Indonesia: Orangutans rebound after forest fires

Severianus Endi The Jakarta Post 3 May 16;

An orangutan rehabilitation center in Ketapang regency, West Kalimantan, has succeeded in evacuating and rehabilitating over 160 orangutans, 50 of which have been released back into national parks.

The latest success by Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia ( YIARI ) on Monday saw four orangutans released at the Bukit Baka Bukut Raya National Park on the border of West and Central Kalimantan.

Covering an area of 1,810 square kilometers in the heart of Kalimantan, the park is the habitat of 817 endemic flora and fauna including orangutan and honey bears ( Helarctos malayanus euryspilus ).

The four primates had undergone a rehabilitation program at YIARI’s shelter for several months. They were all victims of a forest fire that occurred at the end of 2015, where they were rescued at the beginning of 2016.

“The four were all still wild but they only needed two to three months at the rehabilitation center,” YIARI’s program director Karmele Liano Sánchez told The Jakarta Post.

The shelter began operations in November 2009 on a plot of almost 60 hectares. Currently, the facility has 25 animal nurses and is equipped with 15 cages, a clinic and an orangutan school.

Apart from YIARI’s shelter, another orangutan rehabilitation facility has also been operating in Sintang, West Kalimantan, managed by Yayasan Kobus.

Every orangutan evacuated by the West Kalimantan Natural Resource Conservation Agency ( BKSDA ) is rehabilitated at either of the shelters depending on the distance from where the orangutan was rescued.

This year alone the agency has evacuated 12 orangutans. Three of which were sent to the Sintang shelter and the rest were sent to YIARI.

Head of the agency’s forest ranger unit, Azmardi, said the time needed to rehabilitate the orangutans depended on how long the animals had been under human care. As they need adequate treatment to get them prepared for the life back in the wild.

“If [an orangutan] still has wild characteristics when rescued, a lengthy rehabilitation program is not necessary,” said Azmardi.

He added that in 2015, his organization rescued 49 orangutans. Of them, seven were rehabilitated at Sintang, 34 were treated at YIARI shelter and the remaining eight were promptly released to their natural habitat.

Investigations and data collection on the ownership of protected animals have been conducted by the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program ( GPOCP ) in Ketapang regency. They do so by visiting and monitoring villages, especially those located close to forests as well as mining sites and plantation concession areas.

GPOCP’s animal protection manager Edi Rahman said that 2015 investigations and monitoring activities revealed 13 orangutans were being kept by residents in Ketapang and Kayong Utara. Rescue measures have been conducted in cooperation with local authorities, as nine of the orangutans were evacuated in March.

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Indonesia: Norway to develop peatland-friendly agriculture in Indonesia

Antara 4 May 16;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia, Stig Traavik, has said his government is ready to help Indonesia to develop peat land-friendly agriculture.

"Well help Indonesia in mastering how to cultivate plants without drying the peat lands, and how to increase the value added of the plants. There are some plants that can grow without drying the peat, such as sago," Traavik said here on Tuesday.

He added that the Norwegian government will also help to market the commodities produced through peat-friendly agricultural practices.

The Ambassador said in principle, Norway is ready to support all efforts to prevent damage that land and forest fires cause.

According to him, the important thing to prevent forest fires, especially in peat lands, is not to let the lands dry up.

"If the land becomes dry, then no technology in the world can cope with it. And if it burns, Indonesia will have a very big problem," he explained.

Traavik said Norway strongly supports every effort to restore peatlands. According to him, land and forest fires occuring in Indonesia now have the attention of his country.

During his visit to Pekanbaru, the Norwegian Ambassador was accompanied by the Chairman of the Indonesian Peat Land Restoration Agency, Nazir Foead.

The Ambassador visited Rimbo Panjang village, which witnesses land and forest fires every year.

During the visit, the ambassador, the agency, as well as the representatives of the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry inaugurated 50 boreholes which serve to moisten the lands.

Earlier, in February 2016, the government of Norway had allocated a grant of US$50 million to help the peat lands restoration program in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the US government has also allocated a grant of $17 million.

(KR-LWA/INE/B003)
EDITED BY INE
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/B003)


BRG, Norway review drilling of borewells in Kampar Regency
Antara 3 May 16;

Pekanbaru (ANTARA News) - The Peat Restoration Agency (BRG), Riau provincial government, and Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia reviewed the construction of deep borewells in Rimbo Panjang Village, Kampar Regency, Riau Province.

The review was conducted within the framework of Integration for Preventing Forest Fires and Land and Restoration Action through drilling borewells and reinforcing canal bulkheads.

"I was amazed at Riaus achievement of reducing hotspots by 89 percent during the January-April 2016 period as compared to the same period last year, and it was good," Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia Stig Traavik stated here on Tuesday.

The ambassador lauded Acting Governor of Riau Arsyadjuliandi Rachman and all parties who had been working hard in preventing forest fires and extinguishing them swiftly.

On the same occasion, BRG Head Nazir Foead revealed that the Norwegian representatives were on a visit to Rimbo Panjang Village to review the construction of deep wells in peatland areas.

"The governor has provided the latest data on some seven to eight thousand canal bulkheads that have been built in Riau Province, and this figure is the highest among all provinces in Indonesia," he pointed out.

Foead affirmed that the current visit was aimed at reviewing the process of building deep borewells in Rimbo Panjang Village as the area was annually ravaged by fires.

"As the area is prone to fires, the smoke always engulfs the airport, so the Indonesian National Armed Forces and Indonesian Police have built canal bulkheads, and we plan to add more deep wells," he explained.

He noted that the deep wells will help to anticipate the extent of current water deficit when land and forest fires raged.

Foead explained that Norway had, since last year, offered assistance several times to prevent fires and restore peatland areas as well as to construct canal bulkheads.

"Norway has provided significant help in the reinforcement of canal bulkheads through a non-governmental organization, and the construction was carried out in line with the technical guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry as well as the provincial and local regency governments," he remarked.

He noted that Norway had lent support to conserve forests, restore peatlands, and prevent forest fires in Indonesia.

In February 2016, the Norwegian government had agreed to allocate a grant of US$50 million to help restore Indonesias peatlands, while the United States had contributed $17 million.

Deputy of Operation Construction and Maintenance for Restoration of Peatlands Alue Dohong stated that the construction of deep wells and the reinforcement of canal bulkheads in Rimbo Panjang Village had begun by drilling 50 deep wells and installing five pumps.

"Thus, later on, there would be a symbolic delivery of the pumps during the direct construction of deep wells," he remarked.

(Reported by Fazar Muhardi and Diana Syafni/Uu.M052/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

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Indonesia: Attractive saltwater lakes in Raja Ampat

Otniel Tamindael Antara 4 May 16;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Dozens of attractive saltwater lakes on several islands of Raja Ampat in the Indonesian province of West Papua add to its charms as a tourism destination.

Raja Ampat is rich in a diverse range of coral reefs, sea-grasses, mangrove forests and has unique and beautiful small islands.

Some of the islands in Raja Ampat have dozens of saltwater lakes with unique biota such as jellyfish.

Even in the Misool conservation area, there are more than 40 saltwater lakes and most of them are inhabited by jellyfish which do not sting.

The saltwater lakes with marine biota in Raja Ampat are not widely known and still need further research to determine their condition and functioning in detail.

Lately, the lakes with jellyfish have started to attract local and foreign tourists.

Those saltwater lakes are expected later to be an ideal setting for outdoor activities like rafting, canoeing, swimming and even fishing.

The existence of the lakes in Raja Ampat is expected to give maximum benefit to the local society and to attract more and more domestic and foreign tourists.

Unfortunately, some tourists have assessed that the tour rates offered by Raja Ampat were expensive and it may affect other travelers keen on visiting this tourist area.

"Raja Ampat is much more beautiful than Bali, but the tour rates are more expensive when compared to Bali," Sami Ninggoroh, a tourist of Indian descent who visited Raja Ampat along with some Japanese tourists, stated on Tuesday.

According to Ninggoroh, the Raja Ampat tour rates should be reconsidered as these are quite high, and may negatively impact visitors traffic.

"We have been to Bali and found that the services offered there were better while the travel rates were cheaper as compared to Raja Ampat," he pointed out.

Further, Ninggoroh opined that tourists visiting Bali will certainly want to revisit it, but visitors to Raja Ampat will think twice before planning another trip as it is quite expensive.

He noted that besides being costly, other issues in Raja Ampat also need to be addressed, especially with regard to the services, so that every visitor feels comfortable and craves to come back.

"The services offered by the people of Bali to the tourists are very good as they highly value the tourism sector. They serve the tourists in as best a way as possible. Similar approach should also be applied in Raja Ampat," he emphasized.

Ninggoroh stated that Raja Ampat, as a marine tourism attraction, was already popular across the world, but the tourism packages being offered should be made cheaper.

"The local governments must lower the tour rates and improve the tourism supporting facilities," he added.

Known as the most biodiverse marine habitat on earth, Raja Ampat is an ideal destination for both local and foreign tourists to relax and unwind.

The visitors to Raja Ampat have the opportunity to witness a multitude of marine habitats and coral reefs at one glance without having to swim a stroke.

Raja Ampat comprises four large islands and hundreds of dots and specks off the fragmented western corner of the land of Papua, the worlds second-largest island.

Most visitors arrive in Raja Ampat through Sorong, a city on the far west coast of Papua, which has an airport, army barracks, and a karaoke bar called Happy Puppy.

In less than two hours from Sorong, the visitors can reach Raja Ampat, where they can indulge in activities such as swimming, diving and snorkeling, or just relax.

Reaching Raja Ampat has now become easier as the Bahari Express fast boat, a public transportation service, is offering rides to foreign tourists from Sorong city to visit the tourist attractions there.

Raja Ampat is home to a multitude of attractions and experiences.

With thousands of people visiting Raja Ampats marine and natural attractions, visitors can skip the crowds and experience it all aboard the Bahari Express fast boat.

"Our ship serves not only the local passengers but also foreign tourists who want to visit Raja Ampat," explained Erwin, a Bahari Express crew member.

The ticket prices of Bahari Express from Sorong to Raja Ampat are only Rp125 thousand per person for economy class and Rp220 thousand per person for business class, and these rates are applicable for both local passengers and foreign tourists alike.

There is high interest among foreign tourists to take a ride on the Bahari Express boat as the services offered are satisfying and enjoyable.

"Every day, several tourists from different countries board the Bahari Express boat from Sorong to Raja Ampat," Erwin stated, adding that the ship serves the Sorong-Raja Ampat route twice daily.

There, the tourists can enjoy not only the beautiful marine biodiversity but also enjoy the scenic beaches and gain local insights into the history of Raja Ampat.

In terms of historic relevance, in the 15th century, the Raja Ampat Archipelago was part of the reign of Tidore Sultanate, a great kingdom centered in the Maluku Islands.

To run its government, the Sultanate of Tidore appointed four local kings to rule the islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool, which are the fourth-largest until this day.

The term "Four Kings" who ruled the islands became the basis for the name Raja Ampat, which comprises some 610 islands, with a 753 kilometers long coastal line.(*)

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Wave of dead sea creatures hits Chile's beaches

Giovanna Fleitas AFP Yahoo News 4 May 16;

Santiago (AFP) - Heaps of dead whales, salmon and sardines blamed on the El Nino freak weather phenomenon have clogged Chile's Pacific beaches in recent months.

Last year, scientists were shocked when more than 300 whales turned up dead on remote bays of the southern coast. It was the first in a series of grim finds.

At the start of this year, a surge in algae in the water choked to death an estimated 40,000 tons of salmon in the Los Lagos region, where the Andes tower over lakes and green farming valleys down to the coast.

That is about 12 percent of annual salmon production in Chile, the world's second-biggest producer of the fish after Norway.

This month, some 8,000 tons of sardines were washed up at the mouth of the Queule river. And thousands of dead clams piled up on the coast of Chiloe Island.

Authorities blamed a "red tide" of algae.

They banned fishing in the affected region, putting thousands of fishermen out of work.

"We have red tides every year in southern Chile, but this time it reached further north," said Jorge Navarro, a researcher at the marine institute IDEAL.

"It affected bivalve populations (such as clams) that had never before been exposed like this" to the algae, he said.

On the shores of Santa Maria Island off the center off Chile's long coast, cuttlefish have been washed up dead in the thousands.

Various beaches in the center of the country were closed meanwhile as the specimens of the dreaded Portuguese Man-of-War jellyfish, normally foreign to the area, floated nearby.

- Shifting oceans -

Scientists largely blame the anomalies on El Nino, a disruptive weather phenomenon that comes with warming sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific.

With its 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) of Pacific coastline, Chile is particularly exposed to the effects of El Nino, which strikes every few years.

"We think that a common factor in the deaths of creatures in southern Chile, in the salmon farms and in fish off the coast is the El Nino phenomenon," said experts at the Chilean fisheries institute IFOP.

The current El Nino "has been classed as one of the most intense in the past 65 years," they told AFP in a statement.

Warmer sea water can lead to greater quantities of algae. They kill others species by consuming oxygen in the water or filling it with toxins.

"The Chilean ocean is shifting and changing," said Sergio Palma, an oceanographer at Valparaiso Catholic University.

"There has been a series of events that indicate an El Nino which is making its presence felt in many ways."

- Fish farming impact -

But scientists also suspect other causes for the mass destruction of the sea creatures.

The huge toll of whales last year "could be caused by a natural ecological process" that may be nothing to do with what killed the sardines and clams, said Laura Farias, an oceanographer at Concepcion University.

"There is no ecological, oceanographic or climatic explanation" linking the whales to the other incidents, she said.

She suspects the growth of fish farming in Chile's southern Patagonia region is to blame for killing the salmon and clams.

"There are studies indicating that in Patagonia the greater occurrence of toxic blooms could be a consequence of aquaculture."

Various scientists have said the current El Nino seems to be subsiding, causing the surface of the sea to cool slowly.

The mass destruction of sea life has been a wake-up call, however.

"Chile still lacks information about the sea," said Valesca Montes, a fisheries specialist at the Chilean branch of the World Wildlife Fund.

"It has to invest in oceanographic studies, so that we can predict certain events" and be better prepared for climate change.

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Global water shortages to deliver 'severe hit' to economies, World Bank warns

The Middle East, north Africa, central Asia and south Asia due to suffer biggest economic hit from water scarcity as climate change takes hold, report finds
Suzanne Goldenberg The Guardian 3 May 16;

Water shortages will deliver a “severe hit” to the economies of the Middle East, central Asia, and Africa by the middle of the century, taking double digits off their GDP, the World Bank warned on Tuesday.

By 2050, growing demand for cities and for agriculture would put water in short supply in regions where it is now plentiful – and worsen shortages across a vast swath of Africa and Asia, spurring conflict and migration, the bank said.

Water shortages could strip off 14% of GDP in the Middle East and nearly 12% of GDP in the Sahel – without a radical shift in management, according to the bank’s projections.

Central Asia could lose close to 11% of GDP and east Asia about 7% under business-as-usual water management policies, according to a new report.

Taking into account all regions, the mid-range toll of water shortages on GDP was about 6%.

“There is a severe hit on GDP,” said Richard Damania, lead environmental economist for the Bank and author of High and Dry: Climate Change, Water and the Economy.

Governments have grown increasingly concerned about the threat to water supply because of a combination of climate change and increasing demand.

Barack Obama invited business leaders to the White House last March for a business summit aimed at protecting California from the next drought – by mobilising investment in data and other technologies that would promote more efficient use of water.

The biggest economic hit due to water deficits were expected to occur in the Middle East, north Africa, central Asia, and parts of south Asia, the report found. There would be virtually no impact on the economies of North America and western Europe.

Much of the world faces a hotter and drier future under climate change, according to scientists. Rainfall – including the monsoons that fortify agriculture in south Asia – will become more unpredictable. Storm surges could contaminate freshwater reservoirs.

But there will also be pressure on water supply from rising populations – especially in cities – and increased demand from agriculture. “It turns out that economic growth is a thirsty business,” Damania said.

Some cities could see water availability drop by two-thirds by 2050, the report found. Water shortages could have rebounding effects on food production, public health, and household incomes – with families forced to pay more for a basic necessity.

But, the report said, encouraging more efficient use of water could make a big difference in the mid-century economic scenarios for regions threatened by water shortages.

In some countries, about two-thirds of water is lost to old and leaky pipes.

Good water management policies would add more than 11% to the GDP of central Asian countries and blunt the impact of water shortages in the Middle East, the report found.

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Best of our wild blogs: 3 May 16

Come for Pesta Ubin 14 May to 12 Jun!
wild shores of singapore

Why did the giant clam cross the road?
Neo Mei Lin

Semakau North with Giant Clam finds
wonderful creation

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Visitors bugged by litter at scenic spots

Aw Cheng Wei, The Straits Times AsiaOne 3 May 16;

Visitors to three popular beauty spots have recently complained about a spate of littering - and they believe they know who the culprits are.

The trash, usually found in spots near military training grounds, is suspected by hikers to have been left by those who were in the vicinity for military exercises.

Empty food ration packets, mess tins and transparencies bearing map markings have been found around Upper Peirce and Seletar reservoirs, as well as a beach near Pasir Ris.

Ms Debbie Fordyce, a rights activist, has been walking at the reservoirs for more than a decade and picks up litter when she sees it.

On April 10, she collected 64 empty ration packets, 23 clear plastic bags used to hold these rations and other items such as water bottles wrapped in green socks. "The trash filled seven full plastic bags," she said. Two weeks later, when she visited the same clearing, she and her nephew - together with this reporter - collected four bags of litter.

A biker, who wanted to be known only as Mr Koh, said he sees the trash on his route towards Seletar Reservoir every Sunday. The 43-year-old bank manager said: "The trash is usually scattered... and looks to be the work of irresponsible individuals, not an organisation.

"The sight is an eyesore, because the forest is a reserve meant for people who want to get away from the city. We don't need reminders of inconsiderate and uncivil behaviour."

As training grounds are out of bounds to civilians, the trash that the public found may be part of a larger litter problem.

A clean-up operation by the Public Hygiene Council on April 23 at a beach near Pasir Ris yielded at least 100 empty food ration packets.

Council chairman Edward D'Silva said: "Unfortunately, military trash found in public spaces is not something new."

Wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai urged the public not to quickly point fingers at the Ministry of Defence as the items could also be left behind by the public. He noted that trekkers may "want a realistic experience, and they buy military rations from the army market".

The empty ration packets on the beach, he added, could have been washed ashore by contractors who did not dispose of the trash properly.

"More investigation is needed," he said.

Colonel Andrew Lim, assistant chief of the general staff (training), said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) "does not condone littering, whether in camps or in the training area". Servicemen are educated and consistently briefed on the need to keep the training areas clean and to dispose of waste appropriately, he said, noting that administrative areas are cleared of waste before units depart the training area.

Col Lim added: "We do our best to keep them litter-free. However, from time to time, we do receive public feedback of SAF litter in training areas.

"When that happens, the SAF will conduct clean-up operations. At the same time, servicemen caught littering will be disciplined accordingly."

Member of Parliament Lee Bee Wah, who is also chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for the Environment and Water Resources, said there is "no magical answer" to the littering problem.

Ms Lee, a vocal advocate against littering, said: "We just need to go on emphasising to the public the need to be responsible citizens.

"Hopefully, in time, we win (litterbugs) over... We have set the ball rolling and we just have to keep at it."

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Project to use food waste to boost energy production faces setback

NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 2 May 16;

SINGAPORE — A project to use food waste to generate more electricity has hit a snag, with delays caused and sub-contractors left in the lurch by a former partner of national water agency PUB.

The project, announced last June, was to build Singapore’s first co-digestion plant at PUB’s Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant. The plant was to validate the efficacy of co-digestion technology — adding food waste to used water sludge to generate more electricity.

It was to have been completed last September but is now about 60 per cent done, and slated for completion by year end, said the PUB.

The project’s troubles run deeper, however. Two sub-contractors of PUB’s ex-partner, Anaergia Pte Ltd, say they have not been paid over S$1.2 million and are crying foul at Anaergia Pte Ltd’s change of ownership.

The sub-contractors, local small and medium enterprises Structura Construction and Brilliant Engineering, had contracts with Anaergia Pte Ltd worth about S$1.4 million and S$1 million respectively. They have completed 90 per cent of construction work and 70 per cent of mechanical and electrical work, but have only been paid about S$638,000 in total.

Structura director Andrew Lee said his company is owed about S$960,000, while Brilliant’s project director Philip Sheng said his firm is owed about S$300,000.

This is despite the PUB having already paid S$3.3 million to Anaergia Pte Ltd. No outstanding payments are due to Anaergia Pte Ltd, said a PUB spokesman, stressing that the agency does not have any contract with Structura or Brilliant.

PUB said it paid Anaergia Pte Ltd upon the completion of each project milestone, and was informed by the sub-contractors only at a later date that Anaergia Pte Ltd had not paid them. “As PUB has no contracts with these sub-contractors, PUB then advised them to seek legal advice on the actions they could take to recover payment,” said the spokesperson.

Mr Sheng questioned what the company — which was part of the Canada-headquartered Anaergia group of companies until it was sold to a third party last December — has done with the money paid by PUB.

He said efforts to engage Anaergia Pte Ltd in recent months have hit a dead end, as all its employees have left and have said they had nothing more to do with the company.

“You don’t expect to get stiffed for a project like that,” added Structura director Amy Yeo, referring to PUB’s involvement. Both sub-contractors are seeking legal advice.

PUB said it has been in close contact with Anaergia Inc, which owns the technology to be used for the co-digestion plant. “Anaergia Inc sees the importance of this project, and has therefore resolved to dedicate its Singapore subsidiary, Anaergia Singapore Pte Ltd, to complete the project,” said PUB. “PUB and Anaergia Singapore Pte Ltd will continue to work closely to complete the project.”

Asked why PUB was continuing to work with Anaergia Inc when its former affiliate had failed to pay the sub-contractors, PUB said the team at Anaergia Singapore Pte Ltd it is hoping to work with will not include anyone it previously worked with from Anaergia Pte Ltd.

According to Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) records, however, both companies shared at least one director.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament and clean energy advocate Edwin Khew was a director at Anaergia Pte Ltd until December, and is a director at Anaergia Singapore Pte Ltd. He told TODAY he was involved only in marketing and project development, and not the project.

In reply to an email from TODAY, Anaergia Singapore Pte Ltd managing director Luca Belli maintained that Brilliant’s and Structura’s contracts are with Anaergia Pte Ltd, which was “sold back in December 2015 to a third party which bears no relation to the Anaergia group of companies”.

Anaergia Pte Ltd is no longer part of the Anaergia group of companies, and is to be renamed as part of its sale conditions, he added. Asked about non-payment for work done by the sub-contractors prior to December, Mr Belli said to contact Anaergia Pte Ltd. TODAY was unable to reach the directors of Anaergia Pte Ltd, as stated in ACRA records, by press time.

Mr Sheng and Ms Yeo also questioned why PUB worked with Anaergia Pte Ltd, a company with only S$100 in paid-up capital. In response, PUB said research projects are to demonstrate the innovativeness and effectiveness of the technology in question. These projects are generally short-term and lower in value, compared with construction and development projects, in which a minimum paid-up capital of up to millions of dollars applies.

“Subjecting these technology providers to requirements similar to construction/development projects may stifle innovation and make it more onerous and difficult for such companies to test their ideas and technologies for acceptance and adoption,” said the PUB spokesperson.

The co-digestion project is co-funded by the TechPioneer scheme, administered by the Economic Development Board on behalf of the Environment and Water Industry Programme Office.

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Malaysia: Poultry farmers travel far in search of water

The Star 3 May 16;

KOTA TINGGI: Kota Tinggi folk are forced to travel as far as 20km to get water to meet their daily needs during the water rationing period in the district.

Poultry farmer Maiswan Musta­jab, 51, said since the rationing exercise began last month, he and his workers had been looking for water to keep his chickens alive and losses at a minimum.

He said since April 19, about 10,000 of his 25,000 chickens had died due to the lack of water and that it was hard to keep them alive as 10,000 gallons of water was needed each day.

“So, we would drive around to look for any possible water sources such as rivers, canals and also wells to keep my chickens alive,” he said, adding that his farm in Kampung Tuan Sheh had been operating since 1993.

Another farmer, Shahnur Nazri, 30, who has about 90,000 chickens, said he even woke up as early as 5.30am to beat others for water at the Teluk Mahkota canal, about 2km from his farm.

“I was only able to retrieve water from the canal for two days (April 19 and 20) as a lot of people went there for the same purpose, which caused the supply to deplete.

“So, now I have to travel about 6km to a pond in Jalan Semangga,” he added.

Shahnur said he also sought help from others to obtain RM4,500 litres of water from SAJ Holdings by paying a RM150 transportation charge per trip.

So far, he has paid four times since the rationing exercise started.

Bus driver Hussin Salleh, 65, said although the water supply taken from the nearby canal and well tasted funny, he could not do much as those were his only options apart from buying mineral water.

“Luckily it is not smelly, so I can still use it for washing and bathing because my family and I use the water supply given by SAJ for cooking and drinking,” he added.

Farmer Turino Mat Mustam, 48, complained that SAJ had not been following its every-two-day sche­dule when supplying water to his area and that taps had been dry for six days since the supply truck came.

“This has made our lives more difficult as I had to drive some 6km just to look for water and even bathed at a nearby canal and pond,” he said.

When contacted, State Health and Environment Exco Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the water taken from rivers, canals and wells should be safe for use if it was not contamina­ted by any chemical or poison.

“Even the state government encourages the people to use water supply from canals and wells and to practise rain harvesting, especially during water rationing or dry spells,” he said, adding that the public could always call the Health Department to analyse the water quality if they were unsure.

The water rationing period began on April 18 and is scheduled to go on until May 15. Until then, water supply is cut off for two days before resuming for a day.

Without rain, Penang paddy farmers risk losing S$12.7m
Today Online 3 May 16;

GEORGETOWN — Kedah may be the country’s rice bowl, but paddy farmers in neighbouring Penang are at risk of losing a whopping RM37 million (S$12.7 million) in revenue for the current planting season if the dry spell continues.

With the current weather conditions, the state government is prioritising human consumption and has cut water for irrigation purposes, which has affected farming operations.

According to Penang state agriculture department director Azahar Ibrahim, it costs about RM5,000 to plant each hectare of paddy field. “The total income losses they will face are calculated by deducting the costs from their estimated revenue,” he told Malay Mail Online.

The revenue for each hectare is estimated to be around RM9,000 to RM10,000, he said.

Currently, a total 8,622ha of paddy fields in Seberang Perai and Balik Pulau in the state, with a total 4,765 farmers, do not have enough water for irrigation.

The state had proposed a solution for the affected farmers in northern Seberang Perai to start the dry seeding method on May 10.

According to Kampung Terus farmer Md Pisol Mahamud, the dry seeding method requires less water, but once the paddy has sprouted, the fields still need to be watered by the rain.

“The fields need to be damp and this method takes a longer time for it to sprout as the seeds will depend on rain, so if there is no rain, some of it may not sprout at all,” he said.

He said even those paddy fields with irrigation now face risks if the dry spell continues because the paddy still needed to be watered after it has sprouted.

“Our yield may decrease by 70 per cent because of the weather,” he said.

Each paddy planting season lasts an average 115 days and it needs to be watered intermittently.

“Even for dry seeding, we need rain, and we can’t water it ourselves because this method means it needs water to be spread evenly throughout the field,” he said.

Malaysia, especially its states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak, has been enveloped in a heatwave — affecting up to four million people — resulting in the temporary closure of schools, as well as slowing vegetable production, leading to price hikes.

The drought has forced some states, such as Perlis and Johor, to impose water rationing.

Md Pisol’s paddy fields, located near the Kulim River, still have water supply for irrigation. He had already planted the seeds a few weeks ago.

“We were told that we will get supply as long as they can get water from the river, but if the water runs out, there’s nothing anyone can do but hope for rain,” he said.

When asked what he could do during times like this, he said they will have to look for other part-time jobs to supplement their income.

“It’s not like we will get money from the government,” he said. “What do the politicians know about our hardships? So we have to depend on ourselves.” MALAY MAIL ONLINE


Tunnel among plans to protect dam
The Star 3 May 16;

KERIAN: A 15km tunnel linking Sungai Perak to the Bukit Merah Dam and mini reservoirs there are among plans to ensure that water level at the dam stay sustainable, says Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

He said the dam, which is one of the oldest in Malaysia, had been affected by peat soil siltation at the bottom of the lake.

To counter this, the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry has allocated RM10mil to clean up the peat soil.

“It will take time. Everyone must take care of the Bukit Merah Dam because it is a century-old piece of history. It is an important water source for the people of Kerian.

“It provides water to 30,000ha of farm land,” he said after visiting the dam yesterday.

The water channel from Sungai Perak to the Bukit Merah reservoir, he said, would take time.

“We need at least RM300mil to build this 15km tunnel, which will ensure that the water in the dam does not drop to critical level in the future,” he added.

Plans are also being discussed to build mini reservoirs and implement the River Bank Filtration (RBF) well project there, which Dr Zambry said could produce at least 25 million litres of water per day in the future.

RBF is a type of filtration by purifying water taken from pumps adjacent to a riverbank.

On land encroachment in the dam’s water catchment areas, Dr Zambry said the problem was not the only issue causing the water in the dam to drop to critical levels.

“Don’t just pinpoint one problem. We know the crisis has affected many, especially the farmers, but the peat soil siltation and dry weather also contributed to the issue,” he added.

It was reported yesterday that encroachment into more than 200ha of forest reserves was believed to be one of the factors affecting the water catchment area at the Bukit Merah Dam.

The forest reserves act as a buffer zone around the Bukit Merah reservoir.

Bagan Serai MP Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said the land intrusion, especially at Kampung Selamat and the Pondok Tanjung forest reserve, had been happening over the past few years.

The land was cleared illegally for agricultural purposes.

The Bukit Merah Dam supplies water to over 22,000ha of padi field in the Kerian district and is a source of drinking water for over 200,000 people, including the industrial areas in Kamunting and Taiping.

According to Dr Noor Azmi, who is also Bagan Serai Agriculture Development chairman, measures to stop the dam’s water level from dropping, including cloud-seeding and upgrading the Bukit Merah reservoir, would be in vain if the encroachment issue was not addressed.

Yesterday, the level at the dam increased to 6.3m from 6.06m on April 25.


Hot spell causes water levels to drop at six dams in Kedah
The Star 3 May 16;

ALOR SETAR: Water levels at six dams in Kedah have dipped due to the heatwave caused by the El Nino phenomenon, according to the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada).

It said, however, water levels at three of the dams were still sufficient and at safe levels.

Mada deputy general manager (technical) Datuk Hor Tek Lip said the water levels at the Pedu Dam recorded a reading of 55.47%, Ahning Dam (71.69%) and the Muda Dam (30.40%).

"The water levels have dropped but it is still adequate to accommodate the irrigation system for the first 2016 paddy cultivation season despite the El Nino phenomenon," he said when contacted by Bernama.

The water level at the Beris Dam was at critical level, recording a reading of 26.43% compared with 38.99% on April 17.

The water levels of two dams in Langkawi, namely the Padang Saga Dam and Malut Dam, recorded a reading of 39.41% and 50.58%, respectively. - Bernama

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Malaysia: Fire-fighting course to prepare folk to respond fast in an emergency

YEE XIANG YUN The Star 3 May 16;

MUAR: In view of the current dry and hot weather which increases the possibility of forest fires, the Mukim Ayer Hitam community were given a two-day fire fighting course in the event they are the first responders during an emergency.

Mukim Ayer Hitam village head Mohd Afezan Yahya said the forest in the area is prone to fires so the community has to be prepared to be the first responders when it happens.

During the dry season, tropical peat swamp forests are especially vulnerable to destruction by fire because the soil is extremely flammable when dry.

“We do not want a repeat of the destructive fires that claimed a large part of the forest in 2014.

“The training provided gave us the knowledge and taught us techniques to deal with the fires that could happen anytime, anywhere,” he said.

Apart from putting out fires, the course also educated the community on preventive measures and the dangers of open burning or land clearing, which could lead to forest fires.

The course was part of Coca-Cola’s Water For Life programme in partnership with Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia, Forest Research Institute Malaysia and the Johor Forestry Department.

In conjunction with the International Day of Forests that fell on the day of the fire-fighting course, the participants also planted 500 trees such as the hardy and resistant peat swamp trees ‘kelat paya’ and ‘bintangor’ as part of the programme’s rehabilitation effort.

State Forest Department director Mohd Ridza Awang said that Johor is unique because it has all three types of Malaysian rainforests – dryland, mangrove and peat swamp with the 3,797ha Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve being the only peat swamp forest in the state.

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola Malaysia Public Affairs and Communications director Kadri Taib said that the goal of the project was to create water reserves in the area by rehabilitating degraded parts of the peat swamp forest to a level where it will hold more water.

He hoped that the efforts would eventually lead to the increase of biodiversity, as peat swamp forests are an important part of the eco-system.

“And because of the degradation in this area, water replenishment is an important part of its conservation that Coca-Cola is hoping to achieve,” he added.

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Malaysia: Uphill struggle to preserve country's forest cover -- Minister Wan Junaidi

AZURA ABAS New Straits Times 3 May 16;

PUTRAJAYA: The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has urged all parties to reconsider any plans to develop permanent reserved forest areas.

Its minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the move was necessary to ensure the country's forest cover remains beyond 50 per cent, especially in Peninsular Malaysia.

"For any permanent forest that has been degazetted or cleared for development, these areas must be replaced immediately in line with Section 12 of the National Forest Act 1964," he said in a statement today.

Wan Junaidi said that if necessary, by using the National Land Council platform, the ministry would call on state authorities to review land development projects that would involve permanent forest reserve.

He said permanent forest reserves in Kuala Lumpur has shrunk from 106.10ha to 68.27ha due to road and infrastructure developments.

There are four permanent forest reserves in KL namely Bukit Lagong with 2.10ha of forest cover, Bukit Nanas (9.37ha), Sungai Puteh (14.51ha) and Sg, Besi (42.29ha).

The permanent forest reserves, he said, were crucial as water catchment areas especially as with country facing the El-Nino phenomena.

In this respect, he said, it was sensible to stop any land development in permanent forest reserve areas immediately to support the nation's biodiversity conservation efforts.

Review forest clearing for projects, state govts told
MAZWIN NIK ANIS The Star 4 May 16;

PUTRAJAYA: The recent reckless clearing of forest reserves in the name of development has prompted the federal authorities to consider asking state governments to review such projects.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, through the National Land Council, will seek the states’ co-operation to protect the country’s green lungs and for those projects to be re-considered for the sake of the environment.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the Federal Government did not encourage permanent forest reserves to be de-gazetted for development although the states have the authority to do so under Section 11 of the National Forestry Act 1984.

“While they can allow these lands to be developed, the states must be responsible and committed to gazetting new areas as permanent forest reserves, just as fast as they approve the projects,” he said yesterday.

Dr Wan Junaidi said the next council meeting would discuss the suggestion that his ministry enforce a regulation whereby, before an existing area can be cleared for development, a replacement area must already be in place.

He said Malaysia was committed to several international treaties and agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agree-ment to maintain a forest area of no less than 50% of the country’s size, and reminded the states to play their part in maintaining green areas.

The minister pointed out that permanent forest areas in Kuala Lumpur had depleted from 106.10ha when these areas were gazetted to only 68.27ha today.

There are four permanent forest reserve areas in Kuala Lumpur – Bukit Lagong (2.1ha), Bukit Nanas (9.37ha), Sungai Puteh (14.51ha) and Sungai Besi (42.29ha).

Bukit Lagong’s area remains unchanged since it was gazetted in 1962, but the forest area in Bukit Nanas, which was gazetted in 1906 with an area of 17ha, has since been reduced in size to 9.37ha due to road and infrastructure projects.

The Sungai Puteh permanent forest area, gazetted in 1933 with an area of 40ha, is now left with 14.51ha while the Sungai Besi permanent forest area has seen a loss of 4.71ha since it was gazetted in 1932.

Last week, several groups protested against the de-gazetting of forests to make way for the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Expressway (SUKE) project and Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH).

The forests that will be affected are the Bukit Cherakah and Sungai Buloh reserves for DASH ,while the Sungai Puteh reserve may be de-gazetted for SUKE.

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Malaysia: Environmental pollution a big problem for Terengganu's islands

ADRIAN DAVID New Straits Times 3 May 16;

PULAU REDANG: Environmental pollution poses a big hazard to the idyllic islands of Terengganu, threatening the lucrative tourism industry.

Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said the authorities would not hesitate to act against errant resort operators or tourists who dispose of garbage or sewage into the pristine waters of the South China Sea.

“There are also reports of open burning being conducted by irresponsible people who do not realise the impact on the environment, especially on the smaller islands.

“The current hot and dry spell can trigger bush or forest fires, too.

“We need to constantly educate them to be responsible and have a caring attitude, especially with Visit Terengganu 2017 approaching,” he said after a tour of the islands.

Among the islands most affected are Pulau Redang, Pulau Lang Tengah, Pulau Kapas, Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil.

Razif also expressed concern over oil spills around Pulau Redang, where he had directed the Kuala Terengganu City Council to act.

He reminded chalet and resort operators to refrain from discharging sewage into the sea as it would pollute the beaches and threaten marine life, especially corals.

“Not to mention the stench that will drive away tourists.

Hygiene can also be affected,” he said, urging the authorities to constantly carry out spot checks.

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