Malaysia: Water-rationing only a stop-gap measure, says don

JOASH EE DE SILVA The Star 1 May 16;

PETALING JAYA: Water rationing can only be a stop-gap measure for the current water crisis brought about by the depleting reserve at the Bukit Merah dam.

But it is not viable in the long run, said Dr Zaki Zainudin, associate professor in water quality and modelling at the Inter­national Islamic University Malaysia.

“For me, rationing is only a stop-gap measure, it is not sustainable,” he commented on the call by the National Water Services Commis­sion (SPAN) urging the Perak government to consider stricter rationing to allow water to be available for up to 60 days, instead of the current 30 days.

The Perak Water Committee, however, responded that rationing would be conducted only if the water level dropped to 5.18m from the current 6.21m.

Dr Zaki said that during rationing, people tended to overcompensate and store more water as backup and that it may not be a very effective measure.

He said that in the short term, the state may have to look at intercity water deployment and acquire water from other states.

With a smaller population, the water demand is not as critical in Perak so intercity water deployment can help in the short term.

“But in the long run, at the federal level, there is a need to look at more sustainable measures for water catchment areas, water resource management and better control in pollution and river basin management,” he said.

Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (Awer) president S. Piarapakaran said the Perak government could reduce water pressure at night as usage was low then.

“But in doing so, they must ensure no contamination can enter the treated water supply system because of the low pressure.

“SPAN can identify premises, industries and commercial use in non-critical sectors and control water use, as it is allowed under Section 54 of the Water Services Industry Act 2006.

However, Piarapakaran said that as water crisis issues will be a recurring problem for many years to come, the Government must look into colour-coded alert systems to manage the crises.

He suggested a three-colour system of yellow, orange and red be used to signal what measures needed to be taken.

“For example, yellow is mild where water to non-critical sectors must be reduced, while orange is when water levels are dropping close to critical level, and red where an emergency is declared under Section 56 and there are more stringent rules and regulations.”

He added that there should be long-term planning of catchment areas, where dams are built and further expanded in stages over 15 to 25 years to meet increasing water requirements.


Contingency plan in place to manage Perlis water crisis: MB
BERNAMA New Straits Times 30 Apr 16;

ARAU: The state government of Perlis has drawn up a contingency plan to properly manage the water crisis and distribution of treated water supply to areas affected by water rationing in the northern part of the state.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man said the plan prepared by the state government was a guide and reference for all agencies and affected areas in the state, with the water crisis expected to prolong until September.

“To ensure the plan is implemented smoothly, I have submitted it to all the relevant government departments, agencies and organisations,” he said when opening the Pauh state constituency’s Community Day-cum-Arau 1Malaysia People’s Housing Project Internet Centre Open Day, here, today.

esides the state government, the other organisations which received the plan were the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, National Water Services Commission, Syarikat Air Perlis, National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA), and state Drainage and Irrigation Department and Public Works Department.

Nonetheless, Azlan said, all parties were hoping for the water level at Timah Tasoh Dam to rise further with rain in the last few days.

“Despite rain in the last two days, water flowing into the dam will take time as the hot weather has resulted in a high rate of vapourisation, causing the water level at the dam to continue falling.

“We hope this (water crisis) will not drag on and the water level at the dam will return to normal soon at 29.1 metres,” he said.

Meanwhile, Perlis Drainage and Irrigation Department director, Abdul Najib Abdullah said the water level at the dam was still critical at 26.14 metres today, down 0.01 metre from 26.15 metres yesterday.

Perlis Meteorological Department director Muhammad Khalil Ab Jalil said the temperature in the state as at 4 pm recorded a fall to 33.5°C compared to 36°C yesterday.

“The temperature recorded in the last few days was expected to return to normal by June as the El Nino impact on the state was expected to gradually weaken when the inter-monsoon period peaked in May.

“During this period, there will rain and thunderstorms, especially in the evening, throughout the state,” he said. -- BERNAMA


PAIP helping drought-hit Chini residents
The Star 1 May 16;

KUANTAN: Pengurusan Air Pahang Bhd (PAIP) has provided 43 static tanks to supply water to residents of Chini, who are badly hit by drought caused by El Nino.

PAIP said in a statement that 4,500 account holders were affected by the disruption of supply from the Chini water treatment plant.

Until yesterday, 16 tanker lorries had sent water to the Chini 3, 4 and 5 highland areas, it said.

Pahang director of health Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said spring water near the Felda Chini Training Centre was unsafe for drinking and cooking because it contained coliform and e-coli bacteria.

It could only be used for washing and bathing.

PAIP said 81 static tanks, seven tanker lorries and seven filling stations have been supplying water to the people of Lipis, since a supply problem at the Air Jelai treatment plant.

Also, two tanker lorries and 29 static tanks were providing water to 360 account holders in Mentakab, Lanchang and Temerloh.

Supply from the Lubuk Kawah plant in Temerloh has been disrupted by drought, PAIP said. — Bernama


Padi farmers in Kerian suffer RM56 million in losses due to El Nino
RAJA KHALIDATUL ASRIN New Straits Times 30 Apr 16;

BAGAN SERAI: Padi farmers in the Kerian district are suffering losses totalling RM56 million due to the heat wave.

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said 8,097 hectares of 21,108has padi fields in the distict were affected by the El Nino, involving 3,175 farmers.

"Although the government has not declared it as a disaster area, we will continue to help them.

"We have no specific fund for such a problem but we will find ways to help ease their burden," he said after visiting the affected farmers at Kampung Dew here today.

Present were Agriculture Department director-general Datuk Ahmad Zakaria Mohamad Sidek, Kerian Intergrated Agriculture Development Area director Zahimi Hassan and Bagan Serai member of parliament Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali.

Kerian has more than 8,000 farmers and they been produce 36,000 metric tonnes of padi every harvest.

Tajuddin said the water level at Bukit Merah dam was still within the stage three critical level and the authorities would have to wait until May 15 before they could decide whether the water could be released to the padi fields.

He said the government would use the RM4 million allocation for farmers affected by the El Nino, to help padi growers in Kerian district.

Apart from digging tube wells, he said more water pumps would be sent to the affected area in Kerian district to help irrigate the drying padi fields.

"Kerian district, which is one of the main padi producers, is facing a massive problem when 4,600 hectares of padi fields are yet to be planted with seedlings due to lack of water," he said.

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Malaysia: MB warns of court action against those who contaminate Pulau Redang

The Star 1 May 16;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Chalet and hotel operators who pollute the waters of Pulau Redang will be taken to court and face hefty fines, promised Mentri Besar Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman.

Government agencies conducted a spot check on Thursday after the pollution was highlighted in The Star and Ahmad Razif said they found open burning of rubbish, oil slicks along the beach and inappropriate channelling of sewerage from the island.

“We cannot compromise on such matters. Sometime next week, I will go to Pulau Redang to see what is going on.

“I will also be visiting other islands, including Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Kapas, to see whether such things are happening there too,” he said.

After that, a meeting with all the operators will be held to discuss the matter, he said after a ground breaking ceremony for the Terengganu Halal Centre and launch of the Anak Terengganu Entrepreneur’s Car­nival in Gong Badak yesterday.

In his speech earlier, Ahmad Razif announced that more incentives would be given to companies in Terengganu that employed only locals.

He said the incentives could be in the form of infrastructure cost reductions, discounts on utility bills and cuts in assessment tax.

This initiative by the state government was to lessen the unemployment rate while ensuring 40,000 job opportunities for the people of Terengganu by 2020.

“A special committee will be formed to look into the matter and come up with incentives,” he said.

This was the first official public event that Ahmad Razif attended since the revocation of his “Datuk Seri” title.

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Malaysia: Generating revenue without felling trees

The Star 1 May 16;

KOTA KINABALU: The forests in Sabah are set to become a key revenue earner for the state without any tree being felled.

Instead, the state government is exploring revenue options through ecosystem services such as clean water and air, biodiversity, soil protection and carbon sequestration.

Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said this new approach was necessary following a decline in revenue from timber products.

However, it is costly to manage the forest so the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) approach is being used.

“PES is a scheme in which service providers are compensated to cater for environmental services to the user,” Mannan said after a one-day workshop on developing PES for Sabah.

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Indonesia: Thousands of hotspots detected in peatlands this year

thejakartapost.com 30 Apr 16;

Thousands of hotspots have been detected by the government this year, an early warning sign of the rampant forest fires which have in the past caused massive losses in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) satellites, currently operated from Singapore, detected 1,075 hotspots between January and April, a decrease from 3,411 hotspots in the same period last year, says the Environment and Forestry Ministry.

In contrast, the Terra-Aqua satellites detected 2,710 hotspots, an increase from 1,432 hotspots detected last year.

The main factor for the forest fires is human behavior, although fires also occur due to the damaged peatland ecosystem and the El Niño weather phenomenon, said Kemal Anas, the ministry’s law enforcement director-general on Friday.

The NOAA and Terra-Aqua satellites produced different results because they detect hotspots at different minimum temperatures: 44 and 42 degrees Celsius, respectively.

A hotspot is not to be mistaken for a forest fire as, according to the ministry, a hotspot is an initial indication which could lead to ground checks.

In April, the greatest number of hotspots were found in East Kalimantan ( 235 ) and Riau ( 105 ) according to NOAA satellites. While Papua ( 542 ) and East Kalimantan ( 286 ) recorded the highest according to Terra-Aqua satellites.

Failure to contain hotspots last year resulted in the destruction of 2.61 million hectares of forest and peatlands in Sumatra and Kalimantan, leaving 21 people dead and more than a half-a-million people to suffer from respiratory problems as a consequence of the five-month-long choking haze that smothered surrounding areas.

Last year's fire crisis cost the economy Rp 221 trillion ( US$16.5 billion ), around 1.9 percent of the country's GDP, more than double the cost of rebuilding Aceh after the 2004 tsunami.

According to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment ( Walhi ), at least 308 forest fires occurred at plantations in concession areas managed by giant corporations including Wilmar, Sinar Mas and APRIL groups, in Sumatra and Kalimantan last year.

The government has reprimanded those companies involved in the fires, with three having land-use or environmental permits revoked and a further 16 seeing permits suspended.

“All corporations with revoked permits are required to turn all of the concession areas over to the government. Suspended corporations are required to hand back burnt areas,” Kemal said. ( vps/bbn )

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) satellites, currently operated from Singapore, detected 1,075 hotspots between January and April, a decrease from 3,411 hotspots in the same period last year, says the Environment and Forestry Ministry.

In contrast, the Terra-Aqua satellites detected 2,710 hotspots, an increase from 1,432 hotspots detected last year.

The main factor for the forest fires is human behavior, although fires also occur due to the damaged peatland ecosystem and the El Niño weather phenomenon, said Kemal Anas, the ministry’s law enforcement director-general on Friday.

The NOAA and Terra-Aqua satellites produced different results because they detect hotspots at different minimum temperatures: 44 and 42 degrees Celsius, respectively.

A hotspot is not to be mistaken for a forest fire as, according to the ministry, a hotspot is an initial indication which could lead to ground checks.

In April, the greatest number of hotspots were found in East Kalimantan ( 235 ) and Riau ( 105 ) according to NOAA satellites. While Papua ( 542 ) and East Kalimantan ( 286 ) recorded the highest according to Terra-Aqua satellites.

Failure to contain hotspots last year resulted in the destruction of 2.61 million hectares of forest and peatlands in Sumatra and Kalimantan, leaving 21 people dead and more than a half-a-million people to suffer from respiratory problems as a consequence of the five-month-long choking haze that smothered surrounding areas.

Last year's fire crisis cost the economy Rp 221 trillion ( US$16.5 billion ), around 1.9 percent of the country's GDP, more than double the cost of rebuilding Aceh after the 2004 tsunami.

According to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment ( Walhi ), at least 308 forest fires occurred at plantations in concession areas managed by giant corporations including Wilmar, Sinar Mas and APRIL groups, in Sumatra and Kalimantan last year.

The government has reprimanded those companies involved in the fires, with three having land-use or environmental permits revoked and a further 16 seeing permits suspended.

“All corporations with revoked permits are required to turn all of the concession areas over to the government. Suspended corporations are required to hand back burnt areas,” Kemal said. ( vps/bbn )

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Indonesia: Entire process for new palm oil permit issuance ends -- Minister

thejakartapost.com 1 May 16;

Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya confirmed that as a follow up to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s directive, the entire process for the issuance of new palm oil permits under her authority had ended.

“I have put a stop to the entire process for the issuance of new permits for palm oil expansion under my authority, from A to Z. This is a concrete proof that we are following up President Jokowi’s directive,” she told foresthints.news, as quoted by Greenomics Indonesia.

The environment and forestry minister has the authority to release convertible production forests located in state forest areas for development purposes outside the forestry sector, such as for palm oil plantations.

Commenting on existing palm oil permits outside the state forest areas, Siti said the government was discussing the steps it needed to take in reviewing the permits. She asserted that any reviews must be conducted together with relevant ministries and local governments, particularly in the case of concessions, which retained good forest cover.

Citing an example, the minister said millions of hectares of state forests in Papua and West Papua could be qualified as convertible production forest, in which they fell outside the existing moratorium map. Thus, the forests could be legally released for development purposes, including for palm oil, she added.

“We are applying the moratorium on new palm oil permits in those millions of hectares even though the area falls outside the existing moratorium map. I have already given the order to stop issuing new permits for palm oil in convertible production forests. The authority for this rests with me,” Siti said.

The minister further said President Jokowi was really worried about the ongoing palm oil expansion, which involved the opening up of forests with intact forest cover on a massive scale. This was especially the case in Papua, the majority of which was home to intact forests, she said. Therefore, the whole issue needed to be reviewed at the national level while at the same time, a moratorium needed to be imposed on palm oil expansion in areas throughout Indonesia, she added.

Siti further said a presidential regulation was being prepared to form the legal basis for the palm oil and mining expansion moratorium.

“The President has asked me to prepare the legal basis for the moratorium, which demonstrates how serious he is about the issue. Now we are in the process of drafting a presidential regulation as a legal back up to the President’s directive to the palm oil and mining expansion moratorium,” the minister said. ( ebf )


Indonesia takes aim at palm oil after forest fires
Indonesia is pushing to ban new palm oil operations after last year's haze-belching forest fires were partly blamed on the industry's expansion, but producers are warning the move could hit the economy and green groups are sceptical.
Channel NewsAsia 1 May 16;

JAKARTA: Indonesia is pushing to ban new palm oil operations after last year's haze-belching forest fires were partly blamed on the industry's expansion, but producers are warning the move could hit the economy and green groups are sceptical.

President Joko Widodo in April proposed a halt on granting new land for palm oil plantations in the world's top producer of the edible vegetable oil, a key ingredient in many everyday goods, from biscuits to shampoo and make-up.

In a statement, he said that "palm oil concessions available at the moment are already adequate" and urged producers to concentrate on using better seeds to increase their yields.

Plantations on Sumatra island and the Indonesian part of Borneo have expanded in recent years as demand for palm oil has skyrocketed, bringing huge profits to companies and healthy tax revenues to the government.

But the rapid growth has been blamed for the destruction of tropical forests that are home to many endangered species, and forest fires that occur every year during the dry season due to illegal slash-and-burn clearance.

The 2015 blazes were the most serious for some years, worsened by dry weather caused by an El Nino phenomenon, and cloaked large stretches of Southeast Asia in toxic smog for weeks, causing hundreds of thousands to fall ill, disrupting air travel and fuelling anger at Jakarta.

The proposed moratorium on new concessions is the latest move by Widodo aimed at reducing environmental destruction caused by the industry and halting the annual smog outbreaks.

But the Indonesian Palm Oil Association warned that the ban could damage a mainstay of Southeast Asia's biggest economy that supports 24 million jobs, directly or indirectly.

"Palm oil is a strategic sector which contributed $19 billion in exports in 2015," said Tofan Madji, a spokesman for the group, which represents some 650 companies.

"It contributes to economic growth, especially in remote areas."

"FORESTS WILL KEEP BURNING"

Activists were cautious about the proposal, with Greenpeace Indonesia warning it would not be effective unless the government introduces a tough regulation, rather than just a weaker "presidential instruction".

The details of the proposed moratorium are still being discussed, and it is not yet clear when it will be adopted, the environment ministry said.

Kiki Taufik, Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaigner, also warned of implementation problems as various parts of government would need to work together for a ban to operate smoothly.

"This is probably one of the hardest parts. Lack of coordination among officials is common and it often leads to bad implementation of regulations," Taufik said.

Implementation of laws is also difficult due to heavily decentralisation of power across the archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, with rules set in Jakarta often flouted by local administrations.

A moratorium on new logging permits on primary forest and peatlands -- defined as areas not logged in recent history -- has been in place since 2011, but campaigners say it has sometimes been ignored when local governments grant concessions.

The palm oil plan follows a 2015 ban on new development on all peatlands after swathes of carbon-rich peat were drained for use as plantations in recent years, creating highly flammable areas.

The government has also pledged to punish more than 50 companies accused over last year's forest fires. But it suffered a setback in December when a court rejected a $565 million lawsuit against a pulp and paper company accused of failing to prevent the blazes.

Some believe that little can be done to stop the annual fires when there is still money to be made from palm oil.

"The main cause of forest fires is greed," said Herry Purnomo, a scientist at the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research.

"As long as people want a quick return, quick money, the forest will keep burning."

- AFP/cy

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Indonesia: Hornbill poaching rampant in Gorontalo

Syamsul Huda M. Suhari The Jakarta Post 30 Apr 16;

Kadir Hanafi, 40, took down the beak of a knobbed hornbill hanging near the door of his house in Puncak Jaya village, Taluditi district in the regency of Pohuwato, Gorontalo. As he’s showing the beak, he said he got it from a hunter over 10 years ago.

A man of Gorontalo origin who migrated to Puncak Jaya, Kadir said he deliberately hung the beak in his house with the belief that it had magical powers to ward off peril and disaster.

“That is what people say. I just follow. I am not the only one doing the same thing,” he said Wednesday.

Wagiyanto, 48, another migrant in Puncak Jaya who originates from Java, on the other hand, said he collected the beak of the hornbill, locally known as the Alo bird, more because he was interested in its beautiful shape.

“About its magical element, I don’t believe it. It’s just a myth,” he said, adding that he got the beak himself from his own hunting activities in 2015. He said a flock of Alo birds flew over his village back then. He shot one down with an air gun. He collected the beak and consumed the meat.

He said at that time he did not know that the bird was protected. Now a member of the village consultative council ( BPD ), Wagiyanto said he had issued a ban on people hunting protected birds.

Puncak Jaya is a transmigration village established by the government in 2002. It is located 223 kilometers from the provincial capital of Gorontalo and is inhabited by Gorontalese and Javanese ethnic communities.

The area previously was a protected forest. It’s not surprising that various animals can be found there. The village has been the habitat of the Alo bird, the local name of Julang Sulawesi ( Rhyticeros cassidix ), an endemic bird species of the island.

Cultural observer Karmin Baruadi of Gorontalo State University’s School of Literature and Culture suggested that the tradition of hanging the beak of a bird inside a house was a legacy from cultural animism.

“The Gorontalese culture, as far as I know, does not recognize such a tradition,” he said, adding that the tradition could have been the faith of a few people that was passed on to generations.

Biodiversity officer Panji Ahmad Fauzan of Burung Indonesia, said the Julang Sulawesi bird or popularly known as “rangkong” was a protected Sulawesi endemic bird.

In Gorontalo, the birds have been a favorite among poachers. Due to massive poaching, the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) has declared the species vulnerable. Panji said Julang Sulawesi was a key animal for the survival of a forest ecosystem.

Margaret F. Kinnaird and Timothy G. O’Brien, senior ecologists and researchers of rangkong from the Wildlife Conservation Society ( WCS ), nicknamed rangkong as the “farmers of the forest” due to their role of spreading seeds. They said there was a positive correlation between rangkong and healthy forests.

There are many trees whose survival depend on fruit-eating birds to spread their seeds. Without rangkong, particular trees for sure will disappear because no new plants could replace old and dying ones.

Ara are among the rangkong’s favorite fruits as they are available almost the whole year. There are 200 estimated ara tree species that have been the main food source for rangkong. The bird has been considered as the best ara seed spreaders thanks to its high coverage area.

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Best of our wild blogs: 30 Apr 16

14 May (Sat): Chek Jawa boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

Night Walk At Tampines Eco Green (29 Apr 2016)
Beetles@SG BLOG

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Slow loris finds itself stranded far away from home... at Yishun carpark

AsiaOne 30 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE - It has a permanent look of surprise on its face, but this slow loris was probably really afraid when it found itself surrounded by a concrete jungle instead of the lush greenery she is used to.

Earlier this month, officers from the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (Acres) were notified of a slow loris stranded in a multi-storey carpark at Yishun Central. The resident who found the nocturnal animal recognised it immediately and knew that it was not in a place it belonged.

One of Singapore's critically endangered creatures, slow lorises are usually found deep in the nature reserves of Singapore where they enjoy a diet of fruit, sap, nectar, bird eggs and insects.

In a video uploaded on Acres' YouTube account, the slow loris can be seen perched on the ledge three storeys above ground.

With thick gloves to protect himself from the the animal's strong and toxic bite, an Acres officer grabs hold of it and brings it carefully to safety.

Manager of Acres' wildlife department, Kalai, told AsiaOne in a phone interview that the Sunda slow loris, which is native to Singapore, is usually not found near residential areas.

So how exactly did this "young adult" female slow loris get to a carpark in Yishun Central?

Kalai says there are just two possible scenarios. One possibility was that it had been sold as part of the illegal pet trade and escaped from captivity, while the other possibility was that it could have accidentally 'hitched' a ride out of the nature reserve on the car of an unsuspecting visitor.

If the small animal was indeed smuggled into the heartlands illegally, it could have gone through lots of hardship and would have difficulty adjusting in the wild, Kalai said.

To ensure it was ready to be released back into the wild, Acres officers fed the slow loris a small piece of guava from a height. When the slow loris reached for its treat, it revealed a lovely set of teeth, including its canines. This, Kalai says, was an important sign as illegal traders usually clip the teeth of slow lorises to prevent them from biting. This cruel action also makes it almost impossible for the animal to adapt back to the wild.

After spending just over a day with Acres, the slow loris found in Yishun was microchipped and determined fit for re-entry into its natural habitat.

Video footage shows Acres officers opening up its cage in an undisclosed forested area. While it seemed slightly confused at first, the slow loris soon noticed the greenery around and began to crawl out (slowly, of course) into its new home.

Hopefully this furry little animal gets to enjoy the rest of its days roaming free in the reserves, undisturbed by human activities. Remember - illegal trade causes these exotic animals lifelong pain and suffering. They might be cute, but they don't belong in the confines of your home.

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Warm and wet conditions expected in first half of May: MSS

The Meteorological Service Singapore adds that this April is set to be the warmest April since temperature records started in 1929.
Channel NewsAsia 29 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE: The warm weather Singapore experienced in April will continue into the first half of May, with maximum temperatures during this period expected to range between 33°C and 35°C on most days, according to the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).

In a media advisory on Friday (Apr 29), MSS said the rainfall for the first fortnight of the month is expected to be near average.

Short-duration thundery showers are expected, mostly in the afternoon, on seven to nine days during the fortnight due to "strong solar heating of land areas coupled with wind convergence", and thundery showers with gusty winds can be expected in the pre-dawn and morning on one or two days due to a Sumatra squall, said MSS.

It added that inter-monsoon conditions are expected to persist over the region in May, and prevailing low-level winds will continue to be light and variable in direction.

THIS APRIL SET TO BE WARMEST RECORDED IN SINGAPORE

MSS said that Singapore experienced "significantly warmer temperatures over many parts of the island" in April, with the highest daily maximum temperatures exceeding 34°C on most days, despite thundery showers on many days.

As of Thursday, the mean monthly temperature for the month is 29.5°C, 0.3°C above the highest ever mean monthly temperature for April recorded in 1998. April 2016 is thus on track to be the warmest ever April in Singapore since temperature records started in 1929, MSS said.

In addition, the daily maximum temperature of 36.7°C recorded at Seletar on Apr 13 this year was the second highest ever recorded temperature in Singapore. For the month to date, the highest daily maximum temperature reached 35°C or above on 13 days.

Almost all parts of Singapore received below average rainfall in April this year, with the lowest rainfall of 80.6mm recorded around Seletar and the highest rainfall of 243.2mm recorded around Ang Mo Kio, MSS added.

- CNA/mz


First two weeks of May will be warm and wet: Met Service
Today Online 29 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE — Expect the first half of May to be just as warm as April, with daily maximum temperatures expected to hover between 33°C and 35°C on most days.

Besides warm weather, Singapore will also experience short-duration thundery showers on seven to nine days of the upcoming fortnight, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said in a statement on Friday (April 29).

Thundery showers with gusty winds can be expected in the pre-dawn and morning on one to two days.

April 2016 is on track to becoming the hottest April on record since 1929, when temperature records were first kept. The daily maximum temperature of 36.7°C recorded at Seletar on April 13, 2016 was the second highest ever recorded temperature in the Republic.

Rain brought little respite this month, with the MSS reporting that almost all parts of Singapore received below average rainfall.

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White spots on prawns not due to viral disease: AVA

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) issued a clarification on an earlier reply which mistakenly attributed white spots on prawns to a viral disease. It says the spots are actually part of the reproductive organ.
Channel NewsAsia 29 Apr 16;

SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on Friday (Apr 29) clarified that white spots found on prawns purchased by a consumer were not caused by a viral disease, but are actually part of its reproductive organ.

This comes after a Facebook post by Ms Winnie Tan on AVA's initial reply to her made its rounds on social media. On Wednesday, Ms Tan posted a photo on Facebook showing white spots on prawns, with AVA stating that the spots were caused by "the infection of white spot disease".

"This is a viral disease which attacked the shrimp. You may wish to discard the shrimp away," AVA told Ms Tan.


As of Friday night, the post has been shared almost 3,000 times.

In its clarification, AVA apologised for providing the wrong information before investigations had been completed.

"The initial assessment was based on photographic evidence provided by the consumer. However, subsequent investigations based on samples collected have determined that the white spots are actually part of the reproductive organ, and are not due to a viral disease," AVA said, adding that it would like to assure the public that there is no cause for alarm.

AVA has also reached out to Ms Tan to inform her of the clarification.

- CNA/dl

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Malaysia: ‘Crack the whip to stop open burning’

NICHOLAS CHENG The Star 30 Apr 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: While there are ample laws in place to penalise open burners, the enforcement of these laws is lacking, according to the former director-general of the Fire and Rescue Department Datuk Dr Soh Chai Hock.

He said this resulted in irresponsible people continuing to carry out open burning every year without fear of fines and firemen having to repeatedly deal with situations that could have been avoided.

Soh, who led the agency through the 1997 haze crisis, said that the strict enforcement which helped stop the pollution then was not being carried out now.

While he did not name the government agency responsible, it is understood that enforcing open burning laws came under the purview of the Department of Environment (DOE).

Those found guilty of open burning could be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed for up to five-years or both under Section 29A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

Soh said the agency concerned had to start cracking the whip to stop the open burning that was contributing to the current widespread forest fires and haze.

“Or else the message will never work,” he said.

“If the law is under the agency, it is their duty to enforce it. If they don’t and things go wrong, they are liable too.”

“Bomba does not have the power to enforce, we can only help extinguish the fires but we are always the ones at the forefront.

“Do you know how much money and manpower have to be put down for something that could have been controlled by just making sure people keep to the law?” a frustrated Soh said.

He also suggested that the DOE rope in other agencies like the police, local councils, Rela and the Department of Civil Defence to help it enforce its laws against open burning.

Open burning cases have spiked in the country since the heatwave began in February.

This month alone, firemen responded to 6,831 open burning cases, with Selangor and Johor accounting for the highest number.

Soh said that firefighters were “going beyond the call of duty and putting themselves at great risk” when it comes to forest fires, claiming that officers here were mostly trained to handle structural fires rather than those in forests.

Doctors reportedly said firemen were exposing themselves to health risks like cancer and heat stroke.

Soh also called on locals to be first responders to help put out smaller fires that had just started instead of letting it build into a bigger problem.

“If fires are now a regular occurrence in forest areas, the formation of first responders and volunteer fire prevention squads is vital to overcome these hazards,” he said.

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Malaysia: Start water rationing now or be sorry, SPAN tells Perak govt

T. AVINESHWARAN The Star 29 Apr 16;

KERIAN: Better be safe than sorry, says the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) as it urged the Perak government to consider water rationing in areas that receive supplies from the Gunung Semanggol and Jalan Baru water treatment plant.

SPAN commissioner Prof Datuk Dr N. Marimuthu, who visited the Gunung Semanggol water treatment plant on Friday, said the rationing would extend available water at the Bukit Merah dam.

He said it also reduces the risk for the dam drying up which can be of grave impact on consumers.

"We are taking this issue seriously. SPAN will make recommendations to the state government to take drastic action.

"If we have to do water rationing, we have to do it. Based on the Meteorological Department's prediction, this phenomenon could go on till September."

Marimuthu urged consumers in the areas to be mindful when using water as the El-Nino phenomenon will go on for a while.

The Bukit Merah Dam has less than 6m of water at its deepest point and only 14% of water remains despite having a catchment area of 480 sq km.

According to SPAN, the dam can only last for 30 days if no water rationing is done and there has only been 20cm increase in the last few days.

Perak govt: No water rationing in Kerian for now
M.HAMZAH JAMALUDIN New Straits Times 29 Apr 16;

IPOH: The Perak government will not implement water rationing in the Kerian district as the water level at Bukit Merah dam has improved from 6.1m on Monday to 6.2m today.

State Public Utlities, Infrastructure, Energy and Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said the improvement was due to intermittent rain in the area over the past few days.

"We will stick to our earlier statement that water rationing will only be implemented if the water level at Bukit Merah dam drops to 5.1m," he said after co-chairing a special meeting on the issue with State Secretary Datuk Seri Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan here today.

While acknowledging the proposal made by the National Water Services Commission (Span) on water rationing, he said the state government decided against it after receiving feedback from the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) and Perak Water Board (PWB).

During the meeting, he said they had also discussed the reports tabled by DID, PWB, Meteorological Department and the Agriculture Department.

Zainol said water from the Bukit Merah dam would only be channeled to the water treatment plants for domestic and industrial use.

"The supply for agricultural irrigation has been temporarily halted until the water level reaches the normal range of at least 7m," he said.

For the Bukit Merah dam, the water level is considered "critical stage one" when it drops below 7m while "crtitical stage two" when it reaches 6.7m and "critical stage three" when it breaches 6.4m.

The maximum level at the dam is 8.55m while the minimum, which should trigger the water rationing and other contigency measures, is at 5.1m. Built in 1906, the Bukit Merah dam is located upstream of the confluence of Sungai Kurau and Sungai Merah and drained about 480 square kilometeres, with a storage capacity of 92.8 million cubic metres.


Span: Start water rationing
The Star 30 Apr 16;

KERIAN: Do not wait for disaster to happen, and consider water rationing now in areas supplied by the depleting Gunung Semanggol and Jalan Baru water treatment plants, the National Water Services Commission (Span) is urging the Perak government.

SPAN commissioner Prof Datuk Dr N. Marimuthu, who visited the Gunung Semanggol plant yesterday, said if rationing was done, it would extend available water at the Bukit Merah dam.

He added that it also reduced the risk of the dam drying up, which could gravely impact consumers.

“If we have to do water rationing, we have to do it. Based on the Meteorological Department's prediction, this phenomenon could go on till September,” he said.

However, the state government is maintaining its stand not to start water rationing in those areas.

Perak Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said the trend in the past one week showed there were some showers in Bukit Merah, which led to an increase in the water level at the Bukit Marah dam.

On Monday, the level was at 6.06m but this has now increased to 6.21m.

“I have already said, if the water level drops to 17 feet (5.18m), we will have to do water rationing,” he said.

The Bukit Merah Dam has around 6m of water at its deepest point and only 14% of water remains despite the catchment area of 480sq km.

According to SPAN, the dam can last for only 30 days without water rationing.

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