Malaysia: Fishermen in Manjung suffering, no thanks to pollution

SYLVIA LOOI New Straits Times 23 Nov 15;

IPOH: The livelihood of some 500 fishermen at Lekir, Manjung have been affected following worsening pollution there.

Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) president S. M. Mohamed Idris said the problem has been ongoing for the past 10 years.

"The pollution originates from factory waste and waste from prawn-breeding ponds," he claimed.

Idris said a check by CAP found that fisheries located between one nautical to eight nautical miles were in danger of being extinct due to pollution.

"Besides low supply of fishes and prawns, it is also becoming increasingly difficult to get crab, seashells and clams," he said in a statement here today.

He claimed that the dwindling supply of sea food was due to the deforestation of mangrove forests. "The mangrove forests have been removed for the prawn-breeding project," he said.

Idris said that in the past, before pollution had set in, fishermen could get between 50kg and 60kg of seafood daily.

"Now, they are lucky to get between 4kg and 5kg daily," he said.

CAP, said Idris, urged Department of Environment and Fisheries Department to take immediate action to arrest the slide in seafood production.

"The state government and Fisheries Department should also carry out a detailed study on seafood produce from Sungai Teluk Tiga to Koyan which had seen thousands of hectares of mangrove forest destroyed for prawn-breeding projects," he added.

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Malaysia: RM3.2bil in imported veggies and fruits eaten a year

MARTIN CARVALHO, RAHIMY RAHIM, andLOSHANA K SHAGAR The Star 24 Nov 15;

MALAYSIANS consume almost RM3.2bil worth of imported vegetables and fruits a year although homegrown supplies are at a self-sufficient level.

“We imported RM884mil worth of tropical vegetables and fruits and RM2.34bil worth from countries with temperate climates,” said Deputy Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.

This was the case despite the nation being at a safe and secure level where homegrown agriculture produce is concerned, he said.

“Although we continue to import vegetables and fruits, we are at 89.9% self-sufficient,” he noted.

Tajuddin acknowledged that the country was forced to import certain vegetables, such as large onions from China, dry chillies from India and sawi from Indonesia.

“These vegetables cannot be grown locally due to our soil condition and climate,” he explained in his answer to Datuk Norah Abd Rahman (BN-Tanjung Manis).

The Government, said Tajuddin, was looking at utilising some 120,000ha of idle land to further boost cultivation of local vegetables.

Meanwhile, Deputy Higher Education Minister Mary Yap in reply to M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat), said an image of the electronic greeting for US President Barack Obama on the highway gantry last Friday, which went viral online, did not reflect a declining state of English in the country.

She said there were success stories in regards to the language, including when the Malaysian teams emerged as champions in one of the world’s most competitive tournaments, the Cambridge inter-varsity debating competition.

The electronic message was: “Welcome to the President of USA Barack Obama”.

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How to save Indonesia’s life-supporting forests

Edi Purwanto and Soren Moestrup, Jakarta Post 23 Nov 15;

Once again, catastrophic forest and land fires in Indonesia have become a hot issue in the national and international press. Haze from Sumatra to Papua has been creating massive problems in Indonesia and in its neighboring countries.

While billions of US dollars have been spent to mitigate the calamity, it was proven that the only effective way of curbing these disasters was natural rainfall. Rainfall has once again acted as the solution to the haze problem.

However, during other seasons of the year, rainfall creates massive problems. The consistently predictable disasters that occur during the dry and wet seasons have exhausted the Indonesian government. It is becoming more difficult for the government to develop the nation and make its people prosperous.

Pristine tropical rainforest is normally only possible to be set alight during extreme dry seasons because tropical rainforests are the wettest terrestrial ecosystem in the world. Peat forest ecosystems comprise 80 to 90 percent water. Rivers originating from forested catchment areas can maintain their stream flow during long dry seasons.

Tropical forest is known as the best soil cover for maintaining mineral soil integrity against highly kinetic tropical rain. Due to its multilayer cover, tropical forests can infiltrate rain water reaching the forest floor.

Tropical forests can stimulate water recharge processes and control soil erosion, sedimentation, landslides and flood hazards. Furthermore, forests act as homes for biodiversity, carbon stock and sequestration and for the production of commodities to support the livelihood of local people living in and around the forest. Due to its multi-ecosystem function, forests in the tropics are often referred to as “life supporting systems”.

The fire, haze and flood disasters that occur regularly in Indonesia are symptoms of poor natural resource governance, especially forest governance. The only way to curb these annual and predictable disasters is by improving forest and natural resource governance.

One might ask: Is this impossible? The answer is no as long as natural forests are seen as commodities and the forestry sector is treated in the same way as other sectors that contribute to state revenues.
_______________________

It is unrealistic when the ministry still claims that state forest areas cover 128.3 million hectares.

It is the time to redefine the role of the Indonesian forestry sector. The forestry sector must be seen as one that contributes to national development. Often, economic contributions are simply translated into cash contributions in terms of Rupiah or US dollars, while intangible benefits that work to prevent economic and opportunity loss, public service failure and health problems resulting from environmental disasters, are often neglected.

The forestry sector should not only be judged solely by the cash contribution it makes to the state budget. The forestry sector should focus on protecting forests as an environmental safeguard or natural form of infrastructure against fire, haze, flood, landslides and other manmade disasters. While fulfilling all of these functions, forests can also support sustainable livelihoods for people living within and around the forest.

We are in a state of crisis. Time is running out and there is no more time to play games. The commitment to protecting the remaining forest ecosystems in Indonesia should be rooted in an honest and sincere spirit. It’s not just about improving the nation’s image or gaining international recognition. Saving the forest is no longer a choice. It is a necessity. We absolutely must save the country’s natural resources for the life and prosperity of current and future generations.

Three actions need to take place.

First, the Environment and Forestry Ministry needs to revise the realm of state forest areas that reflects real and actual forest cover. It is unrealistic when the ministry still claims that state forest areas cover 128.3 million hectares. In 2013, Forest Watch Indonesia reported that out of 128.3 million ha, only 82 million Ha were actually covered with forest. The ministry should focus on the remaining 82 million ha. It is unreasonable to claim that forests cover more than 70 percent of the country’s terrestrial area. First, it does not correspond to reality and second, it will expand the responsibility of the ministrybeyond its capabilities.

During fire and haze disaster, the ministry was always the only ministry held responsible for tackling the problem. The underlining causes meanwhile, are multi-faceted. To help combat this problem, the ministry should remove non-forested landscapes from state forest areas. By limiting the size of state forests to areas that still hold forest cover, the tasks and responsibilities of the ministry will be much reduced. It is hoped that with this reduction in workload, the quality of forest governance can be enhanced. The key duty of the ministry is to safeguard the remaining forested landscapes.

Second, all primary forests and peatlands presently under moratorium (Presidential Instruction No. 8/2015) should be turned into conservation areas.

Third, the ministry should transform the existing cultural system operating in the country by returning the working areas of most of its officials to the field. Foresters should be back in the forest. The focus of their work should be on restoring the degraded forest and safeguarding the remaining forests as life-supporting systems.
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Edi Purwanto is Tropenbos International Indonesia program director and Soren Moestrup is a senior adviser at department of geosciences and natural resource management, forest, nature and biomass at the University of Copenhagen.

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Indonesia urged to conserve 10 endangered bird species

thejakartapost.com 23 Nov 15;

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed ten Indonesian birds as endangered species on Sunday, adding that immediate conservation efforts are urgently needed.

The endangered species are Nias hill myna (Gracula robusta), black-winged starling (Acridotheres melanopterus), pied myna (Gracupica contra), Bali myna (Leucopsar rothschildi), Medan white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), straw-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus), Javan green magpie (Cissa thalassina), Rufous-fronted laughingthrush (garrulax rufifrons), Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) and Anis (Crotophaga ani).

"There are only two to three Nias myna birds in the wild of Nias Island and there are only four to five of them in captivity. They are very rare," Tony Sumampau, director of privately owned zoo Taman Safari Indonesia said as quoted by tempo.co.

Tony said the decline in the bird population was caused by the widespread capturing of the birds that gradually hampered the species' ability to reproduce, and would, in the long run, lead them to extinction.

Tony said birds captured in the wild were sold at bird markets, where 60 percent of them died before being sold. He said that no more than 20 percent of birds survived the market.

"Many of the birds die after 1 to 2 days at the buyer's place. Transporting them to the bird markets causes them [to suffer from] stress," he said.

He suggested that in order to prevent the birds from going extinct, conservation efforts should be carried out near the birds' natural habitat. An example of conservation activities, he said, was a local breeder of Anis birds in a regency in Denpasar, Bali. The facility was located in the birds' natural habitat, he added, which allowed the breeder to breed and sell specimens, although only in limited numbers.

Such attempts would help maintain Anis bird populations in their own habitat, he said, while the breeder may also sell the birds. (afr/rin)(+)

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Philippines wrestles with climate dilemma

David Shukman BBC 23 Nov 15;

A developing country dubbed one of the most vulnerable to climate change has confirmed controversial plans for more coal-fired power stations.
The president of the Philippines has told the BBC the new coal plants are needed to meet demands for energy.

This comes despite environmental groups and some leading Filipino politicians arguing that coal is one of the biggest contributors to global warming.
Coal emits more greenhouse gas than any other fossil fuel.

And climate scientists have long concluded that burning more coal will undermine efforts to limit the rise in temperatures.

But many developing countries, facing rapid increases in population and surging economic growth, see coal as a relatively cheap option, which is why the Philippines is planning a total of 23 new coal plants.

China, India and other fast-growing Asian economies also have plans for hundreds of new coal power stations.

The dilemma of how developing countries should generate electricity - and whether they should follow the path of the nations which industrialised first and became rich using coal - will loom large at the UN summit on climate change in Paris starting next week.

For the Philippines, coal currently generates about 42% of the country's electricity, with the rest coming from locally-sourced natural gas and renewables, but coal's share could potentially rise to about 70% in a few decades, according to some projections.

Speaking to the BBC, President Benigno Aquino said that reducing the use of coal in favour of gas, a popular choice for many, was not an option because of a lack of gas-importing facilities.

And he said that while the Philippines had increased the share of renewables, costs had limited their appeal until recently.

With solar, he said, "the price was considered too high so that it would bring up all of the electricity rates which would make us not competitive and will hamper the growth."

His concern is that higher power prices would "raise a hue and cry from our people about very high electricity rates which are at points in time the highest in the region".

The costs of solar had now fallen, Mr Aquino said, but that still left the problem of the intermittent nature of renewables, which he then chose to spell out.

"For instance, if we go to wind, are the wind turbines really working or not? Solar will get affected by cloudy conditions like this."
He was speaking under the dark clouds of Typhoon Koppu, known as Lando in the Philippines, which struck last month killing dozens of people and causing widespread flooding.

The president added: "Wave action is not yet developed sufficiently to be viable for the product mix.

"So what we're trying to do is ensure that we have the most modern coal plants that are in existence."

The push for more coal, in the face of strenuous objections, has dismayed many leading figures who say that there are many less-polluting alternatives.

Senator Loren Legarda, who chairs the country's Senate Finance Committee and has pushed through new legislation on climate change and energy, told me that "doing coal is a crime".

"It's a crime against humanity, it's just bad. It pollutes the already vulnerable environment, and coal kills - it kills our air, it kills our biodiversity.

"Coal is never an option, coal is not cheap. We must put in the negative effect of the health of the people, the negative effect on biodiversity, the bad effect on the environment , the bad effect on business."

Senator Legarda does not advocate closing down existing coal-burning power stations but says the global trend is to move away from coal and that her country should be part of that movement, particularly since its 98 million people are particularly vulnerable to a potential scenario of higher temperatures and more violent typhoons.

"Europe is downscaling on coal, many countries are downscaling on coal so why are we approving coal? It does not make sense. We are victims of climate change and we want to exacerbate it? We want to worsen the situation by doing more coal? It does not make sense."

Meanwhile, amid the debate over energy in the Philippines, there are efforts to help people cope with the kind of future disasters that may become more intense with climate change.

The charity Save the Children is providing advice to schools on how to teach children to be more aware of the possible dangers.

At the school in the village of San Augustin, in the flood-prone province of Bulacan on the central island of Luzon, pupils are given regular training drills in how to stay safe in situations such as flash floods.

According to one of the charity's organisers, Lourdes Pambid: "People are really getting to see the effects of these changes in the climate and they're also paying attention to these things."

She said the worry was that the next generation would grow up into a very different world.

"For children, it's losing their homes and even the type of their livelihoods.

"In Bulacan, it used to be a farming area and then the floods came in and some have shifted to fish farming but then conditions became worse and they had to give that up, they had to leave fishing.

"It could get worse if nobody does anything to address this situation so that's why the kids, the local government units, the government officials should be doing something about it."

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Weather disasters occur almost daily, becoming more frequent: U.N.

TOM MILES Reuters 23 Nov 15;

Weather-related disasters such as floods and heatwaves have occurred almost daily in the past decade, almost twice as often as two decades ago, with Asia being the hardest hit region, a U.N. report said on Monday.

While the report authors could not pin the increase wholly on climate change, they did say that the upward trend was likely to continue as extreme weather events increased.

Since 1995, weather disasters have killed 606,000 people, left 4.1 billion injured, homeless or in need of aid, and accounted for 90 percent of all disasters, it said.

A recent peak year was 2002, when drought in India hit 200 million and a sandstorm in China affected 100 million. But the standout mega-disaster was Cyclone Nargis, which killed 138,000 in Myanmar in 2008.

While geophysical causes such as earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis often grab the headlines, they only make up one in 10 of the disasters trawled from a database defined by the impact.

The report, called "The Human Cost of Weather Related Disasters", found there were an average of 335 weather-related disasters annually between 2005 and August this year, up 14 percent from 1995-2004 and almost twice as many as in the years from 1985 to 1994.

"While scientists cannot calculate what percentage of this rise is due to climate change, predictions of more extreme weather in future almost certainly mean that we will witness a continued upward trend in weather-related disasters in the decades ahead," the report said.

The release of the report comes a week before world leaders gather in Paris to discuss plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions and prevent world temperatures rising.

The United Nations says atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas that causes global warming, have risen to a new record every year for the past 30 years.

"All we can say is that certain disaster types are increasing. Floods are definitely increasing," said Debarati Guha-Sapir, professor at the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at UCL University in Louvain, Belgium, which co-authored the report.

"Whether it's increasing due to global warming, I think it's safe to say the jury's out on that. But rather than focus on the ifs, whys and wherefores, I think we should focus on how to manage floods."

Margareta Wahlstrom, head of the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), said floods were not just caused by heavy rain but also by poorly planned construction.

UNISDR estimates natural disasters of all types cause losses of $250 billion-$300 billion globally each year.

The report drew on a database of weather events that defines an event as a disaster if 10 or more people are killed, 100 or more are affected, a state of emergency is declared, or if there is a call for international assistance.

The countries hit by the highest number of weather-related disasters over the past decade were the United States, with 472, China with 441, India with 288, the Philippines with 274 and Indonesia with 163.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Alison Williams)

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More than 2,000 academics call on world heads to do more to limit global warming

Emma Howard The Guardian 23 Nov 15;

More than 2,000 academics from over 80 countries – including linguist Noam Chomsky, climate scientist Michael E Mann, philosopher Peter Singer, and historian Naomi Oreskes – have called on world leaders to do more to limit global warming to a 1.5C rise.

In an open letter, they write that leaders meeting in Paris at a crunch UN climate summit next week should “be mustering planet-wide mobilisation, at all societal levels” and call for citizens around the world to hold their leaders to account on the issue.

The world has already warmed by 1C above pre-industrial levels. Holding warming to 1.5C would be a far greater challenge than the 2C that leaders at previous climate talks have agreed to limit rises to. Current emissions pledges tabled ahead of the Paris summit would see warming of around 2.7-3C.

They say that such a rise is: “profoundly shocking, given that any sacrifice involved in making those reductions is far overshadowed by the catastrophes we are likely to face if we do not.”

Separately, the CEOs from 78 companies collectively worth over $2tn – among them Nestlé, Accenture, HSBC, Lloyd’s, Microsoft, BT Group, PepsiCo, Siemens, SOHO China, UniLever, PwC, Marks & Spencer and the Mahindra Group – have pledged their support to governments to implement ambitious targets.

The companies, which operate in more than 150 countries, call for support for alternative energy sources, a carbon price to bolster investment, “consistent policies and robust monitoring” and for greater disclosure on investments related to fossil fuels and alternative energies.

In a letter co-ordinated by the World Economic Forum, the corporations recognise the internationally agreed target to limit global warming to 2C.

They write: “climate change is one of the biggest global challenges that will shape the way we do business now and in the coming decades. This coalition ... believes the private sector has a responsibility to actively engage in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and to help lead the global transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.”

It also extends an “open offer” to governments to “co-design tangible actions”, reduce their emissions and energy consumption and incorporate climate risk into their business strategies.

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Best of our wild blogs: 23 Nov 15

Chek Jawa with jellyfish and otters!
wild shores of singapore

Male Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle (Xylotrupes gideon) @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Monday Morgue

Semakau Landfill: Not Just A ‘Rubbish Island’
ECO @ COP

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PUB embarks on study to tap into solar energy via reservoirs

The study, which will last nine months, will determine the usable space for installing solar panels on reservoirs and at land-based facilities such as waterworks and water reclamation plants.
Channel NewsAsia 23 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE: National water agency PUB is embarking on a nine-month feasibility study to determine the potential of harnessing solar energy at its reservoirs and facilities.

In a media release on Monday (Nov 23), PUB said findings from the study will determine the usable space for solar deployment and guide the agency's efforts in that area.

Ten reservoirs have been identified to be part of the project. They are:

Sarimbun Reservoir
Murai Reservoir
Poyan Reservoir
Tengeh Reservoir
Kranji Reservoir
Pandan Reservoir
Upper Peirce Reservoir
Lower Peirce Reservoir
Upper Seletar Reservoir
Lower Seletar Reservoir
PUB added that solar PV technology has been identified as a key renewable energy source, that could potentially be deployed across Singapore.

"The reservoirs, with their open surface area, offer much potential for solar energy generation," PUB said. The study will assess the extent to which solar panels can be installed and the solar yield that can be achieved, before a business model and implementation plan are proposed.

Besides reservoirs, the study will also look into the solar deployment potential at land-based facilities such as waterworks and water reclamation plants, PUB said.

"Through this study, PUB is keen to explore how we can balance the installation of solar panels on water surface with other competing water activities at our reservoirs. Together with other solar energy projects PUB has embarked on, we are on track to diversifying our energy options from conventional, non-renewable fossil fuels, contributing to a smaller carbon footprint and promoting more sustainable use of energy resources”, said Chief Sustainability Officer at PUB Tan Nguan Sen.

Earlier this year, Choa Chu Kang Waterworks began tapping into solar power for its energy needs through 3,333 pieces of solar panels, enough to meet about 7 per cent of the plant's daily energy needs.

PUB, the Economic Development Board and the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore are also test-bedding a floating solar system at Tengeh Reservoir, including an environmental study to measure the impact of such systems on reservoir evaporation, biodiversity and water quality, PUB said. The panels are expected to be installed by 2016.

The water agency added that it is participating in HDB's solar leasing tender to install solar PV systems at Changi Water Reclamation Plant, Bedok Waterworks and WaterHub by 2017, and had earlier invested in Marina Barrage's Solar Park as well.

- CNA/dl

PUB starts feasibility study on installing solar panels at reservoirs
LAURA ELIZABETH PHILOMIN Today Online 23 Nov 15;

SINGAPORE — The PUB is conducting a nine-month feasibility study to explore greater use of reservoirs and facilities to deploy solar PV panels, the national water agency announced in a press release today (Nov 23).

The S$338,000 study will assess the extent to which solar panels can be installed at 10 reservoirs identified for this study, such as Kranji, Upper Peirce and Lower Seletar. The study will also assess the amount of solar energy that can be generated before proposing a business model and implementation plan, said PUB.

In addition to reservoirs, the study will also look at the solar deployment potential of other land-based facilities such as waterworks and water reclamation plants.

“With Singapore reaching a critical mass for solar installations coupled with the declining cost of solar technology, PUB wants to ride on this wave and explore how some of our reservoirs can support floating solar systems. Through this study, PUB is keen to explore how we can balance the installation of solar panels on water surface with other competing water activities at our reservoirs,” said PUB’s Chief Sustainability Officer Tan Nguan Sen.

“Together with other solar energy projects PUB has embarked on, we are on track to diversifying our energy options from conventional, non-renewable fossil fuels, contributing to a smaller carbon footprint and promoting more sustainable use of energy resources,” he added.


PUB studying potential of solar panels at more reservoirs
Audrey Tan, The Straits Times AsiaOne 24 Nov 15;

Floating solar panel systems could be a feature at more reservoirs here, to help get more energy from the sun.

PUB, the national water agency, is embarking on a nine-month feasibility study to assess the possibility of installing solar panels at its reservoirs and other facilities, it said yesterday.

The $338,000 study will determine the usable space for solar deployment, and guide PUB's future efforts in this area.

Ten reservoirs, namely Sarimbun, Murai, Poyan, Tengeh, Kranji, Pandan, Upper Peirce, Lower Peirce, Upper Seletar and Lower Seletar, have been identified for the study.

PUB chief sustainability officer Tan Nguan Sen told The Straits Times that the 10 were chosen based on factors such as the lack of congestion and visibility.

Besides reservoirs, the study will also look into the solar deployment potential at land-based facilities such as waterworks and water reclamation plants.

The study will be conducted by a consortium led by renewable energy systems company WEnergy Global, with SMS Consulting Engineers and Progressive Engineering and Management as consortium members.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology - which converts energy from the sun into electricity - has been identified as a key renewable energy source with high potential for large-scale deployment here.

Last year, researchers from the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (Seris) said the sun could supply almost a third of Singapore's electricity by 2050. But this hinges on factors such as Singapore's ability to reduce its electricity demand and expand its solar PV capacity.

Dr Thomas Reindl, Seris deputy chief executive, welcomed PUB's latest announcement, saying solar installations on reservoirs could help the Republic overcome space constraints. But one important factor that must be considered is cost.

He said: "To be competitive, the floating PV systems cannot be substantially more expensive than installations on land. This not only includes the floating structure itself, but also the interconnection to the grid and/or PUB facilities."

Currently, Singapore gets more than 90 per cent of its electricity from natural gas. But tapping more solar energy would put Singapore in a better position to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions further.

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ASEAN needs to deepen cooperation on terrorism, haze: PM Lee

“The South China Sea has become a test of ASEAN unity and effectiveness,” added PM Lee Hsien Loong, who urged faster progress on a binding Code of Conduct in the territory.
Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia 21 Nov 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: Terrorism, transboundary haze and the South China Sea dispute are three salient issues currently facing ASEAN, said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Speaking at the opening session of the 27th ASEAN Summit, Mr Lee said the recent terror attacks in Paris, Ankara and Mali are a reminder that the terrorist threat is serious and around us.

He also noted that Southeast Asia is a key recruiting ground for the Islamic State – and that there even being enough foreign fighters from the region to form a battalion of Southeast Asian fighters as part of the group. The militant group is also preparing publicity material in Bahasa to try and recruit more fighters from the region.

In Singapore, Mr Lee said close to a dozen people are known to have wanted to go to Syria to fight – with some succeeding, but with others detected and stopped in time.

“We should enhance cooperation and information sharing among our security and intelligence agencies and continue to share best practices on countering the terrorists’ ideology," said Mr Lee, noting that one example of this was when Singapore hosted an EAS Symposium on Religious Rehabilitation and Social Integration.

On transboundary haze, Mr Lee said the perennial issue has been especially severe this year, with it affecting six ASEAN member states – including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines.

Mr Lee added that he is grateful that all ASEAN Member States have shown resolve to address the issue expeditiously.

“It is vital that we deepen cooperation and share information to bring errant companies to account for their irresponsible and unsustainable practices that are the root cause of land and forest fires causing haze pollution,” said Mr Lee.

"Therefore, we must urgently operationalise the ASEAN Sub Regional Haze Monitoring System.”

As for the ongoing South China Sea terroritorial dispute – Mr Lee said it is an important issue for claimant and non-claimant states, as any miscalculations at sea could escalate into conflicts that threaten regional peace and stability.

China and several other Southeast Asian states have laid claims on the territory. Singapore is a non-claimant state.

“The South China Sea has become a test of ASEAN unity and effectiveness,” said Mr Lee, who urged faster progress on a binding Code of Conduct in the territory.

“We must continue to urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from provocative actions or the use of force, and commit to accident prevention measures and the non-militarisation of land features in the SCS.”

Mr Lee also said Singapore will be a “transparent and objective coordinator” for ASEAN-China Dialogue relations – a role it has assumed in August.

The ASEAN Summit comes ahead of the ASEAN Community being established at the end of the year.

It will spell deeper integration in the region – a single market production base, with free movement of goods, services and skilled labour.

Mr Lee said while this establishment is a significant milstone in ASEAN’s history, there is still work to be done.

This includes implementing the remaining 20 per cent of action lines in the existing ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint, including those related to services liberalisation.

It also includes ratifying the ASEAN Open Skies agreement and concluding a high quality Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership.

Mr Lee said that as the 10-member grouping becomes more integrated – the bloc is bound to have to tackle some difficulties in their relationships.

“How we will deal with them will define the ASEAN Community,” said Mr Lee.

- CNA/av

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Sharing scheme launched in Toa Payoh

Zhaki Abdullah, The Straits Times AsiaOne 22 Nov 15;

Singaporeans will soon be able to borrow items such as wheelchairs, stools and stepladders from their Residents' Committees (RCs).

Called Resource Centre @ RC,the initiative - which was launched yesterday in Toa Payoh and will be rolled out to 450 RCs across the island by February next year - offers items based on the demographic profiles and needs of residents.

It is modelled on a similar programme in the North East District launched in February last year that was well received by residents.

Although companies have already sponsored items such as first aid boxes and portable sound systems, it is hoped that residents will also share items with their neighbours via this initiative, with some already expressing interest in contributing aids such as walking sticks and crutches.

"What we want is a sharing community because I believe that is the way to build stronger relationships between residents," said Minister of State for Health Chee Hong Tat, who attended the launch.

The Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC added: "This is not just something we do for the residents; this is something we do with the residents."

Residents can borrow items for up to three days, with the option to extend the loan period.

They do not have to pay for the items.

Those who require items on a long-term basis will be referred to other agencies for assistance.

Toa Payoh resident Paruvadi Duraisamy, 84, used to get shortness of breath and have pain in her legs when walking to the clinic. She is now able to borrow a wheelchair from her RC whenever she needs to go for doctors' appointments.

Mr Aaron Yeo, 29, who borrowed a cooler box to store cold drinks for a barbecue he was holding to celebrate his birthday, said: "People may not have friends who can lend them the stuff they need.

"So, I think this is a good initiative."

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Malaysia: Help resolve water shortage in Johor, urges Wee

YEE XIANG YUN The Star 23 Nov 15;

KULAI: The Federal Government should step in to help the Johor state government solve the prolonged water shortage affecting several areas for the past three months, said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said he had brought up the matter in the Cabinet meeting on Friday, urging the Federal Government to look into the matter urgently.

He said while it was fine to seek divine intervention, the people cannot be praying and waiting every day for the rain to fall.

“A more concrete and long-term plan based on scientific facts needs to be introduced immediately to prevent the issue from worsening further and ending up like the Selangor water crisis,” he said here yesterday.

He said that during the Cabinet meeting, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili gave his word that he would look into the matter before figuring out follow-up actions.

Dr Wee added that he received numerous complaints about the water issue, which affected more than 640,000 consumers in residential, commercial and industrial areas in Johor Baru, Kota Tinggi and Pengerang since August.

The residents and business owners are also suffering from the scheduled water exercise as water levels in the Sungai Layang and Sungai Lebam dams fall further below their critical mark.

This needs immediate attention, Dr Wee said.

He said Johor was spearheading the country’s economy for attracting record foreign direct investment into the state, and the water issue could affect the confidence of investors.

He said that the Government should consider building new and bigger catchment areas away from agricultural activities to prevent pollution in the water and exercise better control of farming activities near the areas.

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