," said BNPB head Syamsul Maarif in an interview, citing reports from the disaster agency's provincial heads. "Many of the fires were near the main roads, access roads, indicating the starting of the fires was deliberate."

The BNPB will help with water bombing and cloud seeding operations by deploying air force aircraft and hired helicopters, said Syamsul.

The agency is gearing up for an especially hot and dry season starting from April, he added.

"Learning from last year's experience, we don't want to be late this time round," he told The Straits Times.

Syamsul said the agency will rent Russian Kamov helicopters with belly tanks that can carry 8,000 litres of water, compared with the 500 litres helicopters in Indonesia can carry. The agency also plans to rent helicopters from Australia, he added.

Meanwhile in Malaysia, Johor's fire department told The Star newspaper that it recorded 1,226 cases of open burning in the southern state between January 1 and February 8, including bushfires, forest fires, fires in plantations and burning of garbage.

That compared with only 1,856 open-burning cases for the whole of last year.

Penang, too, has seen bushfires in the past few weeks due to the dry weather.

In Australia, climate models indicate an increased chance of an El Nino weather pattern emerging later this year, the country's weather bureau said on Tuesday.

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

Indonesia detects 297 hot spots
New Straits Times 12 Feb 14;

PEKAN BARU (Riau): The Terra and Aqua Satellite detected 297 hot spots of forest fires on Sumatra yesterday morning, a significant increase from 62 hot spots detected on the previous day, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.

Of the number, 140 hot spots were in North Sumatra, 81 in Riau province, 67 in Aceh Darussalam, three respectively in Riau Islands and West Sumatra, Bibin Sulianto, an analyst from the Pekanbaru meteorological, climatology and geophysics agency (BMKG), stated here yesterday.

Sulianto said that the hot spots did not have anything to do with the eruption of Mount Sinabung.

On Feb 1, the satellite had detected 93 hot spots, or areas of intense heat indicative of forest fires in the Riau province.

"The largest number of forest fires has been detected in Bengkalis," said Ardhitama of the Pekanbaru Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

In the Bengkalis district, 52 hot spots were detected in the plantation, forest and farming areas, he elaborated.

The Pelalawan district had 18 hot spots, while Siak had 16. Indragiri Hilir had four hot spots; Duma had three, and Rokan Hilir had one hot spot while a number of cities in Riau were covered by haze. Bernama

Malaysia: More Sumatra hotspots detected
The Star 12 Feb 14;

PEKANBARU, Riau: The Terra and Aqua Satellite detected 297 hotspots of forest fires on Sumatra Island on Tuesday morning, a significant increase from 62 the previous day.

Indonesia's ANTARA reported that of the total 297 hotspots, 140 were in North Sumatra, 81 in Riau province, 67 in Aceh Darussalam, three respectively in Riau Islands and West Sumatra, said Bibin Sulianto, an analyst from the Pekanbaru meteorological, climatology and geophysics agency (BMKG).

Sulianto noted that he did not know where the hotspots came from but he was sure that they did not have anything to do with the eruption of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra.

The satellite is more accurate in detecting geothermal than the NOAA-18 satellite, which used to be the reference for the Pekanbaru BMKG.

On Feb 1, the satellite detected 93 hotspots, or areas of intense heat indicative of forest fires in the Riau province.

"The largest number of forest fires has been detected in Bengkalis," Ardhitama of the Pekanbaru Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency pointed out recently.

In the Bengkalis district, 52 hotspots were detected in the plantation, forest and farming areas, he elaborated.

The Pelalawan district had 18 hotspots, while Siak had 16. Indragiri Hilir had four hotspots; Duma had three, while Rokan Hilir had one hotspot.

A number of cities in Riau were covered by haze caused by the fiery hotspots.

Indonesia is hit by forest fires almost every year. Some of the fires have been set deliberately by irresponsible plantation companies hoping to clear the land for plantations or farming activities. This is against the existing laws in Indonesia.

Haze arising from land-clearing fires often degrades the air quality, triggers health problems for some people and reduces visibility in affected areas, in particular, parts of Sumatra and the Kalimantan Islands.

Last year, the Indonesian government declared a state of emergency in the Riau province on June 21, after heavy smog blanketed parts of Sumatra Island, Singapore and Malaysia. - Bernama

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Malaysia: 100 fishermen urge Perak MB to halt project that is destroying replanted mangroves

Jaspal Singh New Straits Times 12 Feb 14;

SHOCKER: Construction of farm is destroying mangrove forest, they say

BAGAN SERAI: MORE than 100 fishermen are asking Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir to stop a freshwater prawn project from proceeding in Kampung Teluk Rubiah.

The calls to halt the project by a private company which had been in full swing since early this month, was raised following the clearing of a mangrove forest at a site where saplings had been planted by companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), federal and state agencies.

Sahabat Hutan Bakau Kuala Gula chairman and local fishing community spokesman Zakaria Mohamad, 48, said the locals were shocked when they learnt that the 100-hectare site of mangrove replanting area had been "invaded" and cleared for a freshwater prawn aquaculture project by a company from Penang.

"We have collected photographic evidence of bulldozers being used to clear the site which we then handed over to the Kerian Land and District Office.

"We were informed that the project was legal and that most of the land in Kampung Teluk Rubiah had been acquired for the project."

In the past six to seven years, the fishermen with the assistance of government departments, the corporate sector, NGOs and university students, had planted 200,000 saplings.

Zakaria said he considered the efforts by the federal and state authorities which had spent more than RM500,000 to conserve the mangrove forest at Kampung Teluk Rubiah for eco-tourism purpose, as a waste.

"Part of the site of the aquaculture project is a feeding ground for migratory birds that fly between the northern and southern hemispheres during the winter season.

"If big projects are allowed in mangrove forest areas around Kuala Gula, we will see the number of migratory birds dwindling.

"Sahabat Hutan Bakau Kuala Gula urges the MB to intervene in this matter."

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) field officer Meor Razak said although the company was given the land to carry out its prawn project, the company should respect the mangrove conservation initiative.

Both NGOs implored Zambry to intercede in the matter while SAM urged the state government to review the approval given for the project.

Meor said the project could also affect the primary source of livelihood for the fishing community of Kuala Gula.

40,000ha of mangrove forest in Kerian district threatened by land clearing
Ivan Loh and Elween Loke The Star 13 Feb 14;

PARIT BUNTAR: One of Malaysia’s biggest mangrove ecosystems is under threat as land clearing activities have begun at a patch near Kampung Kuala Gula.

At over 40,000ha, the Matang mangrove forest in Perak’s Kerian district is the largest mangrove ecosystem in the peninsula, but it was subject to a series of land clearing activities last week.

Friends of Mangroves (FoM) chairman Zakaria Mohamed said about 6ha of mangroves had been cleared to pave way for the construction of a shrimp farm located about 30km from here.

The area is near the popular Kuala Gula bird sanctuary, where an estimated 200,000 birds stop over during the migration season between August and April every year.

“What upsets us the most is seeing our efforts in rehabilitating the mangrove swamps go down the drain,” Zakaria said.

Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, a heightened sense of awareness about the importance of mangroves has been ingrained in the locals, especially in the Kerian area, which was one of the coastal areas in Perak to be hit.

Villagers from Kampung Kuala Gula are concerned that the removal of the plot of mangroves from a swamp by the name of Teluk Rubiah here will lead to even more land clearing.

“We have planted countless mangrove trees in the last seven years with the support of government agencies and other NGOs. But now, we do not know how much longer we can keep up with our endeavours,” said Zakaria.

The 500ha Teluk Rubiah mangroves – not to be confused with a bay with the same name near Sitiawan, also in Perak – are 6km away from the village.

Besides migratory bird watching, the Kuala Gula area is well known for ecotourism, including village homestays, boat rides to observe mangroves, fireflies, cage culture farms, traditional fishermen at work, cockle culture and shrimp paste processing factories.

Zakaria said ecotourism here would probably suffer a setback as a result of reduced mangrove forest cover, as migratory birds would seek other places for shelter.

Malaysian Nature Society conservation head Balu Perumal said the locals were upset and at the same time anxious about the land clearing activities, with FoM having reported the matter to the district office.

“The Forestry Department and the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry have also been notified about the matter,” said Balu, adding that locals had helped to plant about 200,000 mangrove trees there.

“If there is any other swamp land in Teluk Rubiah that has fallen into private hands, we hope the authorities can reacquire it and convert it into a community park,” he said.

A spokesman for a shrimp farm confirmed that the land was privately owned but declined to elaborate further, while the Kerian Land and District Office could not be reached for comment.

Malaysia: We should protect our mangroves
Audrey Dermawan New Straits Times 17 Feb 14;

COASTLINE PROTECTION:These 'living sea walls' are more effective than concrete structures during a tsunami, say researchers

SHOULD development projects that benefit only a select few, be carried out at the expense of nature? This question is probably running through the heads of many Perak folk after the New Straits Times reported that a 100-ha mangrove replanting site in Kampung Teluk Rubiah, Kuala Gula had been cleared for a freshwater prawn aquaculture project.

The saplings were planted by companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), federal and state agencies over the past six to seven years.

It was learnt that a company from Penang had begun clearing the area since the start of this month, and that most of the land in Kampung Teluk Rubiah had been acquired for the project. It must be stressed that the project is legal.

The fishing community has urged Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir to halt the project.

Zambry has pledged to look into the matter and told newsmen after last week's state executive council meeting that he had asked the relevant agencies to submit a report to him.

Sahabat Hutan Bakau Kuala Gula chairman and fishing community spokesman Zakaria Mohamad said the efforts by the federal and state authorities, which had spent more than RM500,000 to conserve the mangrove forest for eco-tourism purposes, would be a waste if the land was cleared.

The concern here is whether it is right to clear the mangrove forest to make way for such a project. I am certain the fishing community and others share similar concerns. The fishermen's fear that the project would affect their source of livelihood is understandable.

As Meor Razak of Sahabat Alam Malaysia puts it: "Although the company was given the land to carry out its prawn project, the company should respect the mangrove conservation efforts."

Have the people forgotten how important mangrove forests are to us?

After the 2004 tsunami, there has been a heightened sense of awareness on the importance of mangroves, especially in the Kerian area, one of the coastal areas in the state to be hit.

Several studies found that mangrove forests have a protective role in the event of a tsunami. In one of the studies, researchers described mangroves as live sea walls that were more effective than concrete structures.

In India, mangrove forests are worshipped. The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources has allocated substantial funds to replant much of the affected coastal zones with mangroves following typhoon Haiyan.

Isn't it strange for us to be clearing the mangrove forests for development when countries around the world are replanting them?

The country's lawmakers should be cautious when approving projects in future, especially if it concerns the environment.

If possible, feedback from people living around the project site should be taken into consideration. In this case, the fishing community or even environmentalists should have been consulted first.

It is pointless to cry over spilt milk when damage has been done. More importantly, areas like these should be gazetted to protect them from development.

The people of Perak should be proud that the Matang mangrove forest, at more than 40,000ha, is recognised as the best managed sustainable mangrove ecosystem in the world.

Everyone has a role to play to ensure it remains this way for a long time. It is our responsibility to ensure we can pass this treasure to the next generation.

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WWF, Traffic urge Malaysia to increase anti-wildlife smuggling efforts

The Star 11 Feb 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The World Wide Fund for Nature - Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) and The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (Traffic) have urged the Malaysian Government to act forcefully in combating poaching and wildlife trade in Malaysia.

In a statement issued here Tuesday, both organisations said they made the call in view of Malaysia's participation in the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London on Feb 12 and 13.

Conference participants include source, transit, and destination countries for illegal wildlife goods, and countries with available resources to tackle trafficking.

"The two-day conference is an opportunity for governments to commit to finally ending illegal trade in elephants, rhinos, tigers and wildlife.

"Any measures agreed in London must be backed at home by delivering actions equal to the challenge," said WWF-Malaysia's executive director/CEO, Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma.

Traffic's Southeast Asia regional director Dr Chris R Shepherd said Malaysia had already lost much of its wildlife to poachers.

"We call on the Government to make the fight against wildlife poachers and traffickers a priority in the national agenda," he said.

Both organisations urged the Malaysian government to sign the Conference Declaration and prioritise seven key areas including cracking down on illegal wildlife trade networks operating in the country.

The organisations also urged the Malaysian government to set up a National Tiger Task Force to oversee the implementation of the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan, as well as anti-poaching efforts to protect tigers and other wildlife.

"Poaching for trade is clearly the most chronic threat to Malaysia's wildlife. Local and foreign poaching syndicates are emptying the forests of tigers, their prey, and other wildlife.

"Most of these poachers are armed and they enter the forests without any fear of getting caught," said Dr Sharma. - Bernama

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Malaysia: Kuala Selangor Nature Park aiming for Ramsar recognition

Zora The Star 12 Feb 14;

KUALA SELANGOR: The popular Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) has been proposed as the country’s eighth Ramsar site.

The park is a wetlands comprising about 600ha of riverine mangrove forest, lake and secondary forest.

The target is to make the wetlands a site of global importance within two years.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) president Dr Prof Maketab Mohamed, who disclosed this, said the project was important to better protect the site from environmental degradation.

The Ramsar Convention is an inter-governmental treaty that embodies the commitment of member countries to maintain the ecological character and plan sustainable use of all wetlands.

Currently, there are 2,177 Ramsar sites in the world including six in Malaysia.

The seventh, the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, is in the process of being certified as a Ramsar Site.

“We have been wanting to have KSNP recognised as a Ramsar site for many years and we have good cooperation from all Federal and state agencies and the Kuala Selangor District Council to make it a reality.

“There are nine Ramsar criteria and we fulfilled five of them,’’ he added.

MNS conceptualised and proposed the KSNP in 1987. It is the first nature park to be managed by an NGO.

KSNP, which is part of the north-central Selangor coast, is also an Important Bird Area of Birdlife International.

Prof Maketab said another plan was to get the coastal area of Selangor, stretching over 100km, to be internationally recognised as an important flyway for migratory birds.

The extensive mudflats and coastal mangroves attract tens of thousands of migratory waterbirds annually from the northern hemisphere to feed and rest between September and March.

Some globally threatened species such as the spoon-billed sandpiper and Nordmann’s Greenshank have been sighted at KSNP.

District Council chairman Noraini Roslan said the locals already knew of the importance of wetlands and migratory birds and welcomed the move to have it recognised as a Ramsar site.

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Study shows urbanisation's impact on biodiversity

Mark Kinver BBC News 11 Feb 14;

A dataset, described as the largest of it kind to date, has assessed the impact of urbanisation on biodiversity levels around the globe.

It found that cities supported far fewer species of birds and plants compared with similar areas of undeveloped land.

However, it showed the vast majority of flora and fauna in a city reflected an area's "unique biotic heritage".

The findings appear in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

"While we show that urbanisation has caused cities to lose large numbers of plants and animals, the good news is that cities still retain endemic native species, which opens the door for new policies on regional and global biodiversity conservation," explained co-author Myla Aronson, a research scientist from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, US.

"In particular, the study highlights the value of green space in cities, which have become important refuges for native species and migrating wildlife."

The international team of researchers collected lists of plants in 110 cities and lists of birds found in 54 cities around the world.

"We were interested in plants and birds that were found in all parts of the city - from buildings, roads, vacant lots, brownfields, managed greenspaces, and natural greenspaces - to understand how cities support biodiversity as a whole," Dr Aronson told BBC News.

Unique biotic heritage

The team analyses the data and found that cities retained about just 8% of bird species and 25% of plant species of comparable undeveloped land.

But Dr Aronson added: "Contrary to popular belief, we show that the plants and birds of cities are not all the same across the world.

"Owing to the fact that cities around the world share similar structural characteristics - buildings, roads etc - it is thought that cities share a similar biota no matter where they are in the world.

"Few species are shared across cities, such as pigeons and annual meadow grass, but overall, the composition of cities reflects the unique biotic heritage of their geographic location."

She said that the data revealed that, overall, cities supported close to 20% of the world's bird species and 5% of known plant species.

"Conserving green spaces, restoring natural plant species and adding biodiversity friendly habitats within urban landscapes could, in turn, support more bird and plant species," Dr Aronson suggested.

Commenting on the study's findings, Prof Philip James from the University of Salford - who was not involved in the research - said that many cities grew in areas that were diverse and rich in terms of natural resources, and plants and animals.

"So the challenge is to use our knowledge of urban ecology to enrich the lives of the ever increasing number of people living and working in cities," he told BBC News.

"Seeing birds from our windows, hearing their songs and having pleasant, natural places to walk are all beneficial to our health and well-being."

Dr Aronson said that by improving the understanding the ecology found in urban areas, city planners and managers would be better placed to preserve and promote biodiversity, which provides important ecosystem services, such as water quality and flood protection.

She added: "Of course this is a coarse-scale study but we still come up with patterns that are similar in cities around the world."

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Best of our wild blogs: 11 Feb 14

Volunteers survey impact of 10 Feb oil spill
on wild shores of Singapore

lim chu kang jetty mangrove-beach @ 02 Feb 2014
from sgbeachbum

26-27 Feb Symposium: How will Singapore's shores cope with climate change? from wild shores of singapore

Butterflies Galore! : Branded Imperial
from Butterflies of Singapore

The curse of plastics – in beautiful Norway as much as it is everywhere!
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

International Day of Biodiversity 2014: Showcasing biodiversity research in Singapore (NParks & NUS; 24 May 2014) from Otterman speaks

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MPA Engages Shipping Community to Raise Awareness of Navigational Safety - Additional safety and navigational alerts to vessels

MPA 11 Feb 13;

MPA takes a serious view of any incidents in Singapore waters. Following the recent three collisions resulting in oil spillage, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is conducting investigations to determine the causes of the collisions and if there were systemic issues that need to be addressed. While awaiting the outcome of these investigations, MPA will implement several measures with immediate effect to minimise future marine incidents.

Measures to enhance navigational safety

MPA will conduct briefings to the shipping community to reinforce the importance of the safety of navigation in the Singapore Strait and within our port waters. These briefings, conducted in partnership with the Singapore Shipping Association, will be targeted at shipowners, ship managers, ship charterers and shipping agents, who have direct channels to convey the safety messages to the ship masters and officers. The first of these briefing will be held this week.

MPA will also promulgate Port Marine and Shipping Circulars to the shipping and harbour craft communities, emphasising the importance of navigational safety and to maintain vigilance whilst navigating.-

The Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) will also initiate broadcasts on the importance of safe navigation and vigilance in the Singapore Strait and within our port waters. This is in addition to the traffic information that the Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) provides to the ships' crew. The ship master remains responsible for the safe navigation of his ship.

"MPA is gravely concerned about the recent incidents in Singapore's waters. We are working with the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) to take immediate steps to raise the level of awareness of navigational safety in the shipping community. MPA is committed to ensuring the safety of navigation in our waters and will work closely with our partners in the shipping community to reinforce this. MPA is also enhancing its navigational alerts to provide ship masters and pilots to help improve their situational awareness, pending the outcome of the investigations into these incidents," said Mr Andrew Tan, MPA's Chief Executive.

Mr Patrick Phoon, President of SSA said, "The SSA is working closely with MPA on reinforcing the importance of safety of navigation in Singapore waters. I have full confidence that my members will heed this urgent call to do their utmost to emphasise to their ships' masters and crew members to exercise vigilance at all times. We all have an important role to play in protecting our marine environment and to ensure safety at sea," he added.



About the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was established on 2 February 1996, with the mission to develop Singapore as a premier global hub port and international maritime centre (IMC), and to advance and safeguard Singapore's strategic maritime interests. MPA is the driving force behind Singapore's port and maritime development, taking on the roles of Port Authority, Port Regulator, Port Planner, IMC Champion, and National Maritime Representative. MPA partners the industry and other agencies to enhance safety, security and environmental protection in our port waters, facilitate port operations and growth, expand the cluster of maritime ancillary services, and promote maritime R&D and manpower development.

MPA investigating causes of three recent marine collisions
Channel NewsAsia 11 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE: The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is conducting investigations to determine the causes of three recent marine collisions and if there are systemic issues that need to be addressed.

The three collisions happened in a span of 13 days - on Jan 29, Jan 30 and Feb 10.

MPA said it will implement several measures with immediate effect to minimise future marine incidents while awaiting the outcome of the investigations.

It will also conduct briefings to the shipping community to reinforce the importance of the safety of navigation in the Singapore Strait and within the port waters.

The briefings will be targeted at those who have direct channels to convey the safety messages to the ship masters and officers.

The first of these briefings will be held this week.

MPA said it will also be sending out Port Marine and Shipping Circulars to the shipping and harbour craft communities, emphasising the importance of navigational safety and to maintain vigilance whilst navigating.

MPA's Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) will initiate broadcasts on the importance of safe navigation and vigilance in the Singapore Strait and within the port waters. This is in addition to the traffic information that POCC provides to the ships' crew.

- CNA/de

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Despite weekend rains, dry spell set to continue

Woo Sian Boon Today Online 11 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE — Although widespread rain over the weekend brought some relief after the skies were “shut” for more than 20 days, the National Environment Agency (NEA) yesterday said the dry weather is set to continue, as the region is still in the dry phase of the north-east monsoon season.

The dry phase had begun in mid-January, which was earlier than usual, and led to one of the longest dry spells Singapore has experienced in recent years. A dry spell occurs when less than 1mm of rainfall is registered daily over an extended period of at least 15 consecutive days.

Afternoon showers can be expected this week, but “a strengthening of winds over the South China Sea could bring drier conditions to Singapore on a few days during the week”, said the NEA.

Rain fell over western and central parts of Singapore last Sunday and at least 1mm of rainfall was recorded at 17 climate stations, with Bukit Timah recording the highest at 21.8mm. The agency had last week said rainfall for this month was expected to be below average. As of Sunday, 33 climate stations had recorded a daily rainfall total of less than 1mm since Jan 16.

Last month, only 75.4mm of rainfall and five “rain days” — a day with a minimum rainfall of 0.2mm — were recorded at Changi climate station, compared with the long-term average rainfall of 242.4mm usually received in January. The Republic last experienced similar dry spells between Jan 26 and Feb 10 in 2009 and between Feb 3 and 18 in 2011. WOO SIAN BOON

The Star 11 Feb 14;

Malaysia: Respite from the dry spell
PETALING JAYA: Despite earlier forecasts of a long dry spell, Malaysians can expect showers and thunderstorms by mid-week with rain bearing winds heading towards the country.

The Meteorological Department National Weather Centre director, Muhammad Helmi Abdullah, said the dry spell is expected to last till mid-March. However, he added, the easterly winds from the Pacific Ocean will bring rain.

He said Sabah and Sarawak were already experiencing isolated rain and thunderstorms due to the wind and it will soon progress to the peninsula states by mid-week.

Perak, Selangor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor are expected to see more thunderstorms and showers, he said.

“The easterly wind is rather moist and we are starting to see more build-up of clouds compared to mid-January.

“The build-up of clouds indicates there is more moisture, thus, the possibility of thunderstorms and rain,” Muhammad Helmi said yesterday.

However, the northern states will be experiencing the dry spell with temperatures up to 35°C.

This is a normal phenomenon during the tail-end of the monsoon season.

Muhammad Helmi said the nights would be less cool compared to January, when some parts of the country experienced cold spells due to dry winds from China.

Meanwhile, Fomca deputy secretary-general Foon Weng Lian said consumers should be mindful of their use of water and electricity during the hot spell.

He said the hot weather would also affect transmission lines and reduce their efficiency.

“So, to avoid electricity overload or trips, don’t keep your electrical appliances on for too long,” he advised.

Foon said consumers should not be overly dependent on air conditioners and, instead, look for ways to improve natural ventilation at home.

“Open up your windows to let the natural air in for a while before switching on the air-conditioner,” said Foon.

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Malaysia: Johor open burning cases heating up

The Star 11 Feb 14;

KOTA TINGGI: Open burning cases that occurred within the last few weeks damaged more than 859ha of land throughout Johor.

State Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Ab Ghani Daud said that between Jan 1 and Feb 8, the department recorded 1,226 cases of open burning here.

He pointed out that bushfires recorded the highest number of cases at 583, followed closely by forests fires (298), estates (192) and garbage (153).

“The department is very worried with the high number of cases within the period as throughout the previous year, there were only 1,856 open burning cases,” said Ab Ghani after opening the department’s yearly assembly held at Penawar Fire and Rescue station here yesterday.

Ab Ghani also said that Johor Baru had the highest number of open burning cases with 392, followed by Batu Pahat (164) and Kluang (143) during the period.

He reminded the public not to carry out open burning as the damage could be severe, not only in terms of property but lives as well.

“The department noticed that most of these open burning cases occurred due to human error, where people leave behind a fire unattended.

“Such action is quite costly as a small fire could escalate into a major fire within minutes given the current dry season with strong winds,” he said, urging the public to immediately contact the department at 999 if they noticed any open burning.

In an unrelated matter, Ab Ghani also urged the public to buy fire prevention devices for their homes.

He added that a smoke detector only cost about RM70 per piece while a small fire extinguisher is about RM100.

“These devices have proven to be very useful to put out or warn people of fire,” he said.

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Malaysia: Protected birds seized from settler's home

Sylvia Looi New Straits Times 11 Feb 14;

ON THE RUN: Man faces fines of RM1 million for trapping birds

IPOH: A FELDA settler has been earning a lucrative income by trapping and selling protected birds to local collectors for six months.

His venture ended when officers from the Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) seized 17 protected birds at his home in Felda Lawin Selatan, Gerik, on Saturday. Its director, Fakhrul Hatta Musa, said his officers had been monitoring the man, in his 40s, following a tip-off.

"We had to camouflage civilian vehicles to monitor his house. When the raid was conducted at 11am, the man was nowhere to be found."

Fakhrul Hatta said of the 17 birds seized, four were totally protected species, while the rest were protected species. Among the species seized were white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), blue-winged leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) and lesser green leafbird (Chloropsis Cyanopogon).

"We believe he caught the birds from the Royal Belum or Temenggor area. The seized birds are worth RM50,000. The man faces more than RM1 million in fines for his offences."

Fakhrul Hatta said the man was being investigated for keeping protected species, where he can be fined up to RM50,000 or two years jail, or both.

"He is also being investigated for keeping totally protected species, where he can be fined up to RM700,000 or seven years jail, or both."

He said the department was working with police to track down the man.

17 protected birds seized during raid
The Star 11 Feb 14;

IPOH: Seventeen birds of several protected species were seized from a Felda settler’s house in Grik.

The settler, from Felda Lawin Selatan, had been earning side income for the past six months by trapping the birds and selling them to local collectors, said Perak Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Fakhrul Hatta Musa.

The birds were seized on Saturday.

During the raid at 11am, the man was nowhere to be seen.

Among the bird species captured by the man were murai (shama) and daun kecil (lesser green leafbird).

“We believe that the man, in his 40s, trapped the birds from the Royal Belum or Temenggor rainforest.

“The total value of the birds seized is about RM50,000,” Fakhrul told reporters at his office here yesterday.

He added that the department was working with police to locate the man.

The case has been classified under Section 60 (1) (a) and Section 68 (1) (a) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 for possession of protected or totally protected species without a licence.

If found guilty, the man could face a maximum fine of RM50,000 or two years’ jail or both under Section 60 (1) (a) and a maximum fine of RM700,000 or seven years’ jail or both under Section 68 (1) (a).

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Indonesia: Malang Police Arrest 3 For Raiding Coral Reefs

Dyah Ayu Pitaloka Jakarta Globe 11 Feb 14;

Malang. Police have arrested three men allegedly responsible for the illegal harvesting and sale of coral from the southern coast of Malang, East Java, which environmentalists have blamed for the significant deterioration of the area’s natural underwater ecosystem.

“We caught the suspects based on tip-offs and information from residents,” Aldy Sulaeman, the Malang Police’s chief of detectives, said on Monday.

“Another suspect remains at large after hiding out in Srigonco village.”

The three suspects arrested were identified as Satuin, 33, and Iwan Fauzi, 25, both residents of Srigonco, and Bram Kumbara, 31, from neighboring Sidoarjo district.

Aldy said the alleged thieves had their individual roles in the syndicate: Satuin harvested the coral at low tide, Iwan transported it to the shore, while Bram Kumbara was the buyer.

Bram had been illegally purchasing the coral for as little as Rp 3,000 (25 cents) a chunk. He then sold the coral to buyers in Banyuwangi and Bali for Rp 5,000 a chunk, often for use in construction and interior decorating.

Police confiscated around 300 pieces of coral during the arrest, while an additional 720 pieces were found in the syndicate’s base of operations.

“The suspects admitted they had committed the same crime on three previous occasions,” Aldy said, adding they could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Andi Syaifudin, the chairman of Sahabat Alam (Salam), a conservation group focusing on coral reefs, mangroves and sea turtles, blamed residents’ lack of awareness for the illegal sale and subsequent destruction of coral reefs.

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Indonesia: Riau haze spreads to W. Sumatra, agency says

The Jakarta Post 10 Feb 14;

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Katapiang, Padang, West Sumatra, says the haze from land fires in Riau province had reached West Sumatra but rain had insured its affects were minimal.

“Wind from the northeast spread the haze to areas in West Sumatra, but it is still relatively safe,” BMKG Katapiang head of observation and information, Budi Samiaji, said on Monday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Sumatra currently has 62 hotspots, he said, most had been detected in Riau province (36), followed by Riau Islands (6), North Sumatra (17), Aceh (2) and Jambi (1).

Budi said in one day the BMKG’s monitoring team had found 112 hotspots, but “on average, around 60-80 hotspots are found per day.”

He further said that for West Sumatra, the haze had mostly affected areas bordering with Riau while other areas were still relatively safe.

"Heavy rain reduced the impact the haze had on the cross-border areas," Budi said.

Rainfall has been predicted to intensify in March and April before decreasing in May and June, he added. (idb/ebf)

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