Malaysia: Dams in five states record water levels of less than 50 per cent

AZURA ABAS New Straits Times 16 Mar 16;

PUTRAJAYA: The hot and dry weather has seen dams in five states record water levels of below 50 per cent. The dams are the Labong dam in Johor at 14.4 per cent; Gemencheh dam in Negri Sembilan (22.2 per cent); Bukit Kwong dam in Kelantan (31.5 per cent); Padang Saga in Kedah (35 per cent) and the Timah Tasoh dam in Perlis (40.8 per cent).

Announcing this today, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the Environment Department also recorded 617 opening burning cases between January and March 14 (Monday).

He said ministry will table to the cabinet this Friday the proposed formation of a special committee that will address issues related to extreme hot and dry weather.

Wan Junaidi said the cabinet would have to decide whether the special committee would be parked under his ministry or the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.

“At the same time, we will also present to the cabinet a list of proposed guidelines similar to what we have for haze," he told reporters after chairing a two-hour special meeting today to discuss steps to be taken over the hot and dry spell.

Wan Junaidi, however, declined to disclose the details of the guidelines and only hinted that it would cover a wide range of measures to be taken including at what clime degree should schools be advised to close.


Negri residents to know next week if water rationing will begin
NUR AQIDAH AZIZI New Straits Times 16 Mar 16;

SEREMBAN: Negri Sembilan residents will know next week whether they will have to endure water rationing.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said a meeting would be held next week to decide on the next course of action, in view of the current dry spell.

The decreasing water level in the majority of the state’s dams, he said, needed immediate action.

He said the meeting would include Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan (SAINS), the Meteorological Department and other relevant government agencies.

"We will discuss all water-related issues including strategies to ensure water in the dams can last longer.

A decision on whether we can proceed with water rationing too will be decided in the meeting," said Mohamad after chairing the state exco meeting at Wisma Negeri today.

In addition, a decision on whether the state government would release water from the Talang dam in Kuala Pilah to Sungai Muar and Sungai Terip will also be made in the meeting.

"The water level in both rivers have recorded a decrease due to the hot weather.

We will also review whether there's a need to purchase water from other states to help us cope with this problem," he said.

Penangites urged to conserve water to weather the dry spell
ANTHONY TAN The Star 16 Mar 16;

Pak Lah most likely to get Petronas adviser’s post
GEORGE TOWN: Penangites have been urged to conserve water although there should be enough in the state’s dams to last through the current hot and dry season.

Penang Water Supply Corporation Sdn Bhd (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa (pic) advised consumers to avoid using a hose to carry out cleaning activities and to wash their vehicles less frequently.

“Hosing wastes water. Avoid using a hose at all costs,” he said in a press statement on Wednesday.

He also said the public could visit www.pba.com.my for more water saving tips.

Jaseni said there has been very little rain in Penang over the last 30 days while daytime temperatures have soared to 35 °C.

“However, there is no immediate danger of a water crisis or water rationing,” he added.

He said PBAPP has been implementing programmes since the fourth quarter of last year to avoid rationing in this 2016 “Super El Niño” season.

Jaseni said this includes optimising Penang’s dam reserves by drawing as little water as possible each day so that there is adequate storage during the dry season and expediting repairs for burst pipes.

He said PBAPP had also increased extraction of water from the Muda River for treatment at the Sungai Dua treatment plant on the mainland, which has been producing about 900 million litres of treated water per day, to meet Penang’s daily needs.

Jaseni said water in Penang’s dams should be sufficient to last until the rains arrive next month.

The capacity of the Air Itam Dam is at 75.7%, which is enough to last 74 days; and Teluk Bahang Dam is at 72.3%, which is enough for 220 days of supply.

On Jan 1, the capacities of the Air Itam Dam and the Teluk Bahang Dam were 89.3% and 84.2% respectively, he said.

He also said PBAPP can still extract around one billion litres of water per day from the Muda River daily for treatment at the Sungai Dua plant although the river level has dropped to 2.41m.

Jaseni said if there is any shortfall, there is a standing agreement that the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry will ask Kedah to release water into the river from the Muda Dam.

Penang’s Mengkuang Dam is temporarily decommissioned to facilitate the RM1.2bil upgrading works by the ministry.

Jaseni said the Muda River is Penang’s primary source of raw water.

Water situation still under control despite heat wave, says SPAN
JAMES SIVALINGAM New Straits Times 17 Mar 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Water Services Commission Malaysia (SPAN) has yet to receive applications by state water operators for water rationing, as the dam levels are still at manageable levels.

This is despite the current hot and dry conditions that the country is currently facing, said SPAN Chief Executive Officer Datuk Mohd Ridhuan B Ismail.

“The El Niño is effect is seen in most of the Northern states, as we are made to know, such as Penang, Perlis and Kedah with the highest recorded temperatures over there.

“But we are still managing and the dam levels are under control,” he told a press conference here today.

In the Klang Valley, all the dams in Selangor are at 80 per cent capacity, which is much higher that the drought season of 2014, said Ridhuan, adding that SPAN is currently monitoring all dams closely.

On Tuesday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar announced that the hot and dry weather has seen dams in five states record water levels of below 50 per cent.

The five dams were the Labong dam in Johor at 14.4 per cent; Gemencheh dam in Negri Sembilan (22.2 per cent); Bukit Kwong dam in Kelantan (31.5 per cent); Padang Saga in Kedah (35 per cent) and the Timah Tasoh dam in Perlis (40.8 per cent).

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Indonesia: Greenpeace Launches Interactive Map to Track Deforestation, Fires

Ratri M Siniwi Jakarta Globe 16 Mar 16;

Jakarta. Environmental group Greenpeace has launched an interactive map to track forest fires and acts of deforestation in near-real time across Indonesia.

The Kepo Hutan (Curious About Forests) platform was created in the wake of massive fires that raged in parts of East Kalimantan and Riau last year, resulting from the large-scale draining of peat land and clearing of forests for new plantations, Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaigner Teguh Surya said at the launch in Jakarta on Tuesday (15/03).

The interactive map was also created in support of President Joko Widodo's plans to resolve deforestation issues in the country, and the One Map Policy, which was imposed by the president last year.

Kepo Hutan shows the borders of land concessions and who controls it; lets users see where the burning originates; and provides deforestation alerts for the affected areas.

The map also provides comprehensive data on palm oil and pulpwood plantations, selective logging and coal mining.

Members of the public can access the map on Greenpeace International's official website.

Related data is also made available on the Kepo Hutan platform for community organizations and researchers to carry out analyses.

Bambang Widjojanto, former deputy chief of Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), stated that the map would allow members of the public to prevent another crisis by monitoring fires in forests and peat lands.


Greenpeace Indonesia launches map to track haze-causing fires
Developed in just six months, the map is the first of its kind in the country
Sujadi Siswo Channel NewsAsia 16 Mar 16;

JAKARTA: Greenpeace Indonesia has launched what could be the first interactive real-time digital map of the archipelago's forests.

Developed in six months, the map has been named “Kepo Hutan”, which literally translates to “nosey about forests”.

The data on the map is compiled from various official sources and presented in a shape-file format that is useful for providing data on a specific location. For example, the map has the potential to identify the owners of the plantations where the fires are burning.

Some of the data in the map will be made available to the public for the first time.

“For example the names of concession holders are not available publicly,” said Longgena Ginting, Director of Greenpeace Indonesia. “We have to search the data from the environment and forestry ministry and include them in the map.”

Currently, the country uses numerous forest concession maps, which results in overlaps and confusion that blunted the efforts of law enforcement agencies to prosecute alleged perpetrators. The haze last year was one of the worst on record, with more than 130,000 hotspots detected, coming at a cost of US$16 billion to Indonesia.

However, this might soon change, with legal experts saying Greenpeace’s map can be used as evidence in court.

"This map is based on other maps that are legitimate because they are produced by the government,” said Bambang Widjojanto, a law expert and former Indonesian Anti-Corruption Agency Commissioner. “This map is structured, over-laid and presented in one format. Therefore it is can be used as evidence."

For almost two decades, the haze created by Indonesian forest fires has periodically choked the air of neighbouring countries, affecting millions of people in Singapore, Malaysia and even Thailand.

- CNA/yt

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Indonesia: Thin haze blankets Riau region

The Jakarta Post 17 Mar 16;

Forest and land fires that have been burning for the past two weeks began on Wednesday to blanket some regions in Riau with a thin smoky haze.

The haze appeared every morning for the past three days in Dumai, but vanished in the afternoon and evening.

“It’s not yet worrying. The haze came here because of the wind direction,” Dumai Deputy Mayor Eko Suharjo said on Wednesday.

Eko said the smoke originated from Bengkalis and the Meranti Islands, as according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency the hot spots were found in those two regencies.

However, he admitted that although there were no hotspots in Dumai, land and forest fires have still occurred in his area recently.

Based on the latest reports, the fires destroyed a total of 314 hectares of forest and land in the Medang Kampai and East Dumai districts.

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Indonesia can maintain palm oil plantations: Minister Nasution

Antara 16 Mar 16;

Denpasar (ANTARA News) - Indonesia, as the largest palm oil producer, should anticipate challenges and opportunities as well as maintain palm oil plantations in the future, according to Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution.

"Indonesia should identify unique ways to solve these challenges," Nasution noted here on Wednesday.

The 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP 21) agreed to limit average global warming to two degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above pre-industrial temperatures and to strive for a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, if possible.

"Therefore, the developed nations should help developing countries to support these efforts," he emphasized.

Nasution stated that the competitive countries could eradicate poverty and protect their people.

"In addition, the competitive countries could protect the environment and economic interests," the minister pointed out.

Therefore, each country should try to figure out a competitive product and develop it.

Nasution emphasized that developed countries should also provide funds to reduce global carbon emissions.

"A boycott of products will not be a win-win solution," he noted.

The minister affirmed that Indonesia had successfully launched Biodiesel B-20 in 2015. This initiative is a major boost to the energy mix.

"The additional demand for crude palm oil (CPO) has increased the price of the commodity. The price of CPO rose slightly to US$565 per ton from US$535 per ton following the implementation of the biodiesel program," the minister claimed.

Earlier, the Indonesian government had taken steps to encourage the downstream palm oil industry as part of its efforts to maintain the price of CPO.

"We continue to encourage and develop the downstream palm oil industry. The exports of CPO have reduced as it was absorbed by the derivative industries," Industry Minister Saleh Husin explained here.

The minister noted that CPO production had generated US$21.7 billion in foreign exchange from exports in 2014, while the production reached US$18.6 billion in 2015.

The palm oil industry has absorbed six million workers.

"We must continue to develop the industry. CPO has become a strategic sector in Indonesias economic development," the minister remarked.

All stakeholders should find a way to utilize palm oil production, particularly from independent plantations.

"Independent plantations only produce 2.5 tons, which is lower than the production of plasma plantations," the minister pointed out.

The existing public service agency (BLU) for palm oil should be optimized to replant palm oil.

"The price of palm oil is not too cheap. The BLU can maintain the price by increasing the absorption of biodiesel," the minister explained.

The absorption of biodiesel should be increased to raise the price of palm oil.

With regard to the French governments policy, the minister affirmed that the country was keen to protect its CPO products. As a result, Indonesias CPO products could not compete with their French counterparts.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

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Indonesia: Flores eagle attracts international bird-watchers

Markus Makur, thejakartapost.com 16 Mar 16;

More international bird-watchers, especially from the US and European countries, are visiting Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, to observe the Flores eagle, an endemic bird species on the island.

Yohanes B. Fua, head of the conservation section for regional division III at the East Nusa Tenggara Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said areas popular for bird-watching included the Ruteng Ecotourism Park, especially on the southern side of Ranamese Lake in Kampung Phinisi, Ranamese district, East Manggarai regency. The peak of Mount Ranaka was also considered an ideal place to watch Flores eagles.

“We have often spotted eagles in those areas. Many international bird-watchers stay overnight in guesthouses in Ranamese to observe eagles and other endemic bird species. Staff members of [non-profit bird conservation organization] Burung Indonesia have all this time accompanied international bird-watchers and tourists interested in visiting the Ruteng Ecotourism Park in areas around Ranamese Lake,” said Yohanes.

He added that the population of Flores eagles was threatened but they were not yet categorized as endangered. “Recently, two researchers from Burung Indonesia observed Flores-endemic species in areas around Ranamese Lake,” he said.

Burung Indonesia staff member Samuel Rabenak, who is also a member of bird-watching group ABI Birding, said Puar Lolo Forest in Mbeliling, West Manggarai regency, Flores, was one of most beautiful places for observing Flores eagles.

He said forest areas in Puar Lolo were still well-preserved, so many birds still could be found there. Tourists with special interests and domestic and international bird-watchers came to observe and enjoy the uniqueness and beauty of Flores eagles.

“Hundreds of domestic and international tourists with special interests had a tour to Flores to observe Flores eagles and other endemic bird species on the island, such as the Flores corvus and Flores scops owl,” said Rabenak.

He explained that trips offered to tourists interested in observing the eagles usually began in Labuan Bajo, the capital of West Manggarai regency, before moving to Puar Lolo Forest, Sano Nggoang Forest and Golo Lusang Forest and ending in forest areas around Ranamese Lake. Visitors could later observe endemic birds in the Kisol valley, Poco Ndeki and Nangarawa forest areas, among other places. “They will also be taken to watch Flores eagles in Kelimutu National Park in Ende regency,” said Rabenak.

“Only a few bird guides operate in Flores. Guiding bird-watching activities needs special skills such as knowledge on bird species and of course, special interest in bird-watching,” he added.

Rabenak said it was hoped that local administrations would encourage travel agents to promote special tourist programs, including bird-watching of endemic species. (ebf)

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Chile's salmon farms lose $800m as algal bloom kills millions of fish

Reuters The Guardian 10 Mar 16;

A deadly algal bloom has hit the world’s second biggest salmon exporter, Chile, where nearly 23 million fish have already died and the economic impact from lost production has soared to $800m (£565m), industry and government sources told Reuters.

The dead fish could easily fill 14 Olympic-sized swimming pools, said Jose Miguel Burgos, the head of the government’s Sernapesca fisheries body.

Unusually high ocean temperatures, due in large part to the El Niño weather phenomenon, have fuelled the algal bloom that has affected 37 of the nearly 415 salmon farms operating in southern Chile. Most of the farms are in ocean enclosures or estuaries.

“Temperatures are 2 to 4C above average for this time of the year, there’s a lot of sunlight, a lack of rain and very mild winds, all of which are conditions for the micro algae to appear,” said Burgos.

El Niño leads to hotter sea temperatures in the west Pacific Ocean, which means more rain falls on South America and less in Australia and south-east Asia. But for Liesbeth van der Meer, who heads the Oceana environmental group in Chile, run-off from neighbouring livestock creates concentrations of nitrogen that when mixed with the above-normal temperatures, create the ideal scenario for the algae to grow.

Salmon farms near the southern city of Puerto Montt and the Chiloé island have borne the brunt of the toxic algal bloom.

Producers Marine Harvest, Australis Seafoods, Compania Pesquera Camanchaca, Blumar, Multiexport Foods, Cermaq Group AS and Empresas AquaChile have all seen some of their salmon farms affected, according to data provided by the Economy Ministry and company filings with Chile’s SVS securities regulator.

“The loss is likely equivalent to somewhere between 15 and 20% of Chile’s total production for the year ... the forecast for 2016 was around 750,000 to 760,000 tonnes but now that’s reduced to around 650,000 tonnes,” said Burgos.

The 100,000 tonnes in lost production, which includes Atlantic salmon, Coho and trout, is equivalent to some $800m in exports, he added.

Chile, the second largest salmon producer after Norway, last year exported $4.5bn of farmed salmon, on 800,000 tonnes of shipments.

Additionally, the situation will likely lead to job losses in the sector, according to industry group SalmonChile.

Cutting their losses, producers convert fish that can be saved into fishmeal, while the fish killed by the algal bloom are not destined for human consumption, the group added.

The latest blow to the local industry comes as Chile’s salmon farmers are using record levels of antibiotics to treat a virulent and pervasive bacteria, driving away some US retailers.

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Best of our wild blogs: 16 Mar 16

15-17 Apr: The Sisters Islands Marine Park at ADEX 2016
Sisters' Island Marine Park

Love our MacRitchie Forest Conservation Booth at My Tree House@NLB (12 Mar 2016)
Love our MacRitchie Forest

Launch of the Jubilee Whale Exhibit!
News from Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

Coppersmith Barbet in Pasir Ris Park (March 3, 2016)
Rojak Librarian

“Can giant clams see us?”
Neo Mei Lin

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What does the Cross Island Line conversation mean for businesses?

Talk of the town - environmental conversations in Singapore
Angela Foulsham CSR Asia 16 Mar 16;

There has been one thing dominating the environmental conversation in Singapore recently, and that is the Phase 1 Environmental Impact Assessment, or EIA, for the Cross-Island Line that was gazetted by the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) on 5 February 2016. The assessment of environmental impacts relates to the site investigation works needed for a proposed alignment of a new Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line that would run beneath part of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) and the MacRitchie Reservoir.

The dialogue around the impact of these works, the suitability of mitigation measures available, and the alternatives for alignment are ongoing, with NGOs such as the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) taking a leading role in the discussion. This is fairly predictable for an EIA of such a prominent project, especially one with potential to impact sensitive areas such as the CCNR, but the surprise in this story is that for the first time this report was made accessible to everyone.

Typically in the city-state of Singapore, when an EIA report is gazetted there is a public notice issued and the report itself is made available for viewing by appointment only. Interested stakeholders such as NGOs, academics, environmental professionals or members of the public can then book a time to read the report in full. In the case of the Cross-Island Line Phase 1 EIA, five hard copies of the 1,000 plus page report were made available at the LTA offices, and for the first two weeks of the disclosure period appointments were made and the report reviewed.

But on 19 February this changed when LTA published all four volumes of the EIA report on their website, along with the Executive Summary. On their Facebook page LTA said the move was in response to feedback received, and the report was put online for interested parties who are unable to come to LTA to view the documents.

Public interest in this study seems to be growing, with coverage by the media including the Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia documenting the opinions of prominent voices in the discussion, the various events being held linked to this development, and the milestones in the process such as the unexpected accessibility of the report. Interest in such EIAs isn’t new, but now we are seeing greater involvement and wider conversations not only involving the NGOs and environmental community, but reaching a wider audience.

So what does this mean for businesses? Aside from the discussion reflecting a greater public awareness and participation in environmental issues, such reports that document assessment and decision processes being made widely available is a new step in the disclosure and transparency of information. Increasing consumer, stakeholder, and shareholder awareness of environmental issues and the resulting need for disclosures is a trend that has been widely recognised in the private sector. Perhaps this news-worthy and accessible EIA disclosure is a new marker of the evolution of this trend in Singapore. This new conversation could bring a new dimension to the landscape, pushing beyond mandatory disclosures around issues such as energy management, and sparking a wider debate around the environmental interests for our small island.

Related links
Love our MacRitchie Forest: walks, talks and petition. Also on facebook.

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Singapore battles to keep a slice of green as conservation and urbanisation clash

By freelance correspondent Kirsten Han in Singapore ABC 15 Mar 16;

Mention Singapore and one visualises skyscrapers and bright lights, perhaps even the opulent Marina Bay Sands Hotel with its infinity pool.

Yet Singapore is first and foremost a tropical island, with pockets of land that still preserve a rich biodiversity.

Extending over 2,000 hectares, the Central Catchment Nature Reserve is the country's largest green lung.

Walking through the forest early in the morning, one can watch monkeys playing and hear the singing of waking birds.

It is cool, quiet and peaceful, as if the entire island is taking a long, slow breath before the relentless humidity of the tropics kicks in.

Yet even such a sanctuary might not withstand Singapore's relentless development. A master plan by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has indicated that a new subway track, the Cross Island Line, could run through the reserve by 2030.

The ensuing debate has once again triggered a clash between conservation and urbanisation.

Significant sites have already surrendered to development. Exhumation in Bukit Brown, the largest Chinese graveyard outside of China, began in 2013, with over 3,700 of the 100,000 graves demolished for a planned eight-lane highway.

Singaporeans are now bidding for new apartments in the central neighbourhood of Bidadari, which was once a cemetery for people of different faiths.

With a total land area of just under 72,000 hectares and a growing population of just over 5.5 million, Singapore's city planners are under pressure to develop infrastructure.

The Cross Island Line, which is meant to save commuters up to 40 minutes of travel time, is one of a number of additional Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) links in the works.

By 2030, the LTA predicts the city-state will have a rail density to rival London.

"Commuters will be less affected by a train disruption on an MRT line because they will be able to switch to other lines in the network to reach their destination," the transport authority wrote in its 2013 master plan.

The agency's original idea was to run the line under the reserve by building a four-kilometre tunnel, two kilometres of which would be 40 metres below the forest.

Compromising conservation and development

The reserve is a mixture of secondary rainforest over a century old and primeval, primary rainforest.

Conservationists like the Nature Society Singapore have now suggested an alternative alignment, skirting the area.

David Tan, a researcher at the National University of Singapore, is an avid bird watcher and an active member of the Love Our MacRitchie Forest campaign.

He and his fellow nature lovers conduct guided walks in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, near the MacRitchie reservoir, every two weeks.

"The nature reserve is protected not just out of sentiment, it's protected because it is valuable. It conserves some of Singapore's richest biodiversity, but also provides a lot of services that we would be unable to live without," he said, citing the benefits of water catchment and flood and mosquito control.

He is quick to emphasise that the nature groups are not protesting against the Cross Island Line itself, but merely trying to persuade the Government to adopt an option that accommodates conservation and development.

"It's a compromise already on everyone's part, because even the alternative route will have an impact on nature," he said.

"You're skirting the edge of the nature reserve, all this noise will impact things at the edge as well."

Other considerations have come into the debate. The Government has said the nine-kilometre alternative alignment would add six minutes to the projected commute on the Cross Island Line.

"I am not so sure we can just brush aside the extra six minutes, just like that, because in the mindset of the MRT commuters, an extra half a minute is already terrible," Minister of Transport Khaw Boon Wan said.

According to the authorities, the alternative alignment would cost 2 billion Singapore dollars ($1.9 billion AUD) more.

The cost of the total project has not been revealed, making it difficult to understand the budgetary context of that figure.

Indications that land acquisition might be needed for the alternative route have also caused some uneasiness among residents living near the forest.

Nature Society Singapore council member Tony O'Dempsey points out that despite the authorities' best mitigation measures, future survey work in the area would have a significant impact.

"The probes [used for soil investigation] need to be placed in off-trail areas and connected by coaxial cables by teams of workers," he said.

"It is the continued presence of these workers and their movements in the off-trail forested areas which will cause native animals to flee into the territories of neighbouring species, potentially resulting in territorial clashes and subsequently injuries."

Discussions are ongoing, yet the reality remains that many Singaporeans are not well informed on the importance of the reserve's biodiversity.

To that end, Mr Tan and his colleagues continue their guided walks, bringing urbanites face to face with nature.

"The thing is that the forest we see today is not even pristine anymore," he said.

"We have to bear in mind that when we make conservation decisions, we are already looking at a degraded forest. And the baseline keeps shifting. You degrade it a little bit more, tomorrow when you come in to do an assessment, you're doing it relative to an even more degraded forest."

Related links
Love our MacRitchie Forest: walks, talks and petition. Also on facebook.

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A whale of an exhibit

Audrey Tan, Straits Times AsiaOne 15 Mar 16;

The latest attraction at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum - the skeleton of a whale found floating in Singapore waters off Jurong - goes on display from today.


Visitors can get close to the skeleton and see it "eye to eye" - it is displayed in a diving pose with its skull just 1m off the floor.

This is unlike most museum whale skeletons, which are usually hung horizontally near the ceiling.

"We wanted to give the whale a natural pose in a limited space," said museum conservator Kate Pocklington, who was one of five researchers at the museum involved in preserving the skeleton.

The skeleton of the adult female sperm whale takes pride of place in the mammals section of the museum at the National University of Singapore.

The carcass of the 10.6m-long whale was discovered floating off Jurong Island on July 10 last year - the first time the marine mammal has been spotted in Singapore waters.

Museum scientists say it is likely to have died after being hit by a ship, as its dorsal hindquarters had a large wound. Broken backbones were also found below the injury.

It was nicknamed Jubi Lee by museum staff, as it was found during the nation's Golden Jubilee year.

"As an older Singaporean, I am overjoyed by the return of a whale to our natural history museum," said Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh, who was at the official launch of the whale exhibit last night.

The skeleton of a 13m-long Indian fin whale was shown at the old National Museum from 1907 to 1974 before it was given to Malaysia.

"Jubi Lee is even better than the whale we gave away because it was found in our waters, because it belongs to a species seldom found in our waters, and because the skeleton is in perfect order," he added.

The museum's head, Professor Peter Ng, told The Straits Times it was rare for the whale skeleton to be preserved and mounted in just eight months.

"In most countries, the carcass is buried, allowed to rot, and only after several years is the skeleton excavated... We have expedited the process through very hard work - no mean feat. And it did not come cheap."

The museum has raised around $1.3 million for scientific and educational efforts related to the sperm whale carcass. Half of it went to setting up the exhibit, while the other half will be used for marine biodiversity education and research.

Besides marvelling at the size of Jubi Lee, visitors can learn more about its biology, the threats it faced, and how it was discovered.

Plastic cups and bags found in its gut, for instance, will be on display.

Educator Mary Lim, 38, who was at last night's event, said it could teach children about the value of fossils. Her son, Elijah, seven, said of the plastic found in the whale's gut: "It is disgusting and sad that the whale ate them, they look dirty."

Tickets to Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum can be bought at the door - at $16 for adult Singapore residents, and $9 for children. For more details, go to lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg.

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Temperatures could reach 36°C in second half of March

Today Online 15 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE — Keep the sunscreen handy in this two weeks: Maximum temperatures are expected to keep at between 33°C and 34°C, and could reach a high of around 36°C on a few days, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said, in its fortnightly forecast on Tuesday (March 15).

The average monthly temperature for March this year is also likely to similar to that for the warmest March on record (29.5°C in 1998), while rainfall is expected to be “significantly below-normal”, the agency added.

The scorching conditions are because of the continuing El Nino phenomenon — characterised by severely dry weather and high temperatures in this region — and the presence of a dry and warm air mass over the region, said the NEA.

Another reason is the occurrence of the equinox, an astronomical event that happens twice a year where the plane of the equator passes through the centre of the sun. Typically happening around March 20 and Sept 22, sunlight hitting the earth when it is around noon is the most intense and contributes to higher daytime temperatures.

The NEA said it is likely to be drier and warmer in the next two weeks, with light and variable winds forecast. Brief thundery showers are expected in the afternoon on four to six days.

The agency noted that almost all areas of Singapore received below-average rainfall in the first half of March, with the eastern part of the island around Pasir Ris most affected — 4mm of rain was recorded, which is 95 per cent below average.

Daily maximum temperatures last week was between 34.5°C and 35°C.

'Very warm temperatures' expected till end-March: MSS
Over the last two weeks of March, daily maximum temperatures are expected to range between 33°C and 34°C, and could reach a high of around 36°C on a few days, Met officials say.
Channel NewsAsia 15 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE: Expect "very warm temperatures" over the coming fortnight, Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said in an advisory on Tuesday (Mar 15).

"During this period, the daily maximum temperatures are expected to range between 33°C and 34°C, and could reach a high of around 36°C on a few days," MSS stated. It said the mean monthly temperature for March 2016 is likely to be comparable to that for the warmest March on record - 29.5°C in 1998.

"The warmer conditions are due the continuing influence of the El Nino and the presence of a dry and warm air mass over the region," MSS added.

Despite the drier conditions, short-duration thundery showers in the afternoon can still be expected over parts of Singapore on four to six days.

MSS said almost all areas of Singapore received below average rainfall in the first half of March. During the second week of March, the daily maximum temperature recorded was between 34.5°C and 35.0°C.

- CNA/ly


The next 2 weeks of March is going to get hotter and drier
AsiaOne 15 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE - Do you think it has been hot since the start of March 2016? Well, it's going to get hotter.

The next fortnight is expected to be drier and warmer than that experienced in the first fortnight of this month, said a media advisory by the National Environment Agency (NEA).

During this period, the daily maximum temperatures are expected to range between 33°C and 34°C, and could reach a high of around 36°C on a few days.

The mean monthly temperature for March 2016 is likely to be comparable to that for the warmest March on record - 29.5°C in 1998.

The warmer conditions are due the continuing influence of the El Nino and the presence of a dry and warm air mass over the region. The occurrence of the equinox is another contributing factor to the warm temperatures during this time of the year.

An equinox occurs twice a year around Mar 20 and Sep 22. During an equinox, with the sun directly overhead around noon, sunlight reaching the earth's surface is most intense and contributes to higher daytime temperatures.

Despite the drier conditions, short-duration thundery showers in the afternoon on four to six days can still be expected over parts of Singapore, due to strong solar heating of land areas and convergence of winds in the surrounding vicinity.

The rainfall for March is expected to be significantly below-normal.

In the first week of March, Singapore experienced occasionally windy conditions with short-duration thundery showers in the afternoon on some days.

Dry and warm conditions were experienced in the second week of the month where the daily maximum temperature recorded was between 34.5°C and 35.0°C.

Almost all areas of Singapore received below average rainfall in the first half of March.

Rainfall was lowest over the eastern part of the island around Pasir Ris, where 4mm (95 per cent below average) was recorded. The highest rainfall of 119mm (15 per cent above average) was recorded over the southwest-central part of Singapore around Queenstown.

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Riau Governor Says Singapore Should Not Worry About Haze

Tempo 15 Mar 16;

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Acting Governor of Riau Arsyadjuliandi Rachman, guaranteed that residual haze originated from forest fires in the region will no longer affect Singapore. Arsyadjuliandi said that authorities have successfully dealt with forest fires previously occurred on the eastern coast of Riau.

"Singapore should not worry, coordination to mitigate forest fire is better compared to previous years," said Arsyadjuliandi, after welcoming members of the Singaporean consulate in his office on Tuesday, March 15, 2016.

Aryadjuliandi explained that the Singapore consulate met with the city administration to discuss land and forest fire prevention.

Arsyadjuliandi explained to the consulates that the fires in eastern coast of Riau had been successfully handled. The city administration had moved in quickly to perform countermeasures, extinguishing the fires

RIYAN NOFITRA

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