Malaysia evacuates 120,000 as floods spread to Johor

PM Najib cuts short US holiday to oversee relief operations
Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR - Nearly 120,000 Malaysians have been forced out of their homes in the worst flooding in decades, a disaster that has forced Prime Minister Najib Razak to cut short a holiday in the United States.

Kuala Lumpur has also cancelled its annual New Year celebration, in a mark of respect for the record number of evacuees, with several state governments following suit.

At least five people have been killed by the rising waters, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

As of 3pm yesterday, 118,896 people had been moved to flood relief centres, mostly in the northern states of Kelantan (45,467), Pahang (35,736), Terengganu (31,001) and Perak (6,119).

Johor became the latest state to be affected, with 214 displaced in the towns of Kluang and Muar yesterday. Flood waters in the southern state were still rising in the afternoon, a National Security Council spokesman was reported by Bernama news agency as saying.

Datuk Seri Najib will touch down in hardest-hit Kelantan today, according to a government statement. He deemed it necessary to "personally oversee the response", following reports that the situation had worsened.

"I am deeply concerned by the floods. I feel for the people who have lost their homes, and the families who have lost loved ones," he said in the statement yesterday, adding that he would chair disaster relief meetings to seek new measures once he returned from the US.

The Prime Minister had come under criticism after photos of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii surfaced earlier this week while tens of thousands, including in his home state of Pahang, were being forced out of their muddy homes.

But Mr Najib said he has been in "constant contact with" relief teams "who have assured me that they are doing everything they can to help those who have been affected".

"But I want to see the situation for myself and be with the people," he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been in charge of relief operations in Mr Najib's absence and ordered more assets to be deployed yesterday, after describing the floods as worse than anticipated. "We are using seven helicopters... these may not be enough," he was quoted by Bernama as saying in Kelantan.

International Trade and Investment Minister Mustapa Mohamed also admitted that government relief efforts needed to be improved, as distribution of aid in his home state of Kelantan was hindered by waterlogged roads.

Although year-end flooding is common in the north-east due to the monsoon season, rainfall in the past week has been excessive, and the damage has been exacerbated by deforestation that activists say is among the worst in the world.

In a rare piece of positive news, however, around 100 tourists stranded in the national forest reserve Taman Negara have been rescued and taken to a relief centre, reported AFP.

Flash floods have also hit Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas in the Klang Valley.

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/malaysia-evacuates-120000-floods-spread-johor-20141227#sthash.CHH3aAmq.dpuf


No respite for east coast states
New Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no let up in the harsh weather conditions, as the next round of heavy rain is expected to hit the east coast states, as well as Perak, Sabah, Sarawak and Johor tomorrow.

Meteorological Department National Weather Centre senior meteorological officer Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the new phase could last about a week.

“If the next phase is made up of continuous rainfall, there is a possibility that the floods might get even worse in the east coast states, as well as Perak.

“There is a high chance Johor might also be flooded this time around, especially in the eastern and central parts. Sabah and Sarawak will also experience very heavy rain and flooding too,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Hisham said Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negri Sembilan would experience heavy rain spillover.

However, Hisham added that Kelantan and Terengganu were experiencing very little rain that had allowed water to recede but water flow had been hindered by high tides.

He said twice-daily high tides at 11am, and between 8pm and 9pm, have seen the tides coming in at 1.5m in Kelantan, above 2m in Terengganu and 3m in Pahang had caused a reverse flow.

“When a high tide occurs, the sea level will rise, not allowing water from the rivers to flow back into the sea, creating a reverse situation.”

Blame it on the moon, too
The Star 27 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: The massive flooding of Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast states is not just due to extremely heavy rainfall – the moon has something to do with it as well.

According to the Malaysia Meteorological Department (MMD), the gravitational pull of the moon can lead to higher than normal high tides, more so when it is at its closest to the earth, a position also known as perigee.

The moon was at perigee at Dec 24 at 16:44 GMT (or 12.44am on Christmas Day here), where it was as close as 364,791km from Earth, appearing as a super moon, or a larger than usual moon, even to the most casual of observers.

The gravitational pull of the moon can generate extreme high tides at this position.

MMD spokesman Dr Mohd Hisham Anip said that it was understood that continuous strong winds brought lots of moisture and created dense clouds in our region.

“The wind came from the western Pacific and China, and we haven’t understood how this year differs from previous years,” Dr Mohd Hisham said yesterday.

He said more studies needed to be conducted on the effects of high tide when augmented by the new moon and perigee.

“The good news is that the peak of the high tide is over, which was on Dec 23 and 24,” he said.

“All we know is the high tide is coming and it is higher than usual,” he said, adding that extremely heavy or prolonged rain that coincides with higher than usual tides is usually a recipe for flooding as the river mouth is effectively “blocked” by a wall of water.

MMD said further episodes of high tide is expected to come again on Monday, and this would probably affect Pahang, Johor and Sarawak.

The not so good news is that the rainy season is expected to end only by the middle or end of February.

Dr Mohd Hisham also revealed that in a “normal” month, rainfall averages between 500mm to 600mm in a month for the east coast.

“But areas such as Kuala Krai in Kelantan, Kuantan in Pahang and Gong Badak in Terengganu received more than 1,000mm of rainfall this month.”

Rail service to east coast halted
The Star 27 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) has stopped its rail service to the east coast as its coaches are submerged in the floods that had hit the region.

Three hundred bridge tracks, 10 train stations and 19 coaches are affected by the floods, either submerged entirely or partially by waters up to 3m high, according to the rail company.

“This is the worst flood the company has seen since 1969,” said KTMB chairman Datuk Nawawi Ahmad.

“We are sad to say we have stopped our east coast operations since Monday and the situation is expected to last till the end of next month,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Eight intercity and express trains have been cancelled from the Chegar Perah station in Pahang to Tumpat in Kelantan.

With 800 staff members of KTMB affected, Nawawi said the company wanted to send food and basic necessities to them but, without a single landing pad for helicopters, they can only airdrop the items.

“In the east coast, train services are an important form of transportation for the people, especially when roads can’t be used.

“Train stations used to be shelters for flood victims, too, but this time, we are heavily affected as well,” said Nawawi, who estimated losses of about “a few million ringgit” for the company.

“We have to see where the waters recede. There is a possibility of more train losses in this disaster,” he added.

KTMB sent out a team of volunteers to bring aid to the victims yesterday and a flood operation centre has been set up to monitor train operations and other flood-related matters.

Read more!

Malaysia: A green heartache

KIRANA ASTER New Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

It’s been another year of goals that have fallen frustratingly short in conservation, writes Kirana Aster

AS 2014 comes to an end, conservationists in the country are taking stock of the successes and failures in addressing environmental issues. From plant life to iconic animals and habitats, the “business as usual” approach towards our natural heritage continue to provide challenges for those working in the frontlines of conservation.

HABITATS IN PERIL

With increasing threats to biodiverse sites, the past year hasn’t seen new areas gazetted as protected. Surin Suksuwan, a natural resources management specialist, says that several significant conservation areas have yet to be provided the protection status despite many years of advocacy by NGOs.

Among the unprotected areas of special concern are Gunung Kanthan, a limestone hill in the Kinta Valley, the Ulu Muda forests and the seagrass bed of Pulau Merambong, off the southern coast of Johor, which are currently under serious threat from quarrying, logging and coastal development.

Says Surin: “The limestone hill Kanthan is home to rare endemic species such as the Kanthan Cave trapdoor spider (Liphistius kanthan), which is designated as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) “red list”. The limestone hill also harbours at least three new species of plants which were recently discovered by scientists from FRIM (Forest Research Institute Malaysia), namely Meiogyne kanthanensis, Gymnostachyum kanthanense and Vatica kanthanense.

“Botanists also suspect that the critically-endangered Paraboea vulpina of the African violet family had become extinct on Gunung Kanthan due to quarrying in the northern portion of the mountain for the production of cement. Currently, none of the hills in Perak have been gazetted for protection although conservation of the State’s limestone hills has been incorporated into the Ipoh local draft plan 2020 and the Perak structure plan 2020.”

On the coastal front, the seagrass bed at Pulau Merambong is the biggest such ecosystem (about 40ha in size) in the country, and together with the mangroves of nearby Sungai Pulai (a Ramsar wetlands site), are important nursery grounds for many commercially important fishes. Several rare and endangered species including the spotted seahorse, Hippocampus kuda, and the dugong, are dependent on seagrass for their survival.

The fragile ecosystem of the seagrass bed can’t tolerate the siltation and pollution caused by coastal development in the area which includes the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and the Tanjung Bin powerplant.

This year, villagers strongly objected to the proposed Forest City project at the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) hearing. The controversial project will see four man-made islands built in the waters in Tanjung Kupang between southwest Johor and northwest of Singapore. The project lacked details on the impact on sea life, and will likely lead to flash floods in the area and loss of livelihood.

While we can’t ignore the bleak outlook, Surin says that recent announcements made by the new Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri Adenan Satem, offers a ray of hope for many who have long despaired over the state of natural resources management in Sarawak.

The new chief minister has made positive statements about gazetting more national parks, in addition to his strong remarks about tackling illegal logging and corruption in the State. He plans to establish another 20 protected areas in Sarawak but has yet to provide further details.

Sabah also delivered some positive news this year, says Surin. “In a historic event at Batu Puteh along the Kinabatangan River, Sabah kick-started the first officially sanctioned removal of oil palms that had allegedly been illegally planted in violation of riparian reserve laws. A special task force is being set up to reclaim river banks illegally cultivated by planters, and the State’s Tourism, Culture and Environment assistant minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming has promised that there’ll be more to come in a move that will help mitigate human-elephant conflict.”

PROTECTING NATIVE PLANTS

Data undertaken by FRIM in recent years (FRIM is stock-taking over 8,000 species in the plant kingdom) points to a grim outcome: Many of our native plants are on the decline.

Through the ongoing project Safeguarding the Plant Diversity of Peninsular Malaysia (initiated in 2005), plants are documented in detail along with their conservation status.

Based on the assessment, 97 species (10 per cent) were listed as “critically endangered”, of which 33 were plants threatened with extinction, while 133 (13.6 per cent) were classified as “endangered”, 148 (15.2 per cent) as “vulnerable” and 29 (three per cent) as “rare”.

Dr Lillian Chua, Senior Research Officer, Forest Biodiversity Division, FRIM, says that the stock-taking is dynamic, with the latest update held several months ago. “So far FRIM has covered only 16 per cent of Peninsular Malaysia’s flora which is estimated at 8,500 vascular plant species. We expect more species to end up in the Malaysia Red List but because of the increase in number of species being assessed, the percentage of threatened species is expected to reduce slightly.”

In the peninsula, many populations of dipterocarps are on the decline mainly due to changes in land use and harvesting. These threats have changed in form and severity over time. Pristine and semi-pristine lowland forests are now mainly confined to protected areas in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, State parks, permanent reserved forests and other areas within the Totally Protected Areas network.

Says Chua: “Land is a State matter and mainstreaming biological diversity into land use planning is in its infancy, both at the Federal and State levels. But the level of awareness is growing and there have been more proactive measures taken by stakeholders since the reports were published. Primary stakeholders such as Forest Department Peninsular Malaysia and the State forest departments are using the list as guidance document to help improve sustainable management practices, particularly in relation to forest certification.”

However, she says that if conservation measures aren’t stepped up, species such as Hopea bracteata var. penangiana (Dipterocarpaceae; merawan ungu) and Hopea subalata (Dipterocarpaceae; merawan kanching) which are listed as critically endangered in the Malaysia Red List will be the first to disappear.

“We can’t afford to lose more plants such as the Shorea kuantanensis (Dipterocarpaceae, meranti dammar hitam) whose habitat has been turned into an oil palm plantation.”

Despite no fewer than 230 plant species on the verge of extinction in Peninsular Malaysia, Chua nevertheless remains positive about conservation efforts to prevent more species from disappearing forever.

“The level of awareness is increasing fast and there are greater initiatives at the policy ranks to mainstream biodiversity considerations into national and State planning.”

ICONIC AND FADING

In September this year, a statement by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (Mycat) provided another blow to wildlife conservation — the Malayan Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) is on the edge of extinction.

New estimates in 2014 by experts put the remaining population of wild Malayan Tigers at 250-340, less than the previous estimate of 500.

This indicates that the Malayan tigers meet the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’ criteria for a “critically endangered” listing. It has been classified as “endangered” since 2008 and the target for the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan for Malaysia to double the population of wild tigers by 2020 is unachievable in this timeframe.

The Malayan tiger is believed to be most threatened by the illegal wildlife trade with tiger parts in high demand as traditional medicine. Intense poaching has reduced the tiger population over the last few decades. Other contributing factors include defragmentation of their habitats and a decline in tiger prey, especially sambar deer.

Among immediate efforts to reverse this situation include the setting up of tiger patrol units in the Belum-Temengor, Taman Negara and Endau-Rompin tiger priority areas, undertaking a comprehensive national tiger survey in the peninsula’s remaining forest landscape and strengthening existing forest and tiger conservation mechanisms.

Already declared “functionally extinct” in Malaysia, the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) will be the first mammal species to become extinct in Malaysia if breeding programmes are unsuccessful.

Their population has dramatically declined over the years due to loss of fertile lowlands for human occupation and relentless hunting of the species whose horns are used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to Datuk Dr John Payne, executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) who was speaking at a talk organised by Mindset — The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus in Kuala Lumpur recently, the low rhino population is a result of chronic hunting, and rare mating. Thus, it’s just a matter of time before death rate exceeds birth rate and extinction occurs. “It’s a miracle that this rhino isn’t already extinct. There may now be as few as three remaining Sumatran rhinos in Malaysia, two females and one male, all in a fenced, managed facility in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah.”

He says leaving them alone in the wild and hoping for natural recovery doesn’t work. Establishment of national parks, guard forces, wildlife corridors, public awareness and habitat management can’t achieve that. Captive breeding might be the last hope for the survival of the species.

Says Payne: “Bora’s priority is to produce lots of baby rhinos as soon as possible. Species on the edge of extinction need the following measures to be taken: Increase birth rates, and ring remaining rhinos into fenced-managed facilities and privately-owned land to manage them.”

With the development of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques in recent decades, the best and possibly only way is to produce embryos in a lab. Indonesia is now in a better position to take the lead where this is concerned.

Payne has no doubts that Malaysia would be keen to collaborate if invited. He concludes: “Bora advocates for the establishment of a lab, either in Malaysia or Indonesia, in which Sumatran rhino embryos can be produced with an international team of cutting-edge experts conducting the necessary procedures. Imagine what an Indonesia-Malaysia based collaboration could do: The first critically endangered wildlife species to be rescued from the edge of extinction through international collaboration in the species’ home countries.”

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 26 Dec 14

December RUMbles
from Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative

Wild Crocodile Eats Fish
from Go Wildlife Now!

Brahminy Kite chases Great Egret for frog
from Go Wildlife Now

First visit to Tuas Merawang
from Peiyan.Photography

Read more!

Museums remind us dinosaurs still fly

PETER NG FOR THE STRAITS TIMES 24 Dec 14;
What is a museum?

The Oxford Dictionary defines it "as a building used for storing and exhibition of objects illustrating antiquities, natural history, art, etc".

In the modern world, it is often seen as a byword for "old and outdated". A place to put irrelevant things. A place of obsolescence. A place of history. A place of the dead.

But to understand what a museum really is, one needs to delve into the origins of the word. "Museum" is derived from the ancient Greek word, mouseion - a place, a temple, dedicated to the Muses. What are the Muses? They are the patron divinities in Greek mythology, and all of them personify the arts, philosophy and learning. They were the very embodiment of knowledge.

The new Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in the National University of Singapore, which will open in April next year, is a convergence of destinies.

A university is the place of learning. The Latin word for this institution - universitas - means the whole. It symbolises what a true scholar must be, one who can see the whole and prescribes wisdom to the community of which he is part. A temple dedicated to the Muses - the spirits of knowledge - in the courtyard of the whole; what a wonderful synchronicity of purposes.

Yes, Singapore's natural history museum is a place of the dead, a tomb, where we keep the bodies of over half a million plants and animals. But it is not a mere sarcophagus of decaying carcasses. It is also a place that holds a huge body of knowledge, with great potentialities.

The specimens and associated labels contain important data that we use to better understand our natural world and our place in it. In the bodies of the plants and animals reside a wealth of scientific data - dried skins and dehydrated cells, preserved structures and DNA molecules.

The bodies held for perpetuity are snapshots of what life was at one point in time. The deeply embedded data in the bodies is enormous.

As we develop better tools and contemplate even better questions, we will repeatedly call upon these bodies to help us answer all manner of questions. Some may even save human lives. The secrets of the dead epitomise the wisdom of the ages. Their potential is limited only by the magnitude of our curiosity and intelligence.

This natural history museum, however, is not a static organism. Its collections continue to grow, as our sense of curiosity drives us further into nature's secret places. To go where few, or none, have gone before; to see what few have seen or none has imagined.

There are few human ventures so exciting - when the subjects of one's endeavours are not man-made objects hidden by human time but products of evolution, generated over a billion years of uncompromising (and often violent) natural selection.

It is not just about finding unknown lifeforms. It is often about finding wonderfully un-imaginable lifeforms that share the planet with us.

It is sad that we as a species born of Earth know so little about its planet's own denizens, even as we seek to travel beyond the stars and seek extraterrestrial lifeforms. And it is a tragedy that, in our ignorance, we continue to decimate entire ecosystems, seemingly oblivious to the consequences of our actions. Millions of species, woven into the very fabric of life on Earth, comprising the essence of which we are part. Yet we delude ourselves that we are a benign presence and all our activities are harmless.

People working in museums are not just explorers, they are also in a helter-skelter race against time to discover what is out there. They are the scribes of Mother Nature, recording the planet's diversity, even if few cared. It is a task borne out of necessity. A museum holds the objects of the scribes, and the scrolls of their efforts. It is a depository of what the planet has. It is a library of our continuing endeavours.

And yes, a museum is also a cemetery. Cemeteries remember the dead. They remember past lives and old glories. And woe betide anyone who dismisses the power of memories. Memories are immensely important. Memories make a person, a people, a country. Without memories, peoples and countries have no soul.

The past is prologue. And it is ironical that memories and knowledge share a bloodline. One of the Muses was Mneme, the bearer of memories.

A museum, any museum, represents the collective memories of many generations. It is also a depository of immense knowledge - both realised and not yet known. It safeguards the past for our future. In it are treasures, both tangible and intangible, that defy valuation.

Strange, then, that the temple of the Muses guards such seemingly anachronistic entities in a modern transactional world, in which almost everything is defined in cold, hard economic terms. Treasures priceless, yet without real value; the perfect paradox for a human society that all too often forgets what it means to be human.

Natural history museums hold dead bodies. They hold the skeletons of dinosaurs. Once there were real dinosaurs. They died. Today, the bird is a dinosaur. So the dead did not die. Their death was misreported. It was exaggerated. Dinosaurs still fly. As does the place of the Muses which holds and guards the secrets of nature.

stopinion@sph.com.sg

The writer is the head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (formerly the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research) at the National University of Singapore.

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/opinion/more-opinion-stories/story/museums-remind-us-dinosaurs-still-fly-20141224#sthash.VqkoHXwS.dpuf

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 25 Dec 14

Chek Jawa boardwalk additional closure Jan-Mar 2015
from wild shores of singapore

Repairs at Pulau Ubin Jetty: Dec 2014 to Jun 2015
from wild shores of singapore

Read more!

Malaysia: Prepare for potential flooding, Johor residents told

BEN New Straits Times 24 Dec 14;

JOHOR BARU: The National Security Council (NSC) urged Johor residents to prepare for potential flooding in the state from Dec 28 to 30, following the recent adverse weather conditions.

Based on the Malaysian Meteorological Department's early warning, the heavy downpour may last up to three days due to the current monsoon season.

Johor NSC assistant chief secretary Azura Muhammed Kifli advised those in Johor to prepare in advance for the potential adverse weather conditions.

"We (NSC) hope that the public stay alert to any changes in the weather and are constantly updated on emergency warnings through the news or other broadcasts.

"The public are also advised to be prepared to evacuate to temporary flood shelters by the authorities for their own safety," she said.

Azura said the public can check on the possible weather conditions through their website and social media feeds.

The NSC's nationwide portal is at: http://portalbencana.mkn.gov.my), while their social media sites are at: "Informasi Bencana"(Facebook) and also @PortalBencana (Twitter).

Those residing in Johor can also access Portal Bencana Johor (Facebook) and @PBencanaJHR (Twitter) for information.

Read more!

Malaysia: Flood situation continues to worsen in badly-hit Kelantan and Terengganu

The Star 25 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The situation in most flood-hit states continues to worsen with the authorities warning of continuing heavy rain in the badly-hit states of Kelantan and Terengganu.

The number of evacuees increased to more than 65,000 yesterday with over 26,000 in Kelantan and over 22,000 in Terengganu.

Kelantan is now only accessible via the Kuala Terengganu-Kota Baru trunk road and by air.

The other route to Kelantan through the East West Highway was closed to all traffic after part of the highway at the 65th kilometre near Puncak Titiwangsa collapsed.

The Gua Musang-Kuala Krai road has been closed to all traffic while the route from Padang Besar through Haadyai was also impassable due to the floods.

In Terengganu, the number of evacuees doubled to over 22,000 people in just 24 hours.

Emergency rations: Seberang Takir state constituency volunteers preparing to distribute food supplies to flood victims in Taman Permint Jaya, Kuala Terengganu.
Emergency rations: Seberang Takir state constituency volunteers preparing to distribute food supplies to flood victims in Taman Permint Jaya, Kuala Terengganu.
The worst-hit districts are Kemaman followed by Dungun, Kuala Terengganu, Hulu Terengganu, Besut and Marang.

The situation in Pahang is also getting worse with more than 13,000 people evacuated.

A spokesman at the Flood Operations Room of the Pahang police contingent said the worst-hit areas are Kuantan, Maran, Jerantut, Lipis and Pekan.

In Perak, Hulu Perak and Kuala Kangsar have also been hit by the flood with over 1,000 people evacuated as of yesterday.

In Sabah, the situation improved slightly with most of the evacuees allowed to return home yesterday morning.

In Perlis, there was not much change in the flood situation and 175 people were still seeking shelter at evacuation centres.

The Johor National Security Council has advised people to be prepared for the possibility of floods striking the state between Dec 28 and 30.

Johor National Security Council principal assistant secretary Azura Muhammed Kifli said the floods could occur due to the incessant heavy rain brought on by the North-East Monsoon.

In a related development, the National Security Council secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab has warned people against spreading false rumours regarding the flood situation.

He said a state of emergency could only be declared by the Prime Minister and the announcement would be made through official channels.
“Declaring an emergency is a very serious matter and surely any announcement about it would not be made through Facebook or WhatsApp messages,” he said when commenting on rumours circulated through social media that an emergency was declared in Kelantan yesterday.

He said the authorities would go after those responsible for starting the rumours once the flood in the east coast had abated.

“We won’t let them off the hook,” he said.

Kelantan police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mazlan Lazim said people must stop spreading false information on the flood situation.

East West highway remains closed after cave-in
HARIZ MOHD New Straits Times 24 Dec 14;

GERIK: The East West Highway is still close to traffic after a section of the highway caved in following a landslide last night.

It was reported that a lorry fell at the section that caved in at Km63 near the Titiwangsa stop.

A spokesman said they are monitoring the situation closely to ensure no one is affected by the incident.

“We have handed the matter over to police for the next course of action," he said.

On the lorry which fell, the spokesman said the driver managed to jump out of his vehicle in the nick of time.

TNB suspends operations of 1,600 sub-stations in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang
The Star 25 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has suspended the operations of 1,606 sub-stations throughout Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu in view of the severe floods in the state.

Its Kelantan general manager, Md Yuslan Md Yusof, said that up to 6pm today, the operations of 232 sub-stations in Gua Musang, 215 in Kuala Krai, 24 in Tanah Merah, 19 in Jeli, 12 in Machang, five in Tumpat and three in Kota Baru had been suspended.

TNB senior general manager (Corporate and Communications) Datuk Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Amin said the move was to avoid short-circuit which can affect 70,284 consumers.

Kelantan has the most number of consumers affected with (42,688) when the operations of 1,150 sub-stations are suspended in Kuala Krai, Gua Musang, Jeli, Machang, Tanah Merah, Kota Baru and Tumpat.

"In Terengganu, the operations of 138 sub-stations were suspended in Kemaman, Bandar Al-Muktafi Billah Shah and Dungun, involving 8,105 consumers while in Pahang, 5,878 consumers will be affected as 18 sub-stations are suspended," he said in a statement, Thursday.

He said TNB would continue to monitor the situation.

The floods in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang continued to worsen. - Bernama

Floods: 12 rivers exceed danger level in East Coast
ZAFIRA ANWAR New Straits Times 25 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The downpour in the East Coast has caused 12 rivers in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to exceed the danger level.

As at 6 pm today, the National Security Council on their portal said the water levels in Pahang were increasing in Sungai Jelai in Jeram Bungor district to 65.98 metres, almost 4 metres above the danger level of 62 metres. Meanwhile, the Sungai Pahang water level in Sungai Yap district had gone up to 59.34 metres, 7 metres above the danger level of 52 metres.

Sungai Pahang in Kampong Chenor is at 24.33 metres (danger level 23 metres), Sungai Pahang in Lubuk Paku is at 19.79 metres (danger level 19 metres) and Sungai Kuantan near Kuantan Bypass rose almost 3 metres to 6.27 metres (danger level 3.50 metres).

In Kelantan, the water level in rivers exceeded the danger level with Sungai Kelantan near Kusial rising 6.61 metres above the danger level of 16 metres and Sungai Kelantan in Kuala Krai rose 9.11 metres to 34.11 metres from the danger level of 25 metres.

Sungai Galas in Dabong had gone up to 46.39 metres (danger level 38 metres), Sungai Kelantan near Air Mulih rose to 12.07 metres (danger level 10.65 metres), Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang rose to 10.43 metres (danger level 9 metres) and Sungai Kelantan near the Customs Jetty went up to 6.86 metres (danger level 5 metres).

Meanwhile in Terengganu, water level in Sungai Dungun near Jambatan Jerangau is at 14.24 metres, almost 2 metres above the danger level of 12.50 metres.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 24 Dec 14

December walks at the Sisters' Islands Marine Park
from Sisters' Island Marine Park

Tuas shore with stars surprise!
from wonderful creation

Return to Tuas Merawang Beacon
from wild shores of singapore

Read more!

Johor reclamation project sparks concerns again

Kua Yu-Lin The Straits Times AsiaOne 24 Dec 14;

PONTIAN (Malaysia) - A proposed land reclamation project in the Johor Strait has once again raised environmental concerns, even as a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) report on it was released by the Pontian authorities last month.

The project to create a 1,411ha island, known as the Tanjung Piai Maritime Industrial Park, is one of two massive land reclamation projects in the south-western end of Malaysia's Johor state which have previously sparked concerns among environmentalists.

The other project, a 2,000ha proposed island, near the Second Link Bridge connecting Johor to Singapore, is known as Forest City.

A Straits Times report in June quoted the company involved in the Tanjung Piai project, Benalec Holdings, as saying reclamation is expected to begin before the end of this year, and oil storage facilities would be built once the island is completed.

Pekan Nanas assemblyman Yeo Tung Siong of the opposition Democratic Action Party raised concerns at a press conference over whether Tanjung Piai will become another Pengerang, reported the Sin Chew Daily last Saturday.

He was referring to a US$16 billion (S$21 billion) project on the south-eastern side of Johor, in Pengerang, called the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid), which activists have said would harm the environment and affect the livelihoods of fishermen. Previous media reports said this project is part of the Malaysian government's plan to capture some of the global energy business from Singapore.

Benalec is also involved in the reclamation works to extend the shoreline of the Rapid project.

As for the Tanjung Piai project, Mr Yeo raised fears that the proposed oil storage facility, which is less than 1km away from Tanjung Piai's mangrove forests and about 10km away from Kukup fishing village, will bring irreparable damage to the forests and fishing grounds in the area.

The facility will attract large oil bunkers, leading to the possibility of oil spills that will have a serious impact on the water quality.

Many fish farms and resort operators are likely to be affected too, added Mr Yeo.

Already, he said, close to 90 per cent of local residents are against two other major development projects in the area, a power plant in Tanjung Bin and a port in Tanjung Pelepas.

According to the DEIA report, 51.2 per cent of residents polled have voiced opposition to the Tanjung Piai project. Mr Yeo cited this as a reason that he is gathering at least 50 signatures for a petition which he will submit to the Environment Ministry on Friday.

Johor lawmakers say diplomatic row with Singapore possible over manmade island
Straits Times 23 Dec 14;

A view of the Second Link at Tuas from the Singapore side. The Forest City project is a man-made island with total size of 2,000ha - nearly three times the size of Ang Mo Kio estate - in the Johor Strait opposite Tuas. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

JOHOR BARU - Johor lawmakers fear that Malaysia and Singapore will be embroiled in a diplomatic row when the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) report of the controversial Forest City project is approved, the New Straits Times (NST) reported on Tuesday without naming the lawmakers.

They are worried about the possibility of "retribution" from Singapore, the pro-government newspaper said, citing the republic's reclamation works in Pulau Tekong and Tuas more than a decade ago as an example.

Malaysia had in 2003 took its complaint to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) following Singapore's actions in the Pulau Tekong and Tuas reclamation works, raising bilateral diplomatic heat.

"I hope both governments can work together to resolve the Forest City reclamation issue," an unnamed Johor assemblyman was quoted as saying by NST. "If it is brought to the ITLOS for arbitration, it can affect investors' confidence in Johor and Iskandar Malaysia."

The Forest City project is a man-made island with total size of 2,000ha - nearly three times the size of Ang Mo Kio estate - in the Johor Strait opposite Tuas.

It is being built by China's Country Garden Holdings which plans to build luxury homes on the reclaimed land over the next 30 years.

The project will be split into four man-made islands, NST reported in September, following a Malaysian hydrology study. The biggest island will measure 1,005ha and the smallest 58ha.

Sand for the project is being dredged up off Teluk Ramunia at the eastern tip of Johor, NST said, and delivered by barges via the Tuas side of the Johor Strait.

Singapore has conveyed its concern on a number of occasions to Malaysia, asking for more information on reclamation and construction works in the Johor strait from May.

Apart from Forest City, investors are also planning a 1,411ha man-made island called Maritime Industrial Park to host an oil-storing and energy hub. The project is also located off Tuas and has raised environmental concerns.

Reclamation works for Forest City had been started, and then stopped in June, as environmental impact studies are being carried out by Malaysia's Department of Environment.

The DEIA is expected to be released this week, NST said.

In the Pulau Tekong and Tuas reclamation cases, Malaysia had pursued the matter with ITLOS although Singapore had given the assurance that it had undertaken mitigation measures.

Similarly, several mitigation measures are being proposed for the Forest City project, but the assemblyman said Singapore might not be pacified with such assurances.

"Bringing the case to the arbitral tribunal does not bode well for cordial bilateral ties, which is needed to speed up several impending projects, including the Rapid Transit System connecting Johor Baru and Woodlands," said a second assemblyman.

Benalec: Tanjong Piai job delayed on client’s request
NUR HANINI MOHD HANIFKUALA New Straits Times 23 Dec 14;

BENALEC Holdings Bhd, a marine construction services provider, said its land reclamation project for 1MY Strategic Oil Terminal Sdn Bhd in Tanjung Piai, Johor, has been delayed on the client’s request.

“The project was put on hold, based on our client’s request. We were informed by them that they needed some time to iron out some of the terms and conditions in the agreement,” Benalec chief operating officer Desmond Boey said after the company’s annual general meeting yesterday. Boey declined to reveal further details.

Benalec has extended the term sheet validity period for the signing of the land reclamation deal for another six months from December 12 until June 11.

It had announced to Bursa Malaysia that its 70 per cent-owned Spektrum Kukuh Sdn Bhd had entered into a binding term sheet with the State Secretary, Johor, and 1MY Strategic to undertake the reclamation works and the sale of about 404.6ha off the coast of Tanjung Piai for the development of a crude oil and petroleum storage facility together with a private jetty.

The 404.6ha of reclaimable land is estimated between RM2.5 billion and RM3 billion.

Boey said its land reclamation contract is awaiting approval from the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

He said the delay will not pose a big impact on Benalec for now as it still has projects in Malacca until 2017.

Boey added that the Tanjung Piai job, as well as another reclamation project in Pengerang, Johor, will open up doors for recurring income, providing strong growth and investment opportunities.

On land sales, Benalec in December had sold 23.4718ha worth about RM100 million, which will be recognised in 2016.

The company is looking at expanding its landbank and future projects mostly in the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia.

“We are eyeing not just land reclamation projects but also dredging and other marine based construction projects,” said Boey

Benalec posted a lower profit of RM7.1 million in the year ended June 30 2014 from RM56.6 million last year.

Read more!

Malaysia: New moon phenomenon triggers extraordinary floods in east coast

The Star 23 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The new moon phenomenon, when the moon is closest to the earth and causes high tide, is among the factors that triggered extraordinary flooding in the east coast this year.

Meteorological Department National Weather Centre senior meteorological officer Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the flood situations worsened with the presence of northeast monsoon winds blowing consistently across the South China Sea to Malaysia starting November until March.

"Although rainfall is no longer heavy, flood waters do not seem to recede due to the new moon phenomenon as it causes higher tides than normal.

"Besides that, previously incessant rainfall caused water from the upstream to not reach the confluence and resulted in overflowing rivers," he said when contacted by Bernama Tuesday.

He said they predict the heavy rainfall since last week due to northeast monsoon winds in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang will continue until early January.

"However, the weather is expected to be more favourable today until tomorrow with many of our forecasts showing showers in only one or two areas in the affected states," he said.

Dr Mohd Hisham explained that the northeast monsoon wind brought about heavy rainfall in three episodes, namely the first episode which ended in November, the second episode between Dec 16 and 19 followed by the third episode which started on Monday and will last until tomorrow.

"Although the weather is expected to be good on these two days, we predict a fourth episode to start from Dec 28 to 30 and it may continue until early January," he said.

Dr Mohd Hisham said they do not dismiss the possibility that floods may hit low-lying areas near the river after Dec 28. "During the northeast monsoon season, the east coast is expected to experience four to five episodes of heavy rainfall for between three to seven days in November until January 2015, as well as western Sarawak and Sabah from January until March 2015.

"Therefore, people living by the river and in low-lying areas are advised to prepare for any possibility, including floods," he said.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department said in a statement today that strong northeast winds with speeds of 60 kilometres per hour in the coastal areas of the east coast, Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan is expected to last until tomorrow.

In addition, rough seas and waves of up to 5.5 metres will pose a danger to beach and shipping activities, including to workers on oil platforms.

The statement added that the coastal areas of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and east Johor are vulnerable to a rise in sea levels until Wednesday. - Bernama

East coast train services remain inoperative due to floods
The Star 23 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: All east coast train services, disrupted Monday due to floods and a landslide on the tracks between Dabong and Kuala Krai in Kelantan, remain inoperative, according to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB).

KTMB corporate communications manager Siti Badariah Wan Hanafi said on Tuesday that the services were expected to remain inoperative until at least Friday.

She said the affected services were those between Woodlands and Tumpat and vice versa; KL Sentral to Tumpat and vice versa and the shuttle services between Gua Musang and Tumpat.

Passengers booked on these services could request a return of the full fare for the cancelled services or change their date of travel, she said when contacted by Bernama.

"We will keep the public updated on the status of the services," she said. – Bernama

4m-high waves to hit 3 states
New Straits Times 24 Dec 14;

THOSE on the east coast have been warned to brace themselves for the worst floods in recent history.

A powerful combination of king tides and strong winds are expected to slam into Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, which are still dealing with slowly receding floodwaters.

Communities in coastal areas and along river mouths have been warned to ready themselves for immediate grab-and-go evacuations, as the worst is expected to unfold tonight or tomorrow.

The high-alert notification follows not only the sustained rain in recent days, but is also in anticipation of tidal waves as high as 4.35m hitting the states.

This is expected to happen for two nights from yesterday.

Many in coastal areas in Terengganu last night caught a glimpse of the power that comes with waves that high.

About 10pm, a little under two hours after 2.9m waves hit, residential areas were inundated by floodwaters that rose rapidly to about 30cm high.

The last time floods of this magnitude occurred was some 20 years ago.

Other states hit by the floods include Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan and Perak.

The Meteorological Department has been less hopeful of a reprieve from the situation, saying the heavy rainfall would likely subside only in the middle of next month.

National Weather Centre senior meteorologist Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said in the past few days, these states experienced double the rainfall compared with last year.

Some 600mm of rain fell over Kelantan and Terengganu last year, compared with the 1,200mm for the same period this year. Kuantan recorded 1,000mm of rainfall, compared with 500mm last year.

The department said the unusually high tides and floods were caused by a combination of three elements: the new moon, surges of strong winds and the perigee, or the point when the moon is closest to the Earth and its gravitational force is at its strongest.

“With the moon close to Earth and the stronger gravitational pull, the consequential stronger pull on water causes high tides.

“The new moon and perigee normally occur separately, but now, they are occurring almost simultaneously,” he told the New Straits Times, adding that strong winds of 60kph over the South China Sea were exacerbating the situation.

Hisham said the three states should prepare for more torrential rains from Sunday.

Record number of evacuees in east coast states
New Straits Times 24 Dec 14;

THE east coast is seeing a record number of evacuees as vast swathes of the area are submerged by floods.

Portending that the worst is yet to come, the number of flood victims at the tens of relief shelters in the various districts is fast climbing.

Major rivers in Kelantan and Pahang have, since yesterday, swollen beyond the danger level, while tidal waves have been lashing coastal villages in Terengganu.

Strong currents in flooded areas are also threatening to take victims along with them.

In Gua Musang, a rescue boat manned by two soldiers with nine evacuees aboard, capsized, and the occupants swept away by the currents. Those aboard, including toddlers, were saved by a passing boat.

Many houses in the district were also swept away.

As of 6.30pm, there were 21,601 victims at 96 relief shelters in nine districts in the state, with most of the evacuees brought from Pasir Mas.

Meanwhile, the number of evacuees in Terengganu has doubled in less than 24 hours, with their number expected to rise from yesterday’s total of 15,046.

Increasingly strong tidal waves slammed into the Terengganu coast, triggering panic.

For residents of Pulau Duyong, it was a recurring nightmare, as the last time they experienced flooding of this magnitude was just before the Sultan Mahmud Hydroelectric Dam in Jenagor, which created Tasik Kenyir, started operations in 1986.

The unusually high waves did not spare the island and nearby areas, including Seberang Takir, Batu Buruk and Kuala Ibai.

In Rusila, Marang, a chalet owner was praying that her property had not been washed out to sea after 3.6m-waves hit the area about 9pm on Tuesday.

Jamilah Abdullah 50, the owner of another chalet, said the shore fronting her 25-room chalet had eroded, from the length of a football field to mere metres.

“There are three 6m-high walls protecting the property, but they were no match for the pounding waves on Monday evening.”

Villagers in the area on Tuesday rushed to build a wooden wall to to protect their properties from the second wave of king tides.

In Kuala Dungun, passengers waiting at an express bus station had to be evacuated to higher ground when waves brought seawater into the area about 10pm.

In Kemaman, two families narrowly escaped death.

Jais Ismail, 73, said his family had evacuated their home mere minutes before a huge wave crashed into and destroyed their house.

“I decided to evacuate when seawater started seeping into the house. We are left with only the clothes on our backs,” he said.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry yesterday said the supply of food and essential items in flood-hit states would be sufficient.

Its deputy secretary-general, Datuk Azmi Lateh, said the ministry had made early preparations and was monitoring the situation in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

He said there had been no reports of food shortages in the states, but the ministry, with the cooperation of the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry, would send supplies if one was reported.

“We have drawn up strategies to address food shortages during the flood season, but that has not been the case,” he said in Penang.

Meanwhile, efforts are being mobilised to deliver aid to areas cut off by the floods.

The Kelantan Social Welfare Department, with the help of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, is using helicopters to reach victims in Gua Musang and Jeli, as the roads are inaccesible.

Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob said the state government would use funds from the “Tabung Serambi Mekah” to channel aid to the victims.

“The magnitude of this year’s floods was beyond the state Welfare Department’s expectations.

“But we will find ways to meet the needs of those affected,” he said in Pengkalan Chepa yesterday.

Floods leave more than 100 tourists standed in Taman Negara
The Star 24 Dec 14;

KUANTAN: More than 100 local and foreign tourists are believed to be stranded at the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort after Sungai Tembeling in Kuala Tahan surpassed its danger level.

It was learnt that the park recorded its highest rainfall Tuesday since the major flood in 1971.

The Kuala Tahan tourist jetty had to be closed due to swift currents in the river, which is dangerous to boats.

A resort employee, who declined to be identified, said the foreign tourists holed up in the hotel were from Canada, Germany, France and Holland while there were also some local tourists.

"They should have left today (Tuesday) but the dangerous river has cut off the place from the outside world and we are running low on food. Nonetheless, we ensure the safety and well-being of tourists and if necessary, we will use a helicopter to drop food for us tomorrow," he said when contacted late Tuesday.

According to him, a special meeting with police and Jerantut district office was held to discuss measures to get all tourists out safely. – Bernama

Read more!

Koalas face extinction without stronger protection, say conservationists

Federal environment department says a recovery plan is in development, but conservationists warn the vulnerable koala needs urgent action
Oliver Milman theguardian.com 23 Dec 14;

Conservationists say the koala is on the way to extinction if its habitats aren’t restored. Photograph: Sarah Motherwell/AAP
Conservationists have warned the koala is on the path towards extinction following the failure to release a strategy to actively reverse the decline of the marsupial species.

The federal government has published new guidelines to help reduce the impact of new development upon koala. It points out that koala populations have rapidly shrunk due to the destruction of vegetation and increasing risk of koalas being hit by cars or attacked by dogs.

The guidelines suggest certain mitigation measures, such as underpasses or bridges across highways, but there is no recovery strategy for the koala, which was listed as vulnerable in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in 2012.

The environment department said a national recovery plan was “under development” with state and territory governments, although there was no date for its release. A recovery plan was due to be unveiled by the end of 2014 due to the expiration of a five-year strategy that ran since 2009.

The lack of a recovery plan alongside the guidelines for developers has dismayed conservationists, who warn that the koala needs urgent action to save it.

“Where is the recovery plan? That is my big question,” said Deborah Tabart, chief executive of the Australian Koala Foundation. “The states are incapable of protecting the koala, which is why we went for a federal listing in the first place. There’s no doubt these guidelines will just refer things back to the states. They’ll be useless.

“We need a national recovery plan that would mean developers have to change their behavior. And yet there’s no sign of it. They’ve got rid of so many people in the department I’m not even sure there’s anyone left who can do it.”

Koalas are extremely vulnerable to climate change and, when they stray from their favoured trees, are at risk from being run over by cars or mauled by dogs.

But the loss and fragmentation of vast tracts of koala-friendly vegetation, especially in the eastern states, is the primary reason koala numbers have slumped by 40% in Queensland and by a third in NSW over the past 20 years.

“The koala is on its way to extinction,” Tabart said. “I’m tired of having to explain, over the past 28 years, that if a koala has its house cut down, it starves to death, or a dog or car wipes them out. Until there’s something that says ‘no, Mr Developer, you can’t cut the trees down’, we’ll keep having extinctions.”

Ecologists view koalas as a key “flagship” species that shares habitat with hundreds of other threatened species. Therefore, protecting koala eucalypt habitat would also safeguard many other plants and animals.

Prof Corey Bradshaw, an ecologist at the University of Adelaide, said the development guidelines were an example of a “toothless” Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, the main federal legislation to protect nationally significant species.

“There’s nothing in the act that mandates any restoration of habitat and there are so many loopholes that developers can find,” he said. “If your definition of restoration is putting in an underpass and a koala fence, you are putting them on the way to extinction.

“We’ve lost 40% of Australian bush since European arrival and the rest is fragmented. There’s virtually no area of eucalypt left untouched, so it’s no surprise the koalas are struggling.

“The only way to recovery is a 20 to 30-year plan of mass reforestation and connectivity. That is beyond debate. We should have a goal for increasing net forest cover.

“But there seems no appetite in government for this. We are seeing deforestation even in national parks, so the future doesn’t look very bright for koalas.”

Read more!

Top firms' greenhouse gas emissions rise, despite call for cuts

Alister Doyle PlanetArk 23 Dec 14;

Greenhouse gas emissions by the world's top 500 companies rose 3.1 percent from 2010 to 2013, far off the cuts urged by the United Nations to limit global warming, a study showed on Monday.

The top 500 firms by capitalization accounted for 13.8 percent of world greenhouse gas emissions and 28 percent of gross domestic product in 2013, according to the report, drawn up by the information provider Thomson Reuters and BSD Consulting, a global sustainability consultancy.

"Almost all of us use products from these companies," said Tim Nixon, Director of Sustainability at Thomson Reuters. "This is about transparency. We hope companies will look at the report and engage with their stakeholders to reduce emissions."

A path set out last month by the U.N. Environment Programme, intended to limit global temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, implied a 4.2 percent fall in world emissions between 2010 and 2013.

Almost 200 nations have set 2 degrees C as a ceiling to limit the extra droughts, floods, heatwaves and rising sea levels that scientists see as the consequence of global warming.

Governments will try to work out a U.N. climate deal in late 2015 at a summit in Paris to limit emissions of greenhouse gases, which trap the sun's heat.

The top corporate greenhouse gas emitters in 2013 were PetroChina Co Ltd, China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. and steel maker ArcelorMittal, the report said.

Big companies with a more than 10 percent decline in emissions between 2010 and 2013 were led by ConocoPhillips, Valero Energy Corp and Dominion Resources Inc.

Large firms whose emissions rose more than 10 percent in the period were led by the metals and mining group Glencore, Russia's Surgutneftegas and Exelon Corp. The data came from businesses themselves and estimates from Thomson Reuters Asset4.

John Moorhead, executive manager of BSD, noted that many of the top 500 companies, especially in finance, information technology or telecoms, had relatively low emissions.

But he said they could have a huge influence on emissions beyond their company's borders in their choice of suppliers.

(Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Read more!