44 eateries to join WWF eco seafood event

Jessica Lim, The Straits Times AsiaOne 18 Sep 15;

Bluefin tuna will be taken off the menu at Hinoki Japanese Dining for three weeks next month in an effort by the restaurant to be more environmentally sustainable.

The eatery is one of 44 to have pledged to stop serving overfished species and introduce sustainable seafood dishes for the Responsible Seafood Festival - a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) event that runs from Oct 3 to 25.

Its owner, Mr Kevin Cheong, has been serving bluefin tuna sashimi and belly dishes since the restaurant opened in the Central Business District five years ago.

"It's our star item," said Mr Cheong, who explained that the fish's oil content is high and its meat firmer than other tuna varieties. "We have never used any other tuna besides bluefin; the colour and taste are all wrong."

The 46-year-old reckons that most Japanese restaurants here offer the fish, but he decided to be part of the festival because he wanted to do his part for the environment. His restaurant will also stop serving its ad hoc speciality abalone, whale and shark's fin dishes during the festival. Instead, it will offer a sustainable seafood multi-course omakase meal - a Japanese concept in which diners let the chef decide what they will have.

"Commercially, it might be a way for us to differentiate ourselves from other restaurants," he said.

The festival will also be a trial to see if the move to sustainable seafood can be made permanent.

Singapore consumes an average of 100,000 tonnes of seafood a year. An estimated 20 per cent of this comprise 19 types of fish from the WWF's "red list" of overfished species, including the flowery grouper, which is common on Chinese restaurant menus here.

Mr John Tanzer, director of the WWF International's Global Marine Programme, told The Straits Times that these fish often end up in high-end restaurants. "The more rare something becomes, the more expensive it becomes, and the more incentive there is for someone to catch it," he explained. "We cannot continue the way we have been going. We are going to rob future generations of their food supply and healthy oceans."

The problem of overfishing is not unique to Singapore. According to the WWF, by 2048, the world's oceans will no longer be able to provide people with seafood. Figures from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations show that over 90 per cent of global fish stocks are overfished and 6 per cent are depleted.

Mr Tanzer said that the festival will help the WWF to get its message across to the retail trade and consumers here. "People eat out a lot. If we can help them understand the concept of sustainable consumption and, hopefully, influence the choices they make, that would be useful," he said.

Cost, however, can be a stumbling block for some businesses. Sustainably caught crabs, for instance, can cost 15 per cent more than non-certified ones. There is also a question mark over whether customers will take the bait.

Engineer Yeo Min, 31, is unlikely to change her eating habits. She said: "It is really difficult to change mindsets and one fewer consumer won't make a difference... I cannot even finish one whole fish by myself during mealtimes."

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Strain of bacteria linked to infections from raw fish found

Scientists from A*STAR’s GIS, together with TTSH and the Singapore Infectious Diseases Initiative have sequenced the strain of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) responsible for the increase in severe infections observed in Singapore this year, which could lead to tests for detection of the strain.
Channel NewsAsia 17 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE: Scientists from A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), together with Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Singapore Infectious Diseases Initiative have sequenced the strain of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) responsible for the increase in severe infections observed in Singapore this year.

With the sequence, the team of scientists are now working to develop new tests for the detection of this bacteria strain.

In a media release, GIS on Thursday (Sep 17) said it has managed to isolate the strain of GBS - known as Streptococcus agalactiae - that caused meningitis in a local patient. It noted that the recent outbreak of GBS was unusual, as it is associated with the consumption of raw Song (Asian bighead carp) and Toman (snakehead fish).

Dr Swaine Chen, Senior Research Scientist in the GIS Infectious Diseases Group and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine who led the project said, “Sequencing is a key first step in modern infectious disease outbreak investigation. Having the sequence will help with ongoing studies to understand how and why this strain can cause serious disease. We are making this data publicly available immediately to accelerate progress as much as possible.”

Dr Chen added: "By having this DNA sequence, now when we see another sick patient, we can be very precise in knowing this is the same strain and part of the same outbreak. If it is coming from the food, we can be very sure that this same strain that caused the infection in the patient is actually the one that's present in the food as well. So this helps overall, in terms of us being able to track what's happening - if it is contamination of food (that caused a patient's illness) or if the outbreak is still ongoing."

DEVELOPING A SIMPLER TEST

Prof Timothy Barkham, Senior Consultant in Laboratory Medicine, TTSH and Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine said the initial genome sequence will assist in the development of a simpler test that would enable medical professionals to detect the bacteria faster and more cost effectively.

“If a simpler test can be developed, it will contribute to testing patients, food products and surveillance. While we are gratified to see the reduction in cases recently, the GIS sequence can now be studied to look for clues as to why this strain causes serious disease and where it may have come from," he said.

Most strains of GBS bacteria, found in the gut and urinary tract of about 15 to 30 per cent of adult humans, pose little danger to healthy people, GIS said.

Earlier in 2015, MOH observed an increase of patients infected by the GBS bacteria – an average of 20 cases per week since the beginning of the year. Before the outbreak, MOH saw about three cases of GBS infections per week.

- CNA/dl

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Malaysia: Haze stunts oil palm growth, oil production may fall 10% to 20%

The Star 18 Sep 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: A haze that’s engulfed parts of the world’s biggest oil palm-growing region in South-East Asia threatens to stunt fruit growth and disrupt harvesting during the peak production season.

The smog worsened this week, forcing Indonesia to deploy military personnel to fight forest fires and water bomb the rising number of hot spots.

In Malaysia, flights were diverted due to low visibility and around 2,000 schools were shut as air quality in some states reached unhealthy levels.

Palm oil production may decline 10% to 20% in the affected areas, according to IJM Plantations Bhd chief financial officer Purushothaman Kumaran.

A prolonged haze amid the strongest El Nino in two decades may hurt oil palms in the coming months and can potentially support prices which slumped to a six-year low in August. Heavy haze curtails the amount of sunlight reaching trees and hinders photosynthesis, resulting in lower yields six months down the line, according to Malaysian plantation consultant Ganling Sdn. The blazes are often started to clear land for plantations.

“The palm is under stress,” Ling Ah Hong, director at Ganling, said by phone on Tuesday. “If the haze prolongs over a long period, like a month or two, there may be some impact on production because it affects photosynthesis activity of the palm trees.”

Palm plantations are already bracing for dry weather caused by the El Nino. The weather pattern will peak around the end of the year and sea temperatures may exceed, or come close to, the those seen during the record event in 1997-98, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.

The strong El Nino would be “good news” for palm oil prices, which usually spike during the event and lift plantation stocks to outperform, Credit Suisse Group AG said in a report on Monday. Palm oil futures on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives traded at RM2,116 a tonne by 3.52pm yesterday, having plunged to a six-year low of RM1,867 last month.

At the time of the 1997-98 El Nino event, palm oil prices doubled in 12 months as output dropped 7% in Indonesia and fell 5.5% in Malaysia.

The haze has sent the air pollutant index in Pontianak, West Kalimantan soaring past the hazardous levels, while capital cities in Riau province and South Sumatra recorded unhealthy levels. That may keep plantation workers indoors, according to Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd. — Bloomberg

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Malaysia: Cleaner air over weekend, but haze back on Tuesday

The Star 18 Sep 15;

PETALING JAYA: Eastern winds are expected to blow the haze away this evening, giving Malaysians cleaner air over the weekend.

However, the Malaysian Meteoro­logical Department (MetMalaysia) said this would be temporary, with winds ready to bring the haze back from Indonesia on Tuesday.

“By tomorrow evening, we expect the wind to change direction by coming from the east. However, this is only temporary.

“By Tuesday, the wind might come from (the) south (from Indonesia) again,” said MetMalaysia spokesman Dr Hisham Mohd Anip yesterday.

He said Sarawak, which might also have clearer skies over the weekend, would see the haze coming back there on Monday evening, earlier than the peninsula.

As of 4pm yesterday, Samarahan recorded an Air Pollutant Index reading of 199 with Kuching at 192.

A downpour over parts of the peninsula cleared skies in some states, though certain areas such as Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur hovered at the 101 unhealthy mark.

Dr Hisham said rains in the peninsula were natural.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Madius Tangau said cloud-seeding was carried out in Malacca, north Johor and Negri Sembilan yesterday.

However, cloud-seeding in Sarawak yesterday could not be carried out since the weather was not good enough for rain clouds to form and the haze made flying too dangerous.

Too hazy to study in Sarawak
The Star 18 Sep 15;

KUCHING: Schools were closed and flights disrupted as air quality reached very unhealthy levels with the index exceeding 200 in parts of Sarawak.

The Air Pollutant Index (API) reached 209 in Kuching at 10am and 210 in Samarahan at 11am yesterday, forcing 463 schools in both divisions to be closed.

The state Education Department issued an advisory to close the schools early yesterday morning when the API was hovering near 200.

An API of 101-200 is considered unhealthy while 201-300 is very unhealthy.

Some 184,808 students and 15,162 teachers were affected by the closure.

In a statement yesterday evening, the Education Ministry said these schools would remain closed today.

It added that the district education office and schools had been directed to inform parents and guardians about the closure.

Fireman Wan Afzal Wan Abdul Rahman, 40, said he was worried when he heard about the closure on radio at 8am.

“I immediately rushed to school to pick up my daughter, who is in Year Three. It’s worrying because the air is not healthy,” he said.

Morzeyan Jumat, 35, said she had to pick up her four children, who are in kindergarten up to Form One, from four different schools.

“It’s good that the schools are closed as it’s getting difficult to breathe,” she said.

Headmistress Liaw Hui Lin said parents had already been calling her school since early morning before she received the official notification at about 8.25am.

“Even this morning a lot of students were not around as the air was unhealthy and we understand why parents don’t want their children to be in school,” she said yesterday.

Serina Lim, who owns a dance and fitness centre with her husband, said her family was increasing their water intake and getting creative with assorted fruit juices to cope with the hazy conditions.

“My husband has had to use inhalers for the first time in his life and our toddler’s sensitive skin has been flaring up since the haze started. Because of this, we have just invested in two air purifiers,” she added.

By 3pm, Malaysia Airports Bhd confirmed that four flights could not land at Kuching International Airport and had to be diverted while another five flights from Kuching were cancelled.

The affected flights were those to and from Kuala Lumpur, Tanjung Manis, Pontianak and Mulu.

Disruptions to schedules were severe, affecting Malaysia Airlines, MASwings, AirAsia and Xpress Air.

Seven flights took off late while 11 more could not land on time.

Airport general manager Mohd Nadzim Hashim said 3,619 passengers were affected.

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Malaysia: Rabies hits northern region

CHAN LI LEEN AND CHONG KAH YUAN The Star 18 Sep 15;

GEORGE TOWN: A rabies outbreak has hit Perlis, Kedah and Penang, three years after the country was declared free from the disease.

To contain the disease, the authorities have been or will be culling stray dogs in the three states.

The order however did not go down well with several animal welfare organisations here.

Those infected must be treated quickly or they will develop fever, muscle pain and headache, which will lead to brain swelling, seizures, paralysis, coma and eventually death.

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek (pic) said some 200 personnel from the Veterinary Services Department throughout the country had been deployed to the three states, adding that the department would be assisted by the Health Ministry and respective local governments in each affected area.

“The department will be issuing statements and keeping the public updated on the situation.

“We are wary of the situation and taking all necessary preventive steps even though no humans have tested positive for rabies as yet,” he told reporters after handing over a cheque for RM102,500 in death benefit to the family of drowned fisherman Low Tze Kian in Matang, Perak.

Department deputy director-general Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam said the zoonotic virus was first detected in Perlis on Aug 19, with 22 bite victims there until yesterday.

“We have culled 256 stray dogs in the state. We have also conducted census on 875 dogs and taken samples from 65 of them, out of which eight tested positive for rabies,” he said.

He also revealed that five people had been bitten by stray dogs and were being treated in Kedah since Sept 13, adding that 476 stray dogs had been culled there.

“Of the samples taken from 65 dogs in Kedah, 17 were positive,” Dr Quaza Nizamuddin said.

He said there have been two bite victims in Penang - a council worker who was bitten during a dog nabbing operation and a boy from a fishing village in Balik Pulau.

Penang Health Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin said the first case was a 44-year-old man from Pokok Sena in north Seberang Prai on Sept 8 while the second case was an 11-year-old boy from Taman Nelayan, Kuala Sungai Pinang in Balik Pulau who was bitten on Monday. Both were hospitalised and have since been discharged.

Dr Afif believes the disease was transmitted from Perlis.

He said the World Organisation for Animal Health declared Malaysia rabies-free in 2012 after the last case detected was in 1999.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng yesterday declared Penang as a rabies infected area and said all stray dogs in the state would be caught and put to sleep.

“Under the directive, pet dogs are also not allowed to be taken out of the state except with a written permit issued by the department’s Penang director. All dogs which are three months old and above need to be vaccinated,” he told a press conference in Komtar.

He said dog owners should also ensure that their pets are confined within an enclosed space, securely tied and led around by chain to prevent them from escaping and be infected.

Penang Animal Welfare Society founder Barbara Janssen said she disapproved of mass dog killing.

“There are many dogs on the street which are cared by people but not housed in their compound. Most of them had been spayed or neutered to reduce stray population. To kill them outright now is a waste of public money and unfair,” she said, adding that the society would find out from their counterparts in the United Kingdom and India of alternative methods of rabies control.

Save Our Strays Penang spokesperson April Sham said two cases of rabies in the state was no cause for hysteria, adding that it was extremely uncommon for people to get bitten by rabid animals.

“If bitten, people can seek medical treatment. Rabies is not a justification for slaughtering healthy animals. Killing is not the only solution,” she said.

About half of the some 50,000 dogs in Penang are strays, Dr Afif Bahardin said.

He said it was almost im possible to identify rabies-infected dogs and warned that any dogs found outside their compounds would also be caught and put down even if they were licensed.

“We have to contain the disease before it becomes endemic in Penang and all stray dogs would be put down. It is the only known method to prevent the spread of the disease which has a high mortality rate,” he added.

Veterinarian Dr K. Pavabakaran said he had not seen a single case of rabies in his 40 years of practice.

He said the authorities would have the best knowledge of how to contain the disease although he cautioned on a carte blanche campaign to kill all stray dogs.

Penang SPCA administrator Lily Leng said the state had directed the association not to take in any strays and for the public to walk their dogs with a leash as a precaution.

Rabies outbreak: Perlis, Kedah, Penang report infections
The Star 18 Sep 15;

GEORGE TOWN: There is a rabies outbreak in Perlis, Kedah and Penang, three years after the country was declared free from this contagious and often fatal viral disease.

To contain the disease that spreads from infected dogs and other mammals to humans through bites, veterinary services departments in those states will be culling stray dogs.

The order did not go down well with seve­ral animal welfare organisations that claimed there were other solutions.

Those infected must be treated quickly or they will develop fever, muscle pain and headache, which will lead to brain swelling, seizures, paralysis, coma and eventually death.

Penang Health Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin said the first case there was a 44-year-old man from Pokok Sena, Seberang Prai, on Sept 8.

The second case was an 11-year-old boy in Taman Nelayan in Balik Pulau on Monday.

Both were hospitalised and have since been discharged.

Dr Afif believed the disease was transmitted from Perlis where a case was reported in August.

Veterinary Services Department deputy director-general Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam said the first case in Perlis was on Aug 19, with 22 victims in total so far.

Five people were bitten by stray dogs in Kedah since Sept 13 and infected, he said.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng declared yesterday that all strays in the state would be captured and put down.

Under the directive, pet dogs cannot be taken out of the state, unless written permission was given by the State Veterinary Services Department director.

“Also, all dogs three months and older must be vaccinated,” Lim said at a press conference in Komtar.

Strays in Perlis and Kedah were also being culled. Some 200 veterinary services personnel from around the country have been deployed to the three states.

Penang Animal Welfare Society founder Barbara Janssen said she disapproved of the killing of stray dogs.

The society would ask its counterparts in Britain and India about other methods of rabies control, she said.

Save Our Strays spokesman April Sham said two cases of rabies were no cause for hysteria.

The World Organisation for Animal Health declared Malaysia rabies-free in 2012 after the last case detected was in 1999, according to Dr Afif.


Infections likely came from Thailand
The Star 19 Sep 15;

PETALING JAYA: The rabies infections in the north likely came from neighbouring Thailand since the infections are concentrated in Perlis, Kedah and Penang.

Nineteen dogs were found with rabies from 64 tested in Perlis as of yesterday; 17 were infected from 31 checked in Kedah; while three out of 15 tested in Penang were rabid.

The Veterinary Services Depart­ment said infected dogs could have brought the viral disease into Malaysia which has been rabies-free since 1999.

However, its deputy director-general Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam declined to name the country that the infected dogs could have come from.

“We were free from rabies but the disease still occurs in a neighbouring country,” was all he would say.

He said it was standard procedure to vaccinate dogs against rabies at the border but these areas were quite porous and an infected animal likely got past.

The department was working with the police to ensure that pet dogs in the three states did not cross borders until the end of the outbreak.

Dr Quaza said it would be costly and time consuming for police to set up roadblocks to enforce this, so he urged dog owners to be responsible.

He warned that the animals would be confiscated and quarantined if the order was disobeyed.

“Even if the dog is later found to be free of rabies, the owner will still be fined,” Dr Quaza said.

He advised dog owners to keep their pets within the compound of their homes. They should also keep the animal on a leash when taking it for a walk, even if it has been vaccinated, he said.

Dogs older than three months must be vaccinated.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek urged anyone bitten by a dog to seek immediate medical treatment.

As of yesterday, 27 people were bitten by dogs in Perlis; eight in Kedah; and six in Penang. All have been treated and discharged from hospital.

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Indonesia: Police yet to ascertain foreign companies` involvement in forest fires

Antara 17 Sep 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The National Police (Polri) has yet to ascertain the involvement of foreign companies in setting forest and land fires that have occurred in several regions in Indonesia.

"We have yet to mention the names of the foreign companies involved in setting forest and land fires. We are still investigating," National Police Chief Badrodin Haiti remarked here on Thursday.

The police has received the names of the suspects and companies in connection with the cases.

"The police is still investigating the involvement of directors and commissioners in the company as part of its efforts to ascertain the complicity of the foreign companies.

"The owner of the company could be involved in forest and land fires. But, claims should be backed by legal facts," he emphasized.

According to the law, a person involved in setting forest fires can be sentenced to a minimum three years and maximum 10 years in prison.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo had ordered that stringent actions must be taken against the perpetrators of forest fires, which caused haze, disrupted normal life, and affected public health.

"The president has ordered that firm legal action should be taken against the perpetrators of forest fires, irrespective of whether they are individuals or corporations, so that it serves as a deterrent in future," Willem Rampangilei, the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), stated at a press conference here on Wednesday after attending a limited meeting with the president.

He noted that Haiti, who had also attended the meeting, supported this stance, affirming that a law enforcement task force assigned to deal with forest and land fires had tackled 18 reported cases and named 140 suspects, including seven corporations. He remarked that 17 corporations were involved in the fire incidents.

Badrodin noted that the seven arrested suspects, who were only identified by their initials, were JLT from PT PMH in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra; P from PT RPP in South Sumatra; S from PT RPS in South Sumatra; FK from PT LIH in Riau; S from PT GAP in Sampit, Central Kalimantan; GRN from PT MBA in Kapuas; and WD was arrested from PT ASP in Central Kalimantan.

The police chief stated that more people could be arrested as investigations were still ongoing.

"This is the result of the presidents order to take firm action to prevent any recurrence of such fires next year," he emphasized.

General Haiti suggested to the government, which is the regulator, to blacklist companies that had allegedly caused the fires. This would make it possible to reject their applications for permits.(*)


House asks for budget revision to combat haze
Dandy Koswaraputra, thejakartapost.com 17 Sep 15;

The House of Representatives urged the Indonesian government to review next year's state budget to get extra funds, up to Rp 10 trillion (US$714 million), in order to combat forest fires.

House member Herman Khaeron said that the state budget for the Environment and Forestry Ministry was quite insignificant, Rp 6.7 trillion in 2015, and decreasing to Rp 6.3 trillion in the 2016 state budget.

“We need extra funding, at least Rp 10 trillion, to cope with forest fire disasters alone,” Herman told thejakartapost.com on Thursday.

He said the funds aimed to build infrastructure and public awareness through holding training sessions in which local people fully understood how to handle such disasters instead of deploying military or police troops to extinguish forest fires.

“I regret that the government does not seem proactive in preparing for the situation,” Herman asserted, adding that he appreciates the forestry ministry's efforts to provide fire extinguishing equipment.

According to Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, around 52,000 hectares of land in Sumatra were ravaged by fire, while 138,000 ha in Kalimantan were scorched.

Herman added that with such mediocre preparation, Indonesia suffered financial losses every year caused by the endless forest fires.

Herry Purnomo, a scientist at CIFOR and professor at Bogor Agricultural University, said that Indonesia would likely suffer $4 billion in losses this year, relating to agriculture production, destruction of forests, health, transportation, tourism and other economic endeavors.

A 2013 World Bank report shows the total financial loss from forest fires in Riau province at Rp 20 trillion ($1.4 billion).

Herry added that Malaysia and Singapore, as smog-affected countries, should be more responsible in dealing with forest fires by issuing regulations and law enforcement for their citizens’ companies operating in Indonesia.

“About 50 percent of palm oil companies operating in Indonesia are owned by Malaysians and Singaporeans," Herry asserted.

According to Herry, Indonesia has at least 11 million hectares of oil palm plantation spread across the islands, from Sumatra to Papua.

A number of palm oil companies clear land by burning it in order to reduce production costs, Herry said.

“Lets make a comparison between the cost of mechanized [land clearing] and burning. The first one costs Rp 2 million [$150] per ha and the second one is only $7 per ha,” he said.

Herry added that swidden agriculture had been practiced by farmers in many places in Indonesia for generations and was now adopted by the industry as the best method for cost cutting.

“So, the swidden method has become a policy and common practice for many plantation companies,” he added.

Forest fires and smog have therefore become an annual problem for Indonesians, due to improper practices of plantation companies, Herry said.

Smoke-belching blazes, an annual problem in Southeast Asia during the dry season, have intensified in Sumatra and Indonesian Borneo over the past two weeks, sending a cloud of acrid haze across the region. (DK) (++++)


Lawmakers support government’s action on forest-fire offenders
Dandy Koswaraputra, thejakartapost.com 17 Sep 15;

Indonesian lawmakers said on Thursday that the House of Representative would support President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s move to punish those responsible for starting forest fires.

“Since the previous government was in office, we have been supporting the government in any effort to stop forest burning,” House member Herman Khaeron told thejakartapost.com.

The President has asked police to bring those responsible for the forest fires before the courts and revoke their company licenses.

“[Attempts to bring] them to court have been happening over the past two years,” Herman said, suggesting it was about time that efforts were intensified.

National Police Chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said on Wednesday that the police had ramped up their prosecution of firms responsible for the rampaging fires, The Jakarta Post reported.

Badrodin said that police investigators had named at least seven companies and 133 individual suspected of using fires to clear land in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Police have released the acronyms of the seven companies at which the suspects worked, and they are: PT BMH, PT RPP, and PT RPS in South Sumatra; PT LIH in Riau; and PT GAP, PT MBA and PT ASP in Central Kalimantan, the Post reported.

Some of the suspects were charged under Article 108 of the 2014 Plantation Law and could face a maximum 10-year prison sentence and fines of up to Rp10 billion (US$692,000).

Responding to the allegations, one of the suspected companies, Bumi Mekar Hijau (BHM), denied any wrongdoing, saying that none of BHM’s executive had been arrested by Indonesian police.

“The Indonesian police investigators are conducting an investigation into [our] company and we have cooperated well,” Kristianto, BHM legal representative stated in a text message received by thejakartapost.com on Thursday.

Kristianto added that from the start, BHM had implemented a “zero burning” policy and helped the government of Indonesia to preserve the environment.

“The company also expresses a deep concern over this fire disaster and is actively cooperating with the government of Indonesia to help control the forest fires,” Kristianto said.

According to Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, around 52,000 hectares of land in Sumatra have been ravaged by fire, and 138,000 ha in Kalimantan.

Smoke-belching blazes, an annual problem in Southeast Asia during the dry season, have intensified in Sumatra and Indonesian Borneo over the past three weeks, sending a cloud of acrid haze across the region. (DK)


Police should pursue perpetrators of forest fires: President
Antara 17 Sep 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo has urged the police to continue with its law enforcement efforts to arrest the perpetrators of forest fires.

"The police should continue to pursue the perpetrators. The national police chief has announced the names of the suspects who have allegedly started forest fires in Indonesia," President Widodo stated here on Thursday.

The president pointed out that two types of forest fires are affecting six provinces and the neighboring countries.

"Fires that occurred in peatland areas can be difficult to extinguish as they may continue to burn underground for long periods of time," he stated.

Secondly, several companies deliberately set fire to hundreds of hectares of land area.

Earlier, the Indonesian police expressed its commitment to thoroughly investigate all errant companies that burnt down forests leading to haze, which has affected various regions in the country.

"The police is committed to conducting investigations against the perpetrators. This investigation will not be partial, rather it will be a thorough one," Brigadier General Yazid Fanani, the director of special crimes at the National Polices Crime Investigation Department, stated.

He expressed hope that the investigation would result in the ministries or the concerned state institutions either imposing administrative sanctions against companies found guilty or revoking their permits.

He explained that as of now, sanctions could only be imposed after obtaining a court ruling.

"An administrative sanction, in this case the revocation of the permit, may only be imposed after obtaining a court ruling," he pointed out.

He affirmed that the police are now handling 131 cases of fires being set in forest and land areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Of the total, 28 are still under preliminary probe, 79 are under investigation, while 24 cases have been confirmed.

The cases are related to fires in Riau (Sumatra), South Sumatra, Jambi (Sumatra), and West and South Kalimantan.

He remarked that 126 people have been named suspects in connection with the cases, while a company known as PT Bumi Mekar Hijau has also been named a suspect in the case of a fire in South Sumatra.

Two other companies -- PT Tempirai Palm Resources and PT Waimusi Agro Indah -- which operate in South Sumatra, are also under investigation.(*)

Government to revoke licenses of companies found burning land
Antara 16 Sep 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government will revoke the licenses of plantation companies that have set fires to clear land, which has led to haze engulfing several parts of the country, a senior minister stated here on Wednesday.

"We met the president just now to discuss the haze problem and the plans to blacklist owners, boards of directors, and commissioners of companies (found burning land) and revoke their licenses," Coordinating Minister for Political, Security, and Legal Affairs Luhut Panjaitan noted after meeting the president at the State Palace.

Luhut, however, did not disclose the names of the directors, commissioners, owners, and companies whose permits would be revoked.

"I would not disclose it. It will be done by the national police chief. There are several companies, and they (police) are still identifying them. Perhaps, in the next few days, the information will be made public," he pointed out.

Luhut emphasized that the permits had been issued in the past decade to convert 4.8 million hectares of peatland into palm oil plantations.

"So, if fires occur in the allocated land, the permits of the companies managing the land will be revoked, and the land will be restored to its original function," he remarked.

Regarding the haze crisis, Luhut claimed that the government had already implemented measures, including sending three thousand soldiers to help overcome the fires and is also conducting cloud seeding operations to create artificial rain.

"It seems that some results have been achieved. But, I have said that the fires will not stop until November this year. It will be in January, next year, when the situation is expected to return to normal again according to the forecast of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG)," he noted.

He expressed hope that the haze problem would be handled in a more systematic manner next year.

"The situation now is really bad because of the El Nino phenomenon. However, next year, we hope the preparations will be more systematic," he added.

To ensure that the problem does not recur, he affirmed that the preparations to conduct aerial water bombing would be better than this year.

"We have 25 aircraft and helicopters that will be better prepared," he added.(*)


Manager detained, suspected of causing fires in Pelalawan
Rizal Harahap, thejakartapost.com 18 Sep 15;

Investigators from the Riau Police special crime investigation unit detained PT Langgam Inti Hibrindo (LIH) general manager Frans Katihokang after questioning him in relation to land burning for around six hours at Riau Police headquarters on Thursday.

Frans is believed to be the person most responsible for the burning down of 533 hectares of land included in the land use title (HGU) of an oil palm plantation company in Pangkalan Gondai village, Langgam district, Pelalawan regency.

Frans is the first suspect from a corporation that authorities have arrested in connection to land and forest fires in Riau this year.

Riau Police prosecutors arrested Frans at the employee boarding house of PT Mutiara Agam, subsidiary of PT LIH, in Tanjung Mutiara district, Agam regency, West Sumatra, on Wednesday. The following day they took the 48-year-old man to Riau Police headquarters and asked him 62 questions relating to his alleged negligence having caused the burning down of hundreds of hectares of PT LIH plantation land and surrounding peatland on July 27.

Frans, who wore a mask as investigators escorted him to the detention cell, refused to answer questions from journalists. “We detained him after investigating him intensively. The detention is to protect the suspect so that he is not influenced by witnesses in the case,” said Riau Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Guntur Aryo Tejo.

He said that before naming Frans a suspect, police had investigated dozens of witnesses, including two LIH managers and village officials. They also obtained information from expert witnesses from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture and the Environment and Forestry Ministry.

Guntur said that investigators had conducted a case expose on Sept.15 and concluded that Frans should be named an individual suspect for the burning of LIH land. “In line with his position, the suspect is the most responsible person for what has happened,” said Guntur.

The police charged Frans under Article 98 (1) and Article 99 (1) of Law No.32/2009 on environment protection and management. “If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a Rp 10 billion [US$700,000] fine,” said the police’s special crime investigation unit deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ari Rahman.

Apart from LIH, he said, around 10 plantation companies in Riau were suspected of either having been involved in, or negligent in handling, land fires in their concession areas. He refused to give details about those companies but shared that “most of them are operating in Indragiri Hulu and Indragiri Hilir regencies”. (ebf)(++++)


Tough task for firefighters battling peatland blazes
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Straits Times AsiaOne 18 Sep 15;

Indonesian firefighters in Sumatra and Kalimantan have their work cut out for them in battling fires on peatland across the two regions, which have been the source of the haze in recent weeks.

Trying to contain such fires is not unlike playing "whack-a-mole". The fires smoulder under dry peatland and can surface anywhere to trigger another blaze.

Over half of the raging fires in Pekanbaru in Indonesia's Riau province and elsewhere, causing the haze in Singapore and other towns in West Malaysia, are on peatland.

Peatlands, which are usually waterlogged and formed over thousands of years, consist mainly of decomposed vegetation, making it carbon-rich and highly flammable during the dry season.

When burned, peatlands produce copious amounts of smoke, thus releasing a high level of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The yearly haze problem is the result of slash-and-burn agricultural practices carried out largely by farmers, because it is the fastest and cheapest way of clearing plantations for pulp, oil palm and other crops.

Ironically, planting crops on peatland is not easy or cheap owing to moisture, a lack of nutrients and its high acid content. Peatland is thus not fertile. It is also prone to pests and harmful bacteria that live in the moist sponge-like soil.

- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/tough-task-firefighters-battling-peatland-blazes#sthash.c3zltpAT.dpuf

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Indonesia: Government seizes Vietnam`s vessel with 45 tons of illegal fish

Antara 15 Sep 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) has seized a Vietnam-flagged fishing vessel which had allegedly captured 45 tons of fish illegally in Indonesian waters.

"The ship was seized by fisheries surveillance vessel (KP), Hiu Macan Tutul 002, when it was performing illegal fishing activities and had caught fish worth over 45 tons," the Director General of Marine Resources and Fisheries (PSDKP) of MMAF, Asep Burhanuddin, said in written statement here Tuesday.

Burhanuddin explained that the Vietnam-flagged vessel with number KM BV 9980 TS and weighing 85 gross tonnage (GT) was arrested in the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEEI), around Natuna, Riau Islands, on September 12, 2015 at around 8:05 pm.

He also revealed that the vessel was caught fishing in the Regional Fisheries Management of the Republic of Indonesia (WPP-NRI) without the necessary permits from the Government of Indonesia.

In addition, the vessel was also using prohibited fishing gear that could damage marine resources and fisheries, such as pair trawl.

During the arrest, officers also secured evidence in the form of the vessel with number KM. BV 9980 TS, one radio SSB communication tool, a GPS navigation tool, one unit wet compass, and 45,000 kg of various varieties of fish.

The six Vietnam crew members along with the evidence were escorted to the Unit PSDKP Natuna to face further prosecution.

The Vietnam vessel was suspected of violating Article 93 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 27 (2) of Law No. 45 of 2009 on amendments to the Law No. 31 of 2004 on Fisheries.

The punishment for such a crime can invite maximum imprisonment of six years and a fine of up to Rp20 billion.

Burhanuddin added that the Directorate General PSDKP has conducted legal proceedings against 103 perpetrators illegal fishing during 2015.

The number of illegal fishing vessels comprise 55 foreign vessels and 48 Indonesians. The foreign ships were 36 Vietnamese vessels, eight from the Philippines, six from Malaysia, and five from Thailand.(*)

Minister urges using a range of laws to deal with illegal fishing
Antara 17 Sep 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesias Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Susi Pudjiastuti has urged law enforcers to implement all relevant laws to end the practice of illegal fishing in the country.

"The shortcomings in the fisheries law must be covered by enforcing other relevant laws," she said here on Thursday, referring to legislation such as the Shipping Law, the Corruption Law, the Manpower Law and the Customs Law.

She said implementation of these laws would shore up efforts to end not only illegal fishing but also other related crimes.

She said it was important to arrest illegal fish poachers, act against corporations which are the masterminds behind such activity and make it difficult for the perpetrators to escape the force of law.

She said she believed that strong action would act as a deterrent against fish poachers.

The minister said several steps have been taken to tackle the poaching menace, and would continue to be taken, including enforcement of the administrative law under which the fishing business licenses of 15 companies have been revoked so far.

Other administrative law enforcement measures taken by her office included revoking the fish catching licenses of 208 ships and fish shipping licenses of 26 ships.

With regard to criminal law enforcement, Minister Susi said she also took action against 18 big fishing companies.

Based on the data of the Directorate General of Fisheries and Marine Resource Surveillance, a total of 94 cases have been handled so far, involving 52 foreign fishing ships and 42 illegal Indonesian fishing ships.

Of the 52 foreign ships, 33 carried the Vietnamese flag, eight the Philippine flag, six carried the Malaysian flag and five had a Thai flag.(*)


Indonesian military adds two thousand personnel to guard Natuna waters
Antara 16 Sep 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian military will deploy two thousand personnel to guard the waters of Natuna, Riau Islands, according to Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu.

"The number of military personnel will be increased," Ryacudu noted here on Wednesday.

The military personnel will comprise the Air Forces Special Forces (Paskhas), the Indonesian Marine Corps, and the Armys Raiders.

"Natuna will be protected by one company of the Paskhas along with two companies of the Marine Corps and Armys Raiders," he remarked.

In addition, security in the border areas in Merauke, Maluku, and Tarakan, among others, will be strengthened in terms of the primary weaponry defense system (Alutsista) and military personnel.

Meanwhile, the defense ministry will give a briefing to the community in Natuna on defending the country.

As a result, the people will love and defend their country.

"This is a border area. The people should be made aware on how to defend the country. They should be trained," he emphasized.

Bukit Barisan Military Commander Major General Lodewyk Pusung stated that Natuna, as the northernmost island of Indonesia, should be secured with the deployment of additional troops and defense equipment.

"Natuna is only guarded by two companies of the Armys Raiders comprising 270 personnel," he added.(*)

Read more!

Rampant plunder of Myanmar timber

Environmental body presses China to curb illegal imports as mountains are sold for gold
Nirmal Ghosh Straits Times 18 Sep 15;

China has been urged to tighten controls on rampant illegal timber imports across its over 2,000 km-long border with Myanmar.

Myanmar's restive northern Kachin state on China's border is being plundered by timber traders who buy entire mountains, paying sometimes in gold bars, and are decimating the country's forests in one of the largest cross-border illegal timber flows in the world amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Timber is also being sourced from deeper inside Myanmar, says a 24-page report on the Myanmar-China illegal timber trade, released yesterday in Beijing by the Britain-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).

"Kachin and Yunnan province in China are at the heart of trade but stolen timber is increasingly being sourced from deeper within Myanmar to feed factories in south and east China," says the report - a product of several investigative trips in the area since 2012.

"The bulk of the timber moving across the border is now high-value species of rosewood and teak."

Most timber entering neighbouring Yunnan province is either cut in or transported through Kachin. It is facilitated by a complex web of warlords, intermediaries, officials and business people.

"All parties profit… from shady Chinese businesses paying in gold bars for the rights to log entire mountains to the official corruption which allows the timber to pass through various checkpoints," the report says.

In theory, Myanmar's legal framework and tracing system for timber are sound, the EIA said. But in reality, Naypyitaw has little or no control over vast swathes of border states. For example, the military controls only around 60 per cent of Kachin. The rest is controlled by various armed groups, which levy taxes on trade passing through their territory. These illegal armed groups grant logging rights, which are not recognised under national law.

The kingpins of the trade are a handful of wealthy and well-connected local business people from both sides of the border, some of whom are named in the report.

The trade is an irritant in Myanmar-China relations. The report cited Myanmar government officials complaining that China did not do enough to stop the trade.

In January this year, Myanmar's army raided an illegal logging operation in Kachin, arresting 155 Chinese loggers who in July were given long jail sentences. The arrests were seen as a warning signal to both the Kachin armed groups and the Chinese logging groups. But the detainees were freed only days later as part of a wider annual presidential pardon, and back-room negotiations with China.

The Greater Mekong subregion, comprising Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, is projected to lose a cumulative 30 million ha of forest by 2030, mostly to illegal logging, commercial plantation, agriculture and urban infrastructure development.

Myanmar alone lost 1.7 million ha of forest cover between 2001 and 2013. Regardless of its origin or where it crosses into China, once timber enters China, it is considered legal for trade and distribution provided all entry taxes have been paid.

The Yunnan authorities have periodically imposed curbs from 2006. But "by 2013, trade in timber products between Myanmar and China reached a record level of 1.7 million cubic metres, worth US$621 million'', the EIA revealed.

A meeting between Myanmar and Chinese forestry officials on Sept 24 presents an opportunity to tighten controls, the EIA observed. China as the main market, must prohibit import of timber deemed illegal by the Myanmar government, and investigate corrupt business groups, the EIA urged.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 17 Sep 15

10 October (Sat) morning: Free guided walk at Chek Jawa Boardwalk
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

From Mandai to Bukit Panjang
Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature

Grey-rumped Treeswift at Bishan Park: 2. Brooding to Fledging
Bird Ecology Study Group

History Channel – 10 Things You Don’t Know About Singapore by Very!
Neo Mei Lin

Video by Raffles Girls’ School on the cruelty behind kopi luwak
Project LUWAK SG

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Cloud seeding rumours are 'false, malicious': MEWR Minister Vivian Balakrishnan

The National Environment Agency does not engage in cloud seeding and has no plans to do so, said Minister for Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
Channel NewsAsia 17 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE: Rumours that cloud seeding is taking place to induce rain ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix are false, Minister for Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said.

Addressing a WhatsApp message that has been making the rounds in Singapore, Dr Balakrishnan posted on Facebook on Thursday (Sep 17): “The National Environment Agency does not engage in cloud seeding and has no plans to do so. Singapore is so small that even if anybody tried to do it, the rain would almost certainly fall outside Singapore.”

He added: “Singaporeans should beware of malicious people spreading false rumours during a period when anxieties are heightened.”

The original WhatsApp message called for people to be wary of what it claimed were “chemically-induced rain showers”, purportedly meant to reduce haze levels in light of the coming Formula 1 race, which will be held on roads in Singapore’s Civic District from Sep 18 to 20.



Singapore has been blanketed by haze caused by forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia. The 3-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hit two-year highs earlier in September, with readings crossing 200. They have dipped below 100 in the past two days.

AIR QUALITY TO REMAIN MODERATE: NEA

In an advisory released on Thursday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that hazy conditions in Singapore have eased further as prevailing winds continue to blow from the southeast. As at 1pm, the 24-hour PSI was 76 to 96, in the Moderate range.

For the next 12 hours, the 24-hour PSI is expected to be in the high end of the Moderate range, but may enter the low end of the Unhealthy range if unfavourable winds blow in haze from Sumatra, the agency added.

NEA reiterated that the health impact of the haze is dependent on a person's health status, the PSI level, and the length and intensity of outdoor activity.

"Reducing outdoor activities and physical exertion can help limit the ill effects from haze exposure," said the NEA. "Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, healthy persons should reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion."

"The elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion," NEA added.

- CNA/av


NEA does not engage in cloud seeding: Vivian Balakrishnan
Today Online 17 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE — The National Environment Agency (NEA) does not engage in cloud seeding and has no plans to do so, said Minister for Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan today (Sept 17), refuting rumours that cloud seeding is being carried out by the Government.

“Singapore is so small that even if anybody tried to do it, the rain would almost certainly fall outside Singapore,” he said in a Facebook post.

The post included a screenshot of a Whatsapp message that claimed the Government was conducting cloud seeding to alleviate the haze due to the upcoming Formula 1 race, which starts this Friday. The message, which claimed to be from a “friend working in NEA”, urged people to stay away from “chemically induced rain showers”.

“You may have seen this making the rounds,” said Dr Balakrishan, referring to the Whatsapp message. “It is untrue.”

He stated: “Singaporeans should beware of malicious people spreading false rumours during a period when anxieties are heightened.”

The NEA also addressed the rumour on its website, saying the claims are untrue.

Cloud seeding attempts to artificially induce rain by implanting clouds with suitable particles. In Singapore, the NEA said,there are no reliable means to validate the effectiveness of cloud seeding.

"Cloud seeding also requires existing clouds as it cannot generate rain out of thin and dry air. During dry seasons, cloud seeding is less effective due to the lack of suitable clouds for seeding," said the NEA.

Singapore has been choked in haze recently due to smoke from forest fires in Indonesia, with the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) breaching the 200-mark on several occasions. Over the last few days, the 24-hour PSI showed air quality in the unhealthy range (101-200).

Hazy conditions eased today with the 24-hr PSI at 76-96, in the moderate range (51-100), at 1pm.

According to the NEA’s 1pm update, the 24-hour PSI for the next 12 hours is expected to be in the high end of the moderate range but may enter the low end of the unhealthy range if unfavourable winds blow in haze from Sumatra.


NEA scotches rumour of cloud seeding for F1 weekend
NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 18 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE — Debunking a rumour that the authorities are doing cloud seeding to reduce the impact of the haze on the Formula One race this weekend, the National Environment Agency has said no cloud seeding by the Singapore Government has been done, nor are there plans to carry it out.

The rumour is untrue, said the NEA and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan. “Singapore is so small that even if anybody tried to do it, the rain would almost certainly fall outside Singapore. Singaporeans should beware of malicious people spreading false rumours during a period when anxieties are heightened,” wrote Dr Balakrishnan on Facebook today (Sept 17) as the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) shifted into the moderate range.

At 11pm today, the 24-hour PSI was 69 to 79 and the PM2.5 level was 36 to 47 microgrammes per cubic metre, an improvement over previous days when air quality hovered largely in the unhealthy range. The improvement was due to prevailing winds blowing from the south-east.

The NEA said in an update at 6pm today that the haze has been reduced over central and southern Sumatra, but some haze from Kalimantan has spread westward to the South China Sea east of Singapore.

The 24-hour PSI for tomorrow is likely to be moderate to unhealthy. The prevailing winds today are expected to blow from the east or south-east and occasional hazy conditions can be expected if there is unfavourable wind, said the agency.

Earlier this week, haze from Sumatra was blown in by winds from the south and south-west because of a tropical storm in the South China Sea that shifted wind direction.

On its website, the NEA said there is no reliable way to assess if cloud seeding — which requires the existence of suitable clouds for seeding — is effective for Singapore. “The small size of Singapore and the variability of winds also mean that the induced rain, if any, may not fall directly over our island,” it said.

The NEA also tackled an observation by some members of the public that the PSI does not reflect low visibility and a burning smell during certain periods of time. The measurements of six pollutants — particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide — determine the PSI, it said. When there is a burnt smell in the air, the six pollutants may not be the cause, said the NEA, which also monitors other parameters that affect air quality. At a media briefing on Tuesday, the authorities said visibility could be affected by humidity.

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Subsidies for haze-related conditions kick in

Re-activated on Wednesday, the subsidies are part of a Government scheme first launched in 2013 to provide affordable healthcare for needy Singaporeans during the haze season then.
Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 16 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE: From Wednesday (Sep 16), eligible Singaporeans can enjoy subsidies when they see a doctor for haze-related conditions.

It is part of a Government scheme which was first launched in 2013 to provide affordable healthcare for needy Singaporeans during the haze season then. The scheme has now been re-activated due to the worsening haze situation.

As of Wednesday afternoon, about 10 patients have already enjoyed the subsidies at Medlife Clinic & Surgery.

"Some patients knew about the scheme already but some still did not know about this scheme, so ... the staff informed the patients about this Haze Subsidy Scheme, that they can use it, especially those needy patients or patients who are eligible," said Dr Joel Foo, a family physician at the clinic.

The clinic has put up print-outs with information on the scheme and will also put up posters.

Patients can receive the subsidies at all polyclinics, as well as clinics under the Public Health Preparedness Clinics scheme, which aims to help patients get treatment even in times of emergency. Clinic staff also undergo training and will receive support from the Ministry of Health during such public health emergencies, including supplies such as medication and vaccines.

Conditions covered include asthma, bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections. Public Assistance cardholders are also fully subsidised and do not have to pay. Pioneers will pay no more than S$5, while other eligible Singaporeans will pay no more than S$10. The Ministry of Health will subsidise the remaining costs.

Those eligible include children and youths aged 18 and below, as well as seniors aged 65 and above. Also eligible are those earning a monthly income of $1,800 and below, based on self-declaration using an official form.

The scheme will also benefit Singaporeans on Government schemes such as the Community Health Assist Scheme.

SCHEME WELL-RECEIVED

Many have welcomed the news. Ms Nancy Loh, a retiree, said it "helps to cut down on our medical costs".

"In a family, because of the haze, some of them may fall sick, which also involves a lot of money," she said.

Ms Rachel Ng, a medical representative, noted: "Most grandparents are very thrifty, they don't really want to spend a lot of money. So if they know that it's just S$5, they will - if let's say it's just a slight irritation in their eye - just go down to the nearest GP and get it treated."

Danish Ashraff, a student, commented: "If I get affected by the haze, I can go down to the doctor alone without my parents and can pay with my own pocket money."

While Ms Fioe Chia, a sales manager in the medical industry, said: "I have three young children. So with this haze subsidy, I definitely will not procrastinate, I will take them immediately (to the doctor) if they do come down with any illness."

For more information on the scheme, the public can visit the Health Ministry's website.

- CNA/ek

Haze management plans in place during national exams: MOE
All schools have enclosed spaces for candidates to take their papers in and air purifiers will also be provided so that the examinations will not need to be disrupted, should haze conditions worsen drastically says the Education Ministry.
Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 16 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE: With the GCE 'N' levels ongoing and GCE 'O' levels coming up later this month, the Ministry of Education said schools are prepared in terms of dealing with the haze.

In response to media queries, MOE on Wednesday (Sep 16) said the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB)'s haze management measures for national examinations are aligned with MOE's plans for schools, and that schools have already been briefed.

"For national examinations, all schools have enclosed spaces for all candidates to take their papers in. Air purifiers will also be provided so that the examinations will not need to be disrupted, should haze conditions worsen drastically during the period of the examination," said a spokesperson for MOE.

The Education Ministry added that there are already processes in place for candidates who are ill during the national examinations. The same procedure will be activated for students who are unable to take examinations due to haze-related illnesses, MOE said.

MOE said should it announce school closure for all primary and secondary schools - if the forecast air quality for the next day indicates that it would be at a Hazardous level (above 300 in the Pollutants Standard Index) - national examinations, including written papers, oral and listening comprehension examinations, will be rescheduled and examination periods possibly extended.

The announcement on rescheduling of examinations would be made together with any announcement by MOE on school closures. School candidates will be informed through their schools, while private candidates will be informed by SEAB, MOE said.

It added: "The well-being of all students is our key priority. Every primary and secondary school has in place a set of haze management plans and is ready to take the appropriate management measures as required As part of MOE’s haze management measures, all schools are already equipped with air purifiers and sufficient enclosed spaces to cater to all students."

- CNA/dl

Haze supplies: 30,000 households to get WeCare PAcks, 29,000 masks for needy elderly
Launching the initiatives, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong guided senior citizens in Teck Ghee on the correct way to wear the masks.
Xabryna Kek and Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia 16 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE: As air quality in Singapore continues to deteriorate, 30,000 vulnerable households in all will receive haze packages containing items like eyedrops and canned food.

The initiative, spearheaded by the People’s Association, was launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday (Sep 16) who distributed the packs to elderly residents in Teck Ghee.

WeCare PAcks, as they are called, contain food and essential items like eyedrops, vitamin C tablets, biscuits, instant noodles and canned food.

The campaign was first launched in 2013 after the haze reached hazardous levels in Singapore. “Based on our last experience in 2013, elderly residents who live alone, or needy residents with respiratory conditions found it difficult to go out to buy essential items during haze. We have to help them out,” said Ms Noelene De Foe, chairperson of Teck Ghee Community Centre Management Committee.

The items were donated by local businesses and the FairPrice Foundation, which will be donating about S$500,000 worth of food and items thorough this initiative, according to FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng.


Prime Minister Lee also kicked off distribution of AIR+ Smart Masks to 29,000 elderly residents, aged 60 and above living in rental flats. The mask can be attached to a microventilator that will be available at 60 senior activity centres islandwide. All this is courtesy of a S$300,000 initiative by Temasek Cares and ST Engineering.

Mr Lee gave out masks to 100 seniors living in Ang Mo Kio at the COMNET@ Teck Ghee Senior Activity Centre and even showed the residents how to put the masks on properly.

Said Chairman of Temasek Cares, Richard Magnus: "The impact of the haze is unhealthy and we don't want our senior citizens to be impacted by the haze so much so that they don't do everyday things, daily things and especially missing out their medical appointments."

This initiative is part of the Temasek Cares "Stay Prepared" initiative to enhance the readiness of the Singapore community to cope with emergencies.

The People's Association will also be designating some air-conditioned areas in CCs and RCs as haze shelters. This will be done whenever the Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) readings hit 151 and above for a prolonged period.

The shelters' opening hours correspond to the operating hours of the CCs and RCs. PA says hours will be extended if the haze reaches the Hazardous stage, above 300 in PSI.

- CNA/xk


Face masks, supplies given to the vulnerable to cope with haze
Distribution expected to be completed within a week, with most vulnerable households receiving them by this weekend
AMANDA LEE Today Online 17 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE — The distribution of 30,000 WeCare packs to help the vulnerable prepare for the haze began in earnest today (Sept 16) with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong kicking things off in his Teck Ghee ward.

An initiative by the People’s Association (PA), the WeCare pack comprises an N95 mask and other food and medical supplies, such as instant noodles, biscuits, instant beverages, canned food, Vitamin C tablets and eyedrops. The distribution is expected to be completed within a week, with the majority of vulnerable households receiving them by this weekend, said PA chief executive director Ang Hak Seng today. These vulnerable households include elderly who live alone, immobile residents and seniors with medical conditions.

Aside from the WeCare packs, Temasek Cares and ST Engineering are handing out 87,000 AIR+ Smart Masks — created by an ST Engineering subsidiary — to vulnerable elderly to protect them from the haze.

Under the S$300,000 initiative, a total of 29,000 elderly who are at least 60 years old and are living in an HDB rental flat will be eligible to receive a set of three AIR+ Smart Masks each.

A total of 110 WeCare packs were distributed today at Comnet @ Teck Ghee Senior Activity Centre in Ang Mo Kio, with PM Lee, who is Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, helping some of the elderly try the N95 masks on. He also visited two households personally to distribute the WeCare packs.

Sixty-year-old Mr Abbas Zainal, who lives with his younger sister, was one of those who received the pack from PM Lee. Saying he was thankful for the gesture, Mr Abbas added that he wears a mask whenever he heads out of his house to protect himself from the haze.

The AIR+ Smart Masks, meanwhile, will also be given out to 60 senior activity centres islandwide by this weekend. Aside from the masks, which are locally designed and come in sizes also suitable for children, Temasek Cares and ST Engineering are also giving out 6,000 Micro Ventilators. These detachable and rechargeable devices can be attached to the mask to help aid breathing. They will be available for loan from the senior activity centres.

Mr Richard Magnus, the chairman of Temasek Cares, which is the philanthropic arm of Temasek Holdings, said these masks and ventilators will help the seniors citizens who are “especially vulnerable” as the haze is at unhealthy levels.

ST Engineering deputy CEO (Corporate Development) Vincent Chong said: “In designing the AIR+ Smart Mask, we focused our efforts on a new generation mask that provides better seal protection for all ages (while improving) breathing comfort.”

Help for households, seniors to cope with haze
Audrey Tan, Priscilla Goy, Seow Bei Yi, Straits Times AsiaOne 17 Sep 15;

Nearly 60,000 households and senior citizens will get equipment to cope with the haze, as air quality remained in the unhealthy range for most of yesterday.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong kicked off two nationwide distribution exercises that will provide items such as N95 masks and eyedrops to those who need them to combat the haze.

First, he distributed special N95 masks to about 100 seniors at a senior activity centre in Ang Mo Kio, as part of a $300,000 initiative by Temasek Cares - the non-profit, philanthropic arm of Temasek Holdings - and home-grown engineering firm ST Engineering.

The AIR+ Smart Masks are N95 masks that come in three sizes, designed by ST Engineering subsidiary Innosparks.

They can also be fitted with a detachable and rechargeable ventilator that improves air flow through the mask and makes them more comfortable.

About 29,000 masks and 6,000 micro ventilators will be distributed to the 60 senior activity centres across Singapore by the weekend.

Mr Lee also launched the distribution of the People's Association (PA) WeCare PAcks, which will go to 30,000 vulnerable households, mainly seniors and residents with medical conditions who live alone.

Each pack comes with items, such as N95 masks and instant noodles, donated by FairPrice Foundation and the local business community.

PA chief executive director Ang Hak Seng said that after Singapore experienced its worst haze two years ago, the PA updated its database to make sure vulnerable residents would receive the help they need.

The packs will be distributed within a week.

Air quality in Singapore was slightly better yesterday than it has been for much of the week, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hovering in the low end of the unhealthy range.

The National Environment Agency has said wind direction could change tomorrow, which would ease the haze.

Non-governmental groups and individuals are also playing a part.

Environmental group World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore, working with volunteer group People's Movement to Stop Haze and the non-government Singapore Institute of International Affairs, has started a campaign to raise awareness of the haze.

Volunteers were in places such as Orchard Road to distribute masks, and encourage people to switch to brands that use sustainable palm oil, grown without hurting wildlife or cutting primary and high-conservation-value forests.

Another group, Stand Up For Our Singapore, started a crowdfunding drive on Monday night to raise funds to buy air filters and air purifiers for the low-income elderly in North Bridge Road.

Over $4,000 was raised within the first 24 hours.

Read more!

No panic despite hazy skies

Hariz Baharudin, The New Paper AsiaOne 17 Sep 15;

When the haze was at its worst in 2013, she took no chances and rushed to buy face masks, collecting more than 200 of them for her family and friends.

This time, however, piano teacher Ng Siew In, 65, is not rushing to get them any more. She still has about 100 masks at home.

Said Madam Ng: "I'm glad that the haze is not as bad as the last time. But it is still unhealthy, and I am still not taking any chances."

Since 2013 when the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) peaked at the "hazardous" level of 401, many Singaporeans like Madam Ng have made early preparations.

Polytechnic student Daryl Kiang Jun, 19, whose family also has stock of unused masks, said they were not worried, although he has a history of asthma

Mr Kiang said: "The haze makes it harder to breathe because my airway will constrict a bit, but it won't trigger my asthma unless I'm already coughing. I am not too worried but I try to avoid going outdoors."

According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), the three-hour PSI at 9pm yesterday reached a two-year high of 249.

The NEA haze microsite was even down for about half an hour from 8.15pm, due to "heavy traffic" as Singaporeans went online to check the PSI.

An NEA spokesman apologised for the inconvenience.

Face mask distributors told The New Paper that demand is not as high as in 2013 when the N95 masks were sold out in mid-June before retailers got new stocks.

Gin Huat Industrial Suppliers and QSS Safety Products told TNP they still have stocks of the 3M brand of N95 masks.

QSS customer service officer Susan Hong said: "We have stockpiled since the shortage two years ago."

This has kept the cost of the masks stable as well. QSS is selling masks at $28 for a box of 20. In 2013, the same box was sold for as high as $42.

Retailers also said that they had ample stocks. Pharmacist John Leow said: "People have stocked up and there is less panic."

But experts said this does not mean that the haze is to be taken lightly.

Sociologist Tan Ern Ser said that while people have got used to the haze, it could still be a problem.

He added: "Beyond a certain threshold, people may become worried again, especially if the haze directly affects the people around them."

The haze has also caused an uptick in flu cases.

General practitioner at MW Medical Centre Dr Madeline Chew said that she has been seeing an increase in patients with flu or flu-like symptoms over the past few weeks.

She said: "The haze is a contributory reason but the flu virus is also rather prevalent this year. A combination of the two results in a rise in the number of flu cases".

Madam Ng said she and her family will continue to wear the face masks.

She said: "Back then (in 2013) it was really horrible. The haze caused me to be depressed because I could not even go out."

harizbah@sph.com.sg

- Additional reporting by Melanie Heng, Seow Yun Rong and Siti Nur Aisha Omar

Organiser of F1 race keeping close watch on haze

The organiser of the Formula One's Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix has stressed that it is ready to deal with the haze.

A spokesman told media that it has been closely monitoring the situation in case it worsens as race day looms.

The Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled to be held from Friday to Sunday.

A spokesman told The Straits Times: "In the event that the haze causes visibility, public health or operational issues, Singapore GP would work closely with the relevant agencies before making any collective decisions regarding the event."

The night race at the Singapore Grand Prix is the 13th race of the 2015 season.

World champion Lewis Hamilton is currently holding a comfortable 53-point lead over Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in the drivers' standings.

Tourists make the best of visit to Singapore despite haze
MARISSA YEO Today Online 17 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE — They came to Singapore expecting clear blue skies and tropical sunshine, but were greeted instead by a gloomy grey landscape and the smell of smoke in the air.

Mr Jason Officer, 42, who came from Las Vegas to Singapore with his wife to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, was disheartened by the haze that has plagued Singapore for over a week now, and the couple has adjusted some of their holiday plans. Instead of sightseeing outdoors, they are turning to indoor attractions.

“We were expecting a feast for our eyes, but the weather turned out to be gloomy. We really wanted to go to the beach to suntan and dine at the top of Marina Bay Sands, but I guess we have to skip it cause of the haze,” Mr Officer said while walking along the Fullerton Bay area. The couple expects to enjoy the Formula 1 race as planned, but Mr Officer added: “We are more concerned for the drivers’ safety as it is very important during the race.”

With the hazy conditions, tourists in Singapore are gamely making the best of their time here while staving off the occasional eye, throat and nose irritations — common haze-induced conditions.

Mr Keith Dasmarinas, 35, from the Philippines, who was at Orchard Road, said the haze has caused some irritation to his eyes, and he may stay indoors or purchase masks if the haze worsens. However, he felt the situation was relatively tolerable compared to air quality in his hometown. “I am quite immune to this as the Philippines is also experiencing air pollution from vehicles,” he said.

Another tourist, Ms Ada Dyke, 23, from Nigeria, who was at the Fullerton Bay area with her husband and two-year-old son, said she has experienced difficulties breathing and has caught the flu. However, compared to Kuala Lumpur — the family’s stop before Singapore — she felt the conditions here were an improvement. “We came from Malaysia and the air here is so much better. In Malaysia, it was really painful to take in the air or even swallow. But, if the haze worsens, I may be staying indoors as I have a child with me,” she said.

Others were happy to carry on with their plans despite the discomfort brought on by the haze. Ms Caroline Hutterer, 21, a tourist from Germany travelling with her family, said they would visit Singapore’s outdoor offerings as planned. “The haze doesn’t affect us (for now). We will still have our (fair share) of exploring indoor and outdoor attractions such as Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay.”

An Australian tourist, Mr Ricky Charylo, 64, who was at Orchard Road, said he was only spending three days here. Noting that the haze has been an annual problem, he added: “It is horrible needing to think of it and knowing that nothing much is done in Indonesia to put a stop to it every year.”

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