Indonesia: Satellites detect 68 hotspots on Sumatra Island

Antara 26 Aug 16;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The Terra and Aqua satellites detected 68 hotspots on Sumatra Island, a sharp increase from nine on the previous day.

"Yesterday, there were only nine hotspots in Sumatra, and eight of them were in Riau Province. This morning, the number of hotspots has drastically increased to 68," Sugarin, head of the Pekanbaru meteorology office, stated here, Friday.

Of the total 68 hotspots, 67 were found in Riau Province and one in Lampung.

In Riau, 44 were detected in Rokan Hilir, 17 in Bengkalis, four in Siak, and two in Rokan Hulu District.

In the four districts, 52 hotspots were believed to have originated from wildfires, comprising 35 in Rokan Hilir, 14 in Bengkalis, two in Siak, and one in Rokan Hulu.

Personnel of the Riau forest and plantation fire task force have been making all-out efforts to extinguish the fires, including three hotspots in the border between Pekanbaru and Kampar, which were not detected by the satellites.

Two air tractors and a MI-8 helicopter were deployed to conduct water bombing activities, including in Tapung Sub-district, Kampar District, Colonel Yani Amirullah of the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force operation remarked.

"The wildfires in Kampar and Pekanbaru must be put out immediately to prevent them from producing smoke haze that could affect flights at the Sultan Syarif Kasim International Airport," he added.(*)

Police detains 85 forest fire suspects in Riau
Antara 26 Aug 16;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) has detained 85 forest fire individual suspects in Riau this year.

"In addition, nine companies are being investigated for alleged involvement in forest fires," Bareskrim Chief Insp. Gen. Ari Dono Sukmanto said here on Thursday.

The suspects are facing a jail term of 15 years and a fine of Rp5 billion if found guilty, the police general said.

Last year, 15 plantation and forestry companies in the list of forest fire suspects were released by police.

Police said the case against the 15 companies was dropped as there was not enough evidence found against them.

The 15 companies included PT. Parawira group, KUD Bina jaya Langgam , PT. Bukit Raya Pelalawan, PT. Bina Duta Laksana, PT. Perawang Sukses Perkasa Indah , PT. Pan United, PT. Alam Sari Lestari, PT. Riau Jaya Utama, PT. Suntara Gaja Pati, PT. Siak Timber Raya, PT. Hutani sola Lestari, PT. Dexter Rimba Perkasa, PT. Ruas Utama Jaya, PT. Sumatera Riang Lestari and PT. Rimba Lazuardi.

Some of the companies already ended their contracts before the fire broke out, police said. (*)

Police investigate 3 companies over fires in oil palm concessions
Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 26 Aug 16;

The Riau Police are intensively investigating three companies for their alleged negligence in regard to fires within their concessions during the last two weeks.

The three companies, identified only by the initials PT APSL, PT DBD and PT SS, operate in the oil palm plantation sector. Two companies, APSL and DBD, operate in Rokan Hulu regency while SS operates in Rokan Hilir, where a member of the Indonesian Navy, Chief Pvt. Wahyudi, died during efforts to extinguish fires on Tuesday.

The total burned land in the three companies’ concession areas amounts to approximately 300 hectares.

The police’s special crime investigation (Reskrimsus) director Sr.Comr.Rivai Sinambela said Rokan Hulu and Rokan Hilir Police were now handling the fire cases.

“Their investigations are under way. Criminal investigation unit chiefs at the two police precincts have been instructed to work maximally. The Riau Police’s Reskrimsus has dispatched investigators to help strengthen efforts to find evidence. If their investigation achieves maximum results, the Riau Police will take over the case,” said Rivai in a press conference on Friday.

He further said the police would involve expert witnesses in evidence collection to determine whether or not the burned land was within the concession areas of the companies.

“We suspect the burned land is within the companies’ concession areas, however, our investigators cannot straightaway conclude that the areas belong to the companies,” said Rivai.

“We should have enough evidence. We [the Riau Police] don’t want the issuance of a termination of investigation [SP3] on land fire cases implicating 15 companies to happen again. That’s why the case handling and suspect naming in land and forest fires will be conducted more carefully,” said Rivai. (ebf)


Police claim more fires started by individuals
Jakarta Post 26 Aug 16;

The National Police recorded an increasing number of individuals linked to forest and land fires this year, while on the other hand they reported a decreasing number of corporations involved in the activity.

National Police’s Criminal Investigative Department (Bareskrim) announced Thursday that it has named 463 suspects in forest and land fires all across the archipelago, the majority of whom were acting as individuals.

Bareskrim head Insp. Gen. Ari Dono Sukamto told the press that 454 of the suspects were individuals while only nine were corporations. He also announced that all the individuals have been detained while the nine corporations are still under investigation.

Ari declined to elaborate on the corporations and instead emphasized that, “Everyone will be punished if proven guilty.”

The number of individuals linked to the crime is more than double last year’s 196. In contrast, the police recorded an almost two-thirds decrease in the number of corporations involved in forest and land fires this year from last years’ 25.

In the effort to solve more forest and land fires, the government has set up a team of “fire hunters” consisting of state institutions in charge of the matter. Besides the National Police, the team also consists of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the Environment and Forestry Ministry and the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister.

The team is tasked with searching for and reducing hot spots throughout the country and at the same time educating members of the public to protect forests and lands in their neighborhoods.

85 suspects arrested over land, forest fires since January
Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 26 Aug 16;

The Riau Police’s special crime investigation director, Sr. Comr. Rivai Sinambela, said on Friday 85 suspects had been arrested for their alleged involvement in 67 land and forest fire cases in regencies and municipalities across the province.

He said the investigation dossiers of 47 land and forest fire cases had been declared "complete." An order for the termination of an investigation ( SP3 ) had been issued for one case because its suspect suffered from mental health problems, he went on.

“The suspects comprise not only workers who were ordered to clear lands with the slash-and-burn method, but also the land owners. They intentionally burned land to open plantations. The total land they burned amounts to 400 hectares,” said Rivai.

Made Ali, deputy coordinator for environmental group Riau Forest Rescue Network (Jikalahari), urged the Riau Police to revoke SP3 letters previously issued in relation to 15 companies that allegedly started land and forest fires in the province, as hot spots again sprang up in the companies' concession areas.

“Since Aug. 1 to Aug. 15, the Terra-Aqua satellite has detected 623 hot spots in Riau, 267 of which are located in concession areas of 45 oil palm plantation companies and industrial forest permit [HTI] holders,” Made said.

“Eight of the 45 companies received SP3s for land fire cases in their areas from the Riau Police.".

PT Sumatera Riang Lestari has the most hot spots with 13, followed by PT Hutani Sola Lestari and PT Suntara Gajah Pati, each with three, and PT PT Ruas Utama Jaya with two. Four companies, PT Dexter Perkasa Industri Indonesia, PT Siak Raya Timber, PT Bina Duta Laksana and PT Perawang Sukses Perkasa Industri, have one hot spot each in their areas. (ebf)

Read more!

Malaysia: Danga Bay multi-billion ringgit project on track

KATHLEEN ANN KILI The Star 26 Aug 16;

JOHOR BARU: The development of the multi-billion ringgit Country Garden @ Danga Bay project is on track with 9,000 condominium units and a shopping plaza set to be completed and ready for handover by next year.

Country Garden Malaysia regional director Jason Fu said that Country Garden @ Danga Bay has achieved a number of notable achievements.

He said it was among the first turnkey project to introduce high quality facilities, including a 70,000 sq ft Phoenix club, theme mall, infinity pool and a marina.

“With the investment in these facilities, owners can enjoy the experience of five-star quality home life of the future,” he said during the third anniversary celebration of the Country Garden @ Danga Bay launch.

Fu also noted that more than 20 famous businesses were located within the commercial section of Country Garden @ Danga Bay, including popular international chain stores such as Starbucks.

Meanwhile, Country Garden @ Danga Bay Project Department deputy general manager Michael Lu said the company was looking forward to continue producing high quality houses and providing excellent services to its customers around the world.

He added that currently, the Country Garden Group in Malaysia has successfully developed three major projects including the Danga Bay project launched in 2013, Semenyih Diamond City project in Kuala Lumpur launched in 2014 and the Forest City project launched in Gelang Patah, Johor in 2016.

To celebrate its third anniversary, Country Garden Danga Bay held a three-day thanksgiving promotion sale, from Aug 12 to Aug 14, and gave out free gifts comprising household appliances that attracted a large number of participants.

Along with Fu, Lu and the project’s marketing general manager Easson Qian, hundreds of owners and their guests attended the celebration, enjoying several dance performances and winning lucky draw prizes.

The project, which was launched and commenced in 2013, is located on a 23.06ha sea-fronting parcel of land with a gross development value of RM18bil.

Danga Bay is part of the ambitious multi-billion ringgit Iskandar Malaysia project aimed at transforming South Johor into an international metropolis by 2025.

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Indonesia seizes hundreds of frozen pangolins

Agence France-Presse The Guardian 26 Aug 16;

Indonesian authorities have seized more than 650 critically endangered pangolins found hidden in freezers and arrested a man for allegedly breaking wildlife protection laws, police said on Friday.

Police discovered the pangolins, known as “scaly anteaters”, when they raided a house in Jombang district on the main island of Java after local residents became suspicious about the large number of freezers in the property.

A total of 657 pangolins, which are consumed as a luxury dish in China and used in traditional medicine, were found wrapped in plastic and stored in five large freezers, East Java province police spokesman Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono told AFP.

The house owner, a 55-year-old man whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested and has been named a suspect, a step in the Indonesian legal system meaning that authorities believe they have enough evidence to consider filing charges.

He could face five years in prison and a fine of 100m rupiah ($7,500) for breaking wildlife protection laws.

“The suspect insisted the Pangolins were not his, a friend asked him to store the animals because he has freezers,” Yuwono said, adding the friend named by the suspect was also being sought.

The suspect, who was arrested during the police raid on 15 August, insisted he had not sold any of the pangolins and refused to tell police where they were to be sent, the spokesman said.

Pangolins are sought after in China and other parts of Asia for their meat, skin and scales. The meat is considered a delicacy, while the skin and scales are used in traditional medicine and to make fashion items such as make boots and shoes.

Protection group the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the pangolin species found in Indonesia as critically endangered.

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'Haze smell' reported in parts of Singapore

Channel NewsAsia 26 Aug 16;

SINGAPORE: A burning smell was detected in parts of Singapore on Friday morning (Aug 26). Several people took to social media and called in to Channel NewsAsia to say that they could smell the haze from different parts of the country.

According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading at 9am was 46-58 in the Good to Moderate range.

This was a jump from the 40-54 reading at 8am, which was also in the Good to Moderate range.

The corresponding 3-hour PSI at 9am was 90, up from 68 at 8am.

The 1-hr PM2.5 has been increasing during the morning. In the northern sector it rose from 20ug/m3 at 7am to 100ug/m3 at 9am.

Channel NewsAsia has reached out to NEA for comment.

Back in March this year, when a burning smell was detected in some parts of Singapore, the NEA said it could have been caused by some local vegetation fires.

It added that fires and some wind convergence over Singapore could have also contributed to the deterioration in the air quality in some parts of the island.

- CNA/mn

Reports of burning smell in air as PSI readings creep up
Today Online 26 Aug 16;

SINGAPORE — Many Singaporeans fear the haze may be back after waking up to the smell of smoke in the air on Friday morning (Aug 26).

Although the three-hourly Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings were below 100, or the unhealthy level, #sghaze was the trending topic on Twitter. One user, Amita Natverlal, wrote: “you know the haze is back when you wake up and a burnt smell hits your nose.”

The overall 24-hour PSI reading went up from 40 to 54 at 8am, to 46 to 58 at 9am. But the hourly PM2.5 reading for finer particles went from 54 at 8am to 100 at 9am in the North.


Haze to linger for rest of Friday
Today Online 26 Aug 16;

SINGAPORE — Hazy conditions are expected to persist in Singapore for the rest of Friday (Aug 26), likely blown in by westerly winds over Singapore, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a press advisory issued around noon.

The NEA has forecast that the overall 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading over the next 12 hours is likely to remain in the high end of the “moderate” range.

The hourly PM2.5 reading for finer pollutants is also expected to remain in the “elevated” and “high” ranges over the next six to 12 hours.

NEA’s health advisory said that “everyone can continue with normal activities”. However, the elderly and children, or those who are feeling unwell or suffering from chronic conditions, should seek medical attention.

Singapore woke up to the smell of smoke burning in the air on Friday morning, and it quickly became one of the top trending topic on Twitter and Google searches.

NEA added in its advisory that three hotspots were detected in central Sumatra on Thursday, with the low hotspot count due to cloudy conditions. Localised smoke plumes were visible from the hotspots. The latest satellite image on Friday morning showed some hotspots still observed in central Sumatra.

Besides the haze persisting, NEA also forecast cloudy conditions over most of Singapore.

The hourly PM2.5 reading was highest in the west at noon, with a reading of 216. The reading for the rest of the regions ranged between 137 and 176.

With drier weather expected for the rest of the region, NEA will commence issuance of daily haze advisories from Friday (Aug 26).

The NEA said it will give an updated forecast in the afternoon.

One-hour PM2.5 concentrations of 55 micrograms per cubic metre and below are “normal”; readings of 56 to 150 are “elevated”; readings of 151 to 250 are “high”; and anything above 250 is “very high”.

But the one-hour readings are not tied to health advisories, which apply only to 24-hour PSI readings because studies on sub-daily PM2.5 exposure still do not provide a sufficient evidence base, the NEA said in June.

The 24-hour PSI forecast will also continue to be used for major decisions such as the closure of schools.


#SGHaze trends on social media as air pollution readings hit 'high'
Today Online 26 Aug 16;

SINGAPORE — Many Singaporeans fear the haze may be back after waking up to the smell of smoke in the air on Friday morning (Aug 26).

The overall 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings had been slowly creeping up to 58 to 80 at 12pm, from 34 to 51 at 6am. Meanwhile, the 3-hr PSI reading climbed from 31 at 6am to 165 at 12pm.

The hourly PM2.5 readings for finer pollutants, which the National Environment Agency (NEA) introduced bandings for in June this year, hit 216 in the West of Singapore at 12pm, in the "high" range. At the same time, the North, Central and South of Singapore also entered the "high" band at 172, 159, and 176 respectively.

In an advisory issued at 11.51am, the NEA said that the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration for the rest of the day is expected to remain in the Band III (High) and Band II (Elevated) range. Overall, the PSI for the next 12 hours is also forecast to be in the high end of the Moderate range.

"Given the air quality forecast for the next 12 hours, everyone can continue with normal activities. Persons who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should seek medical attention", said the NEA.

Although the PSI readings have yet to hit alert levels, which is when the 24-hour PSI is above 100, or goes into the unhealthy range, Singaporeans are already searching for information online.

Haze was among the top trending topics on Twitter and Google, with over 5,000 searches on Google Singapore on "PSI Singapore". Related searches include 'PSI level in Singapore today', and 'PSI in Singapore now'.

Under #sghaze, Twitter users were quickly sharing photos of the views from their respective locations, and comments on the return of the annual plague.

One Twitter user, Ms Lynette, wrote: “Overheard on the radio: Singapore has 4 seasons – durian season, dengue season, monsoon season and apparently, it’s now haze season.”

One-hour PM2.5 concentrations of 55 micrograms per cubic metre and below are “normal”; readings of 56 to 150 are “elevated”; readings of 151 to 250 are “high”; and anything above 250 is “very high”.

But the one-hour readings are not tied to health advisories, which apply only to 24-hour PSI readings because studies on sub-daily PM2.5 exposure still do not provide a sufficient evidence base, the NEA said in June.

The 24-hour PSI forecast will also continue to be used for major decisions such as the closure of schools.

Read more!

Singapore air quality worsens overnight as Indonesia fire arrests jump

Huileng Tan CNBC.com 26 Aug 16;

Indonesian men put out a fire in Ogan Ilir, southern Sumatra on October 22, 2015.
Southeast Asia is bracing itself for its annual, uncomfortable tryst with haze as raging fires at Indonesian plantations worsen pollution in the region.

On Friday, Singapore woke up to a deterioration in air quality overnight, as a thin cloak of haze hung over the city-state. The country's environment agency said that its 3-hour Pollution Standards Index hit the unhealthy level at 10am SIN.

Neighboring Malaysia had already been feeling the effects of the drifting smog since mid-August, local media reported.

The latest bout of pollution comes even as Indonesia steps up efforts against the 'slash-and-burn' technique of cutting down vegetation on a patch of land, then burning off the undergrowth to make space for new plantations.

The country has arrested 454 individuals in connection with forest fires so far this year, more than double the 196 arrests made in 2015, Reuters reported, citing police data released on Thursday.

The 'slash-and-burn' method is prevalent in Indonesia as it the easiest, fastest and most cost-effective way to clear land. According to the World Bank, about 35 percent of the Indonesian workforce is employed in agriculture, with palm oil and pulp-and-paper industries key contributors.

In 2015, Singapore experienced its worst pollution episode on record when the environmental agency's gauge was pushed into hazardous territory.

In 2015, Singapore experienced its worst pollution episode on record when the environmental agency's gauge was pushed into hazardous territory.
The use of fire has been deemed illegal by the Indonesian government due to its detrimental environmental impact.

Earlier in August, a sago plantation company was fined 1.07 trillion Indonesian rupiah ($81 million) for its link to widespread fires last year-- the biggest fine imposed on a plantation business so far.

In 2015, the pollution cost Southeast Asia economic powerhouse Singapore S$700 million ($517 million), the country's environment and water resources minister said in March.

The smog got so bad it led to school closures as well as air and sea traffic disruptions.

Indonesia, where most of the thick cloud originated, suffered even more economically, with the World Bank estimating damages at $16.1 billion in 2015.

It is "difficult and tricky" to put a dollar value on damages this year, as what is at stake is often intangible, such as loss in productivity, delayed construction activities and sovereign risk reputation to tourists, said ANZ economist Ng Weiwen.

Singapore hosts the Formula One Grand Prix night time motorsport event in September yearly and concerns have surfaced in previous years over visibility.

There's hope that the pollution will not be as bad as last year in terms of duration and intensity as the weather forecast for the rest of the year points to a La Nina weather phenomenon, which is likely to result in increased rainfall, said a weather expert.

"Of course, this assumes the non-meteorological factors like land clearing through burning by humans don't increase in significance," said Winston Chow, a professor at the National University of Singapore's geography department.

According to the Asean Specialized Meteorological Centre based in Singapore, the number of hotspots (locations with active fires) in Indonesia hit a high of 184 on August 18 due to the ongoing dry spell, but that figure has since eased as rains doused the fires.

On Thursday, there were 17 hotspots in Indonesia.

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Man on a mission to lure players to real-life Pokemon

NUS undergrad uses popular game to create awareness of island's biodiversity
Audrey Tan Straits Times AsiaOne 26 Aug 16;

Like many Pokemon Go players, National University of Singapore life sciences undergraduate Sean Yap, 24, goes out as often as possible.

But, unlike such gamers whose eyes are glued to their phones in an effort to catch the virtual characters, Mr Yap looks up and around - at plants, birds and, especially, insects. The insect researcher is now on a mission to get others to do the same and learn to appreciate local biodiversity, and his strategy is to ride on the current popularity of the mobile game.

He has produced a Facebook album - called Real Life Pokemon of Singapore - that shows the similarities between Pokemon characters and native plants and animals.The water Pokemon Staryu, for example, resembles the knobbly sea stars that dot Singapore's shores, and the plant Pokemon Victreebel looks like the Raffles pitcher plant.

Mr Yap's comparisons include a tongue-in-cheek write-up about the native plant or animal.

He says, for instance: "Like Victreebel, pitcher plants are living toilet bowls, complete with a lid and a disgusting rim/seat... Except (they) eat bugs. Some species of pitcher plants even have symbiotic, resistant insects that live in the liquid and feed on the drowned bugs, and the pitchers get the nutrients from their excrement, so they are actually toilet bowls."

He points out that numerous Pokemon are based on real plants and animals, many of which can be found in Singapore. City dwellers often do not realise this, he says, and he hopes his project will enlighten them and prompt them to look out for these plants and animals.

"If Pokemon Go can be used as a marketing tool for shopping malls to attract customers, then it can probably do the same for science and biodiversity," Mr Yap said.

Besides raising awareness of Singapore's native biodiversity, he wants to highlight the plight of wildlife too. For example, in writing about Sandslash, a Pokemon which resembles the critically endangered Sunda pangolin - which is native to Singapore - he says: "Unlike Sandslash, the pangolin's large claws are not used for combat but for digging into ant or termite nests. And while Sandslash's signature move, Defense Curl, may work against predators like tigers (before they went extinct here), humans can just pick them up.

"It is humans that make the pangolin such a rare Pokemon worldwide: Poaching is the No. 1 threat to their existence."

Project manager Adriane Lee, 41, said he never knew that real animals were the inspiration for Pokemon until he saw Mr Yap's album.

"Sean's project is a refreshing take on educating a person on local biodiversity, as Pokemon is the latest craze and the game draws audiences normally not knowledgable of or interested in nature to have a more intimate knowledge of the topic," he said.

Nature groups such as the Herpetological Society of Singapore, which studies reptiles and amphibians, also plan to use Mr Yap's project at the upcoming Festival of Biodiversity educational fair to be held at the Singapore Botanic Gardens next weekend. The society's co-founder Sankar Ananthanarayanan said: "We want to show that Singapore has biodiversity that is pretty cool too, and that appreciating wildlife is just as fun and interesting as playing the game."

Mr Yap has so far matched about 40 out of the 721 characters in the Pokemon universe with native flora and fauna. He hopes to do so for as many Pokemon as possible.

But unlike the Pokemon Go game in which the aim is to catch them all, he stressed that handling and capturing wild animals in Singapore is illegal.

He cautioned: "Do not try to catch them. Do observe and marvel from a respectful distance. You can join guided walks, many of which are free, for a higher chance of seeing these real-life Pokemon."

Although he has been a fan of the Pokemon universe since he was a boy, Mr Yap does not play Pokemon Go. In fact, he deleted the app barely four hours after he first downloaded it on the day of its launch.

"I realised I was walking in the forest and constantly checking my phone instead of looking out for wildlife," he explained.

During a recent visit to Pasir Ris Park for a glimpse of a rare spotted wood owl, Mr Yap said he saw many people who missed the majestic bird because they were busy catching Pokemon.

But getting people out in the open is a first step, he pointed out.

"Some people may not visit the parks in the first place, and completely miss the opportunity to see our native wildlife, but having them outside presents us the opportunity to reach out to them."

Mr Yap's album can be found by searching "Real Life Pokemon of Singapore" on Facebook.

Read more!

Malaysia: Thank you Indonesia, for the absence of haze this year

BERNAMA New Straits Times 25 Aug 16;

PUTRAJAYA: Immediate action by the Indonesian authorities to put out forest fires before it spread managed to curb the recurrence of cross border haze this year.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said rainfall in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia also prevented forest fires.

He said Indonesia's President Joko Widodo and his Environment and Forestry Minister Dr Siti Nurbaya Baka had promised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who recently contacted them on their efforts to deal with the forest fires and haze.

“Indonesia is keeping their promise. I hope the conditions will continue up to October when the wind changes (from the southwest to the northeast).

One more month to go, hopefully nothing worse than this happens,” he told the media after attending his ministry's monthly gathering here today.

According to the Department of Environment (DOE) portal, 12 places recorded moderate Air Pollutant Index (API) readings and 35 good API readings up to 1 pm today.

Last year forest fires in Indonesia caused cross border haze to badly hit the country, aggravated by the prevailing southwest monsoon wind.

On the female baby panda Nuan Nuan, Wan Junaidi said the ministry and Zoo Negara had not held discussions to extend the period of keeping the offspring of giant pandas Xing Xing and Liang Liang from China after next year.

"Operating costs may be high and not worth it in terms of visitors' return. They (Zoo Negara) should approach and discuss with us if they think they cannot afford to maintain the panda," he said. He said it was also a symbol of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations and the decision to extend the panda's stay or otherwise would be made by the Cabinet.

According to the Giant Panda Protection and Research Programme agreed by Malaysia and China, Zoo Negara has to pay a one-off cost of rental amounting to US$600,000 (RM2.4 million) for the baby panda which does not include its annual insurance premium at RM200,000. - BERNAMA

Indonesia reducing transboundary haze
MAZWIN NIK ANIS The Star 26 Aug 16;

PUTRAJAYA: It looks like Indonesia is keeping its word to contain incidents of transboundary haze with just a small number of hotspots found in the country.

Natural Resources and Environ­ment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said there had been positive response and commitment from Indonesia in addressing the haze situation.

He said compared with previous years, only a few hotspots were found in Sumatra and West Kaliman­tan so far this year.

“Indonesia is keeping its word to ensure forest fires and slash-and-burn activities on agricultural land are not rampant. We are pleased to see real efforts being made to minimise transboundary haze, which has affected its neighbours for years,” Dr Wan Junaidi told reporters after the ministry’s monthly gathering.

He added that significant rainfall was also helping the Indonesian authorities to minimise the haze.

The Air Pollutant Index for 27 locations in the country was good, with six recording moderate readings and most other areas recording very good readings.

Indonesia had given its assurance to Malaysia to tackle the issue during discussions held between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and President Joko Widodo.

During the recent Asean environment ministers’ meeting, Indonesia said 3,000 military and police personnel had been put on watch to monitor forest fires and open burning.

On another matter, Dr Wan Junaidi said there had yet to be any discussion to extend baby panda Nuan Nuan’s stay here after next year.

“We are aware of the costs incurred by Zoo Negara to keep the baby panda, but the decision to either return (to China) or extend its stay needs to be done by the Cabinet,” he said.

Read more!

Indonesia: Residents’ health at risk as haze lingers in West Kalimantan

Severianus Endi The Jakarta Post 25 Aug 16;

Haze is causing concern for people in West Kalimantan where fires have razed land and forests for the past two weeks.

Residents are enduring the effects of smoke that usually appears each morning and evening, disrupting activities at airports and endangering people’s health.

Pontianak Health Agency head Sidiq Handanu told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that over recent days the air quality had worsened at certain times of the day.

“Various logistics have been prepared at every community health center, such as drugs and masks, and medical workers have been asked to be on alert,” said Sidiq, adding that air quality deteriorates from 7 a.m. until 12 p.m., then gradually improves in the afternoon.

Air quality can be monitored on the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency’s (BMKG) website at bmkg.go.id to determine the content of air particulates in real time.

At Pontianak’s Supadio Airport, haze in the morning interrupted flights and caused delays of 30 to 45 minutes. State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II’s Supadio Airport head, Bayuh Iswantoro, said the earliest flight schedule for 6:15 a.m. was affected by haze that left visibility at only 500 meters. Takeoffs and landings could only be carried out after 7 a.m. when visibility improved to 1,000 meters.

“Flights will be interrupted at a visibility of only 500 meters, but only briefly. Without haze, normal visibility is around 5,000 meters,” said Bayuh, adding that visibility below 800 meters was categorized as disrupting takeoffs and landings.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB) data, information and public relations head, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, mentioned in a press release that the highest number of hot spots in Sumatra and Kalimantan would be defected from August to October, with its peak in September.

Six provinces have enacted emergency status for forest and land fires: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan.

The West Kalimantan provincial administration, which previously declared emergency status from June 1 to Sept. 1, reported that the status would be extended until November.

The status will ease access for the BNPB and each regional disaster mitigation agency (BPBD) to mobilize resources, including deploying eight helicopters and two planes for water bombing, as well as two aircraft to induce artificial rain.

“The BNPB is preparing to send a helicopter for water bombing and an aircraft to make artificial rain in West Kalimantan,” said Sutopo.

The West Kalimantan BPBD’s logistics and emergency response head, Bosman D. Hutahaean, said that eight of the 14 regencies and cities in the province had declared land and forest fire emergency status, while Ketapang, North Kayong and Sambas regencies and Singkawang and Pontianak cities were in the process of doing so.

He cited 135 villages prone to land and forest fires, located in the regencies of Kubu Raya (18 villages), Mempawah (five), Landak (three), Sintang ( 34 ), Sanggau (three), Bengkayang ( 10 ), Sambas ( 10 ), Ketapang ( 45 ) and North Kayong (seven).

Read more!

Malaysia: Water rationing in Mersing as water level in dam is depleting

Congok Dam water level depleting, necessitating scheduled water supply for Mersing
CHUAH BEE KIM - New Straits Times 25 Aug 16;

JOHOR BARU: The water level of the Congok Dam near Mersing which supplies raw water to the Tenglu water treatment plant is depleting and is unable to accommodate the needs of the plant.

Sungai Mersing, which channels water to the Sungai Mersing water treatment plant, is also unable to meet the demand of the Tenglu water treatment plant in the supply of treated water.

Both the water treatment plants were built to support the needs of one other. However, the water level of the Congok Dam is at 2.70 metres today, declining 0.04m daily, compared to the critical level of 4.50m.

The scheduled water supply exercise is still ongoing in some areas in Mersing until Sept 15, with 41,000 consumers getting a day's supply of water every two days.

In a statement issued by Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) today, the company said the frequency would depend on the conditions of the river and the dam.

SAJ Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Wahab Abdul Hamid said the current situation in both raw water sources is unstable and this will force SAJ to distribute treated water to all users either via pipeline or mobile tanker truck.

"Up to now, SAJ has mobilised 85 static tanks and nine lorries to transport water tanks to distribute treated water to the affected areas.

"Priority will be given to centres that provide dialysis, houses of worship, hospitals, boarding schools, and a few others," he said.

SAJ urged the public state-wide to refrain from water wastage.

For more information, call the SAJ Online Info Center through 1800 88 or Friendly SMS 7474 or 019 772 7474 or via e-mail customer.care@saj.com.my 24 hours.

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MPA scheme to help with cost of sustainability reports

The MPA’s co-funding initiative will help Singapore-listed companies with the cost of their sustainability reports, footing 50 per cent of expenses – up to $50,000 per company.
Straits Times 23 Aug 16;

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) yesterday announced a co-funding initiative to help Singapore-listed maritime companies with the cost of their sustainability reports.

It will foot 50 per cent of the costs - up to $50,000 per company - and reimburse the first 10 approved applications.

Companies which take up the co-funding offer will have to publish their sustainability reports before Dec 31 next year, to world standards such as those laid out in the Global Reporting Initiative Guidelines.

Singapore Exchange's (SGX) new sustainability reporting rules require listed companies to publish sustainability reports for the financial year ending on or after Dec 31, 2017.

The co-funding initiative is part of the MPA's new Green Awareness Programme to share knowledge of the possible ways of carrying out sustainable shipping. Said MPA chief executive Andrew Tan: "MPA is the first local maritime organisation to publish both an integrated report and sustainability report last year, and we hope to encourage the rest of the maritime industry to adopt the best practices and mitigate any risks to the environment arising from their operations."

Ms Yeo Lian Sim, special adviser to SGX, said: "With MPA's Green Awareness Programme, shipping companies have every encouragement to become early adopters of sustainability reporting and lead the way in raising transparency and communication standards in the maritime sector."

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Malaysia: Only three Sumatran Rhino left in Malaysia

BERNAMA New Straits Times 26 Aug 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: The clock is ticking for the critically endangered Sumatran Rhino with their numbers down to just three in Malaysia.

xecutive Director of Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) Datuk Dr John Payne said there were only one male rhino and two female rhinos in Sabah.

He said conservationists were on a desperate mission to save the country’s remaining Sumatran rhinos.

“The three Sumatran rhinos left were caught and have been placed in captive breeding programmes until today,” he said after a media preview screening on ‘Uncover Malaysia’ about the ‘Operation Sumatran Rhino’ documentary at Sunway Pyramid here, today.

Dr John Payne said the biggest threat the Sumatran rhino faced was poaching which had caused their number to dwindle to only three in Malaysia.

He believed the species can be saved via In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) among the rhinos left, adding that the next IVF process would take place on November this year.

“BORA has been fighting an uphill battle trying to save Malaysia’s last Sumatran rhinos.

The only way this could be done was to capture all the remaining specimens in the wild - which was a dangerous and costly operation and to breed them,” he added.

According to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Sumatran rhinos are described as the smallest of all rhinos and it is the only Asian rhino with two horns.

Sumatran rhinos give birth to one calf at a time, every three to four years and their pregnancies last around 15 to 17 months.

To drive public awareness for the rhino’s plight, the National Geographic Channel, Astro and efforts led by BORA produced the ‘Uncover Malaysia’ documentary on current efforts to save the critically endangered Sumatran rhinos.

The documentary will be aired on National Geographic Wild, Astro channel 550 at 8.40pm on Sept 19.

Meanwhile, in conjunction with World Rhino Day on September 22, the documentary will be on National Geographic Wild, National Geographic Channel, Astro channel 553 and HD channel 573 at 7pm.

Operation Sumatran Rhino is part of the larger Uncover Malaysia campaign that takes a look at different aspects of Malaysia, featuring stories on culture, culinary arts and conservation. -- Bernama

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Indonesia: Reef Destruction Could Cost Indonesia Over $30 Billion in Annual GDP

Megan Herndon Jakarta Globe 25 Aug 16;

Jakarta. In a country where two thirds of the population live within 50 kilometers of the coast, coral reefs aren’t just a tourist attraction, they’re the source of livelihood for millions of people.

Researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) partnered with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), along with representatives from 22 countries to map over 1,000 kilometers of coral reefs and examine the economic impact of their destruction.

“[Coral reefs] are not just a lovely place,” the project’s chief scientist, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, said. “It’s not about environmentalism, it’s about economics. Its about the livelihoods and food systems of people.”

Hoegh-Guldberg said that Indonesia’s reefs produce $30 billion annually in gross domestic product, which is a conservative estimate when you take into account the number of fishery products that don’t go through formally recorded markets.

If coral reefs continue to die in Indonesia and around the world, the fisheries that support 500 million people will also be gone, costing seven percent of the livelihood of the world’s population.

Hoegh-Guldberg stressed the need to put natural capital, things like coral reefs, seagrass beds and terrestrial habitats, into the balance sheet along with other business assets. He used the example of mangroves, a small coastal forest, to illustrate this.

“Some people think best thing you can do with [mangroves] is cover them in concrete and put a resort on them,” he said. “But a lot of people don’t understand that mangroves are worth a trillion dollars in asset value when you take into account their contribution to fisheries. We’ve got to put natural capital into the same spreadsheet as we put our normal economic things, our earnings from X, Y, and Z.”

He explained that global warming, along with coastal pollution and over fishing, has caused the loss of 50 percent of the world’s coral reefs since the 1980s. To stop this, he said, the world needs to commit to following the Paris Agreement on climate change, where nations around the world will work to slow climate change through implementing more sustainable practices.

In Indonesia, he said creating and enforcing systems of marine spatial planning, reduction of plastic bag use, and having active community advocates could create healthier coral reefs that will sustain generations to come.

“Many people have been living on these coasts, have been fishing there for generations,” he said. “They might say ‘who is this fancy scientist to tell me to change my ways.’ But if we have a discussion, once they understand the impact, it's quite powerful because then they tell their friends, their fishing buddies and colleagues. We can get to a better place through education.”

UQ’s mapping project aims to collect baseline data, to understand the current state and path to recovery of the world’s reefs. They have taken over 600,000 images and mapped over 1,000 kilometers of coral reefs in the last four years.

In 2007, Indonesia's coral triangle has been named by the World Wildlife Fund as one of their conservation priorities. The coral triangle covered more than 6.5 million square kilometers and has been a living place of 600 coral reef species, or nearly 75 percent of the total species in the world. There's also around 3000 species of fish, including whale and a living fossil coelacanth who live in the deep water of Sulawesi.

Hoegh-Guldberg explained the project is aiming to inform the public, as there is only less than one percent of the world’s population who has seen a coral reef and don't realize how important it is to protect them.

To raise awareness, UQ teamed up with Google Maps to create a “virtual diving” map where anyone with Internet access can explore these reefs akin to using street view to explore cities on Google Maps.

“Understanding the challenges that coral reefs face is an important mission,” the lead scientist of the project’s shallow reef component, Manuel Gonzalez-Rivero, said. “Equally important, is bringing as many people as possible on the scientific journey through outreach and engagement. Without that, science may have little impact.”

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