500kg of trash collected in event to tackle litter in waterways

Calvin Yang Straits Times 30 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE - Children's toys, food wrappers, plastic containers, water bottles and even motorcycle helmets.

These are some of the trash collected during a three-hour clean-up of Singapore's waters on Saturday (Sept 30) morning.

About 500kg of rubbish was collected by about 100 volunteers, comprising students and members of the public, who ventured out in groups on kayaks to collect trash between Sembawang Beach and Seletar Island.

The Clean-Up on Kayak event, organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), aims to raise awareness of the need to protect Singapore's marine environment. It was held in conjunction with the International Coastal Clean-up, an annual global event to encourage people to remove trash from beaches and waterways.

Besides those who were on kayaks, some 20 volunteers were stationed on Seletar Island to sort the marine litter and record the types of trash collected.

Data gathered from the clean-up will be submitted to United States-based advocacy group Ocean Conservancy for further analysis and research.

The initiative started last year, with about 60 volunteers participating in it then.

Trash collected from Singapore's waters on Sept 30, 2017

MPA chief executive Andrew Tan said keeping waterways clean is a shared responsibility.

He also encouraged more ground-up efforts from the community to do their part for marine environment sustainability.

MPA has plans for the Clean-Up on Kayak activity to be done on a quarterly, instead of annual, basis. For a start, Republic Polytechnic (RP) will conduct a session in March next year.

Second-year RP outdoor and adventure learning student Aqil Luqman Zamberi, 19, who participated in the clean-up on Saturday, said such an activity goes a long way in keeping the environment clean.

"Every effort that we make to improve something has impact. It is better to do something about it than let it get worse," he added.

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Malaysia: Thunderstorms and strong winds expected until November

C. Premananthini New Straits Times 30 Sep 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: With the Southwest Monsoon season being in its final phase, Malaysia will soon experience a monsoon transition, beginning October.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, when the transition begins thunderstorms and strong winds are expected to occur in the evening.

Its director-general Alui Bahari, when contacted, said the transition period will continue until November this year.

“As of now, the southwest monsoon season is in its final period. Several states in the country will be experiencing heavy downpour.

“This is because of continuous strong winds coming from the Andaman Sea which carries a high content of water vapor, therefore you would see a marked increase in rainfall above average and states in the northern peninsula will face heavy rains.

“Also, in the mid-Sept there were slight changes in the weather forecast pattern where Typhoon Doksuri which occurred in Vietnam, had affected the wind patterns, bringing rain to the northern peninsula,” he said.

He said in September, Chuping Meteorological station recorded the highest amount of rainfall sinc 1995 with 389.3mm.

He said thuderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds over states of Perlis, Kedah (Langkawi, Kubang Pasu and Kota Setar districts), Negri Sembilan (Port Dickson district), Melaka and Johor (Tangkak, Muar and Batu Pahat districts) are expected to persist until late morning.


Monsoon transition period until early November
Bernama New Straits Times 5 Oct 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will go through a monsoon transition period from tomorrow until November.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department said this normally leads to localised heavy rain and thunder storms in a short period of time with frequent strong winds especially in the afternoon until early night.

According to a statement from the department today, most of the districts in the west coast states and interiors of the peninsular, west coast of Sabah and central Sarawak would be affected.

“The public have been advised to be more alert about the impact of frequent thunderstorms during the monsoon transition period such as heavy rain, strong winds and lightning,” the statement said. — BERNAMA


Met warns of strong winds and thunderstorms till Nov
The Star 5 Oct 17;

PETALING JAYA: Strong winds and heavy rain are expected as Malaysia experiences a monsoon transition.

The Malaysian Meteorology Department advised the public to be cautious as the country enters a monsoon transition phase from Oct 6 until early November.

"During this period, regional areas of our country will experience light winds from various directions," its director-general Alui Bahari said in a statement Thursday.

"Typically, heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to occur at short intervals, and strong winds can occur more often during the late afternoons and evenings in most areas of the west coast, interior of the peninsula, west coast of Sabah, and the western and central parts of Sarawak," he said.

Alui advised the public to be "more careful" during the thunderstorms that occur during the monsoon transition phase that will result in heavy rain, strong winds, and lightning.

The latest weather information can be obtained through the Malaysia Meteorological Department Facebook or Twitter page, its website www.met.gov.my, mobile application myCuaca, or Hotline at 1-300-22-1638.

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Malaysia: Tapir strays into Seremban housing area

Nur Aqidah Azizi New Straits Times 30 Sep 17;

SEREMBAN: The presence of a Tapir, believed to have been lost has shocked the residents of Taman PJ Perdana here, last night, which had prompted them to seek help from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN).

It's resident association chairman, Datuk Mazlan Sabli said, the presence of the protected wildlife was noticed by the residents at about 10pm.

"This is the second time the animal has entered the housing area after the first incident occurred last week. We believe it could have been lost from a nearby forest area," he said.

He added, the animal was aggressive, probably due to an injury spotted on its foot.

"It had also damaged the resident's fence when it crashed into it in its effort to escape from the area," he said.

Mazlan said, the residents then contacted PERHILITAN for further action.

"However, the Perhilitan team hasn't been able to capture the animal and it is believed that it has run back into the nearby forest," he said.

Meanwhile, when contacted, state Perhilitan director Wan Mat Wan Harun said the department will continue its operation to trace the tapir today.

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Malaysia: Dept to go after turtle egg buyers too

The Star 1 Oct 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Stop buying and eating turtle eggs or face being fined or imprisoned, the people in Sabah’s east coast Sandakan district are warned.

Sandakan Wildlife officer Hussien Muin said they have launched Ops Pembeli against buyers of turtle eggs, in view of the continuous demands for the illegal items.

“We have conducted many raids and operations against illegal turtle egg traders and not much on buyers,” he said.

So now, apart from the illegal traders, the authorities would also be coming down hard on purchasers because they were still buying despite numerous warnings and advice, he said.

Hussien said those found in possession of turtle eggs could be fined at least RM50,000 or up to RM250,000.

They could also be jailed between one and five years for the offence under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, he said.

Hussien said Ops Pembeli was a continuation from the earlier Ops Penjual which targeted traders and was conducted throughout August.

The ongoing operations against this illegal trade are not deterring sellers and smugglers. The demand for turtle eggs is still very high, he added.

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Malaysia: ‘Semporna becoming a killing field for sea turtles’

muguntan vanar The Star 1 Oct 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Conservation­ists fear that Sabah’s diving havens of Semporna are becoming a killing field for endangered sea turtles.

The growing number of sea turtle carcasses found over the years has raised concerns that the harvesting of the marine creatures for traditional medicinal values has gone unabated.

Environmental NGO Green Sem­porna co-founder Adzmin Fatta said firm action needed to be taken against perpetrators of the crime, which is occurring not only in Semporna waters but also in neighbouring southern Philippines.

“Since 2014, we have been receiving reports of large numbers of turtle carcasses found on the Ligitan, Bum Bum and Derawan islands.

“We know where it is taking place but it is a question of enforcement.

“It is definitely some kind of organised syndicate which is getting people in the transient coastal communities to do the killings,” he said in reference to the large number of Bajau Laut (sea gypsies) in the area.

“We believe that some businessmen are paying for the turtle parts.”

He added that in most cases, the turtle meat and plastron (lower shell) were removed from carcasses.

Adzmin said all enforcement agencies should work together to step up monitoring of the activities on the harvesters and the islands they operated from.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforce­ment Agency has from time to time caught some of those involved in the killings of turtles, but there is a need for more combined action with other agencies, including the Sabah Wildlife Department, he added.

He said the Wildlife Department should set up an office in Semporna to increase its presence in the area as currently it was operating from Tawau, about 100km away.

Adzmin said Green Semporna had been actively conducting public awareness among islanders and coastal villagers in Semporna but many like the Bajau Laut might be drawn by the money offered by towkays to harvest turtles.


Come up with alternative food source for maritime community in exchange of turtle meat, eggs, group tells Awang Ali Omar New Straits Times 30 Sep 17;

SANDAKAN: The government needs to provide the maritime community with alternative food sources if it wants to tackle consumption of turtle meat and eggs as well as poaching activity.

Friends of Sea Turtles Education and Research (Foster) president Alexander Yee said turtles have been the source of food among the locals in Semporna for the longest time.

“If we want to solve the problem, we not only have to put in place the rules, regulations and enforcement but we need to be able to educate the locals and have substitute food sources for them.

“If we tell them not to consume (turtle meats and eggs), what are they going eat? Everything (education, rules, regulations, and enforcement) has to run concurrently.

“The recent discovery (of mutilated turtles on Pulau Bum Bum) is a sad incident but we just have to keep trying. We need to have all those things in place to reduce this incident,” he said when contacted.

In providing his view on the case, Yee who has a turtle hatchery on Libaran Island off Sandakan, believed the turtles were poached by locals or Pala’u nomads for own consumption and for sale.

“My source said the meat has been dug out and the pouch where the turtle eggs are stored is also emptied. However, I’m not sure whether it (turtle) has decayed and that’s why it looks as if the internal (of the turtle) is empty.

“It’s quite obvious they are after the meat and eggs for consumption because the turtle shell is worth a lot of money. They did not take that.

“It could be that they took some (meat and eggs) for themselves and sold the rest but we wouldn’t know. I suspect they are also selling them because of the number of turtles found,” he said.

To a question whether the turtles were caught in local or neighbouring waters, Yee said it did not matter as all endangered turtles needed to be protected.

He explained turtles that nest in the Philippine are known to nest over in Sabah waters too.

“Turles don’t look for a particular area to nest. I know this for a fact because of my hatchery on Libaran Island. I have had turtles being tagged on Selingan (Turtle Island) and landing on Libaran.

“There are also turtles tagged in the Philippine and landed on Libaran. So they don’t roam specific areas,” stressed Yee.

Meanwhile, district wildlife officer Hussien Muin, in a statement, said their enforcement unit would carry out special operations dubbed Op Penjual and Op Pembeli aggressively to tackle the selling and buying of turtle eggs.

In continuation of the Op Penjual, which was initiated last month and saw three foreigners sentenced to imprisonment for selling turtle eggs, Op Pembeli was launched to discourage egg consumption.

“We are working closely with the police, Sandakan Municipal Council, Public Works Department and WWF to continue instil strong awareness on the long-term impact if turtle egg consumption is not tackled,” he said.

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Malaysia: Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 may be amended to make killing fully protected animals a strict liability offence

AVILA GERALDINE New Straits Times 30 Sep 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry is considering amending the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 to make the killing of fully protected animals as a strict liability offence.

If approved, the burden of proof will be on the accused to substantiate that he or she did not commit the crime.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the normal law of evidence in criminal law at the moment is the prosecutors have to prove an accused has committed a wrongdoing.

“We are looking into the possibility to amend the law and we will consult with our legal officers and the Attorney-General if it’s possible.

“With the amendment, it means the accused will have to prove he didn’t kill it (endangered wildlife animal) because at this point of time, the prosecutors have to come up with evidence to prove a person is guilty and this is not easy,” he told reporters when met at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

“There are cases within plantation areas where no single person is willing to become a witness despite the police going there (to look for witnesses). Therefore, we are proposing to make such offence a strict liability to make it easier for the prosecutors to prove their case,” he explained.

Masidi said the proposed legislation was among the aspects discussed by the relevant departments under his ministry during a special meeting yesterday in light of the recent poaching of endangered Bornean pygmy elephants and turtles.

He reiterated, the ministry was taking wildlife poaching seriously and they had come up with several resolutions to curb these crimes.

“I’ve directed my permanent secretary (Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai) to call for a high level meeting with the top officers in the Sabah Wildlife. The (wildlife department) director (Augustine Tuuga) has briefed us of the challenges and they had done their best within their means to tackle (wildlife poaching).

“First and foremost, the department has insufficient assets and manpower so we have decided they should work hand in hand with Sabah Parks as well as the Sabah Forestry Department.

“We are also looking at reshuffling the whole organisation to address issues based on priority. If enforcement is the priority, sections that can survive with less staff will have to mobilise some of the employees to other enforcement sections that need the most support,” said Masidi.

He stressed the ministry would present a cabinet paper to the state government, requesting for more creation of posts particularly in the enforcement unit of Sabah Wildlife Department so it is in a better position to tackle the issue.

On Thursday, WWF-Malaysia urged the state government to allocate more funds to hire and train more rangers on the ground as their constant and tactical presence is a deterrent to poachers.

This follows the recent killing of an adult male Bornean pygmy elephant in Kinabatangan, where poachers not only cut off its tusks but also chopped off its left leg and sliced off its skin before dumping the carcass into a river.

Another recent wildlife poaching incident involved the mutilation of eight green turtles on Pulau Bum Bum off Semporna.

In the event, wildlife experts believed the Pala’u nomads were responsible and that they could have collected the plastrons (shells) to be sold for medicinal purposes.

Masidi said the department is still investigating the matter, adding in all cases of turtle poaching the plastrons have gone missing.


Wan Junaidi: 'Hunt animal poachers down'
The Star 1 Oct 17;

PETALING JAYA: No effort must be spared in bringing the wildlife poachers behind the senseless killings of Bornean pygmy elephants and turtles to justice, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic).

"The Ministry strongly urges the Sabah Wildlife Department and other agencies in Sabah to work tirelessly to find the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against our turtles and other wildlife as soon as possible," the Natural Resources and Environment Minister said in a statement on Saturday.

Dr Wan Junaidi said he was appalled by and condemned the blatant lack of regard for the welfare of turtles by unscrupulous groups of people living in Sabah's coastal areas.

It was reported that two pygmy elephants had been killed for its tusks and hundreds of sea turtle carcasses found on Pulau Bum Bum in the Semporna district.

He said the recent find of turtle remains in the sea near Pulau Bum Bum was "deeply saddening", as was the killing of pygmy elephants.

"Their (pygmy elephants) tusks are brutally cut off and the poor animals were left to die a slow and painful death in the rivers and forests of Kinabatangan and Tawau," he said.

Dr Wan Junaidi said the Ministry, through its Biodiversity and Forestry Management Division, was ready and willing to offer any assistance to the Sabah Wildlife Department to catch and punish these criminals.

He added that the Ministry was committed to preserving the nation's land and marine wildlife.

"It is a testament to our level of civilisation when we are able to live in harmony with the flora and fauna in our country, which have every right to exist on earth as we humans do," he said.

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Why Buddhist ‘fangsheng’ mercy release rituals can be more cruel than kind

The case of two London Buddhists fined for releasing crustaceans into the sea has thrown the spotlight on a ritual that involves hundreds of millions of wild animals – and a huge industry built around their capture and supply
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian 25 Sep 17;

It was intended as a Buddhist act of mercy and compassion, but ended in a criminal conviction and significant environmental risk. The release of hundreds of alien lobsters and crabs into the sea off Brighton has highlighted the perils of a ritual that takes kindness to animals too far.

Two London Buddhists, Zhixiong Li, 30, and Ni Li, 33, pleaded guilty last week at Brighton magistrates court to breaking the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 by releasing non-native species into the wild, causing “untold damage” to marine life. The pair were ordered to pay a total of more than £28,000 in fines and compensation.

They, along with more than 100 other Buddhists, were taking part in a rite known as fangsheng, or “life release”, as the highlight of a visit to the UK of Taiwanese Buddhist master Hai Tao two years ago. The group hired three boats from Brighton marina, emptied their load into the sea a mile off the coast and returned to shore – presumably full of good karma.

The ritual dates back to the third century, but has seen a resurgence in recent years. Hai Tao, a champion of animal rights, advocates fangsheng – saving the lives of creatures destined for slaughter – as a way for Buddhists to demonstrate compassion, create good fortune and earn merit.

According to Humane Society International (HSI), hundreds of millions of birds, fish, monkeys, turtles and other animals are involved in acts of fangsheng every year. But these days, it says, “mercy release has become an industry built on the capture and supply of wild animals, for whom there are devastating consequences of injury, illness or death”. In Taiwan alone, 200 million wild animals are used every year in release rituals, according to HSI in 2012. Fangsheng is also practiced in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Nepal, the United States and the UK.

The organisation says many animals are fatally injured in the ritual, and those that survive release often die soon afterwards from exhaustion, injury or disease, or else become prey to other species. Some are re-captured after the ritual and re-sold. Release can also cause environmental harm, it adds. Animals “may be released outside their natural habitats and in groups large enough to establish breeding populations, often wreaking havoc on local ecosystems. Some are invasive species that may threaten the survival of the native species.”

A few days after the fangsheng ritual off the south coast of the UK, a Brighton fisherman was puzzled to find non-native lobsters and crabs among his catch. He alerted the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), which chartered boats and offered local fishermen a £20-a-head bounty for every alien crustacean they captured. But only 323 out of a total of more than 700 were recovered, and there was evidence some lobsters had begun breeding in their new home.

Still, the Brighton incident is far from the worst case of fangsheng gone wrong. In 2012, followers of Hai Tao released hundreds of snakes in a mountainous area of Taiwan not native to them, leaving locals to deal with regular house visits from the serpents. “Releasing captive animals is good practice, but releasing snakes into the wild hurts society and contravenes the intention of mercy,” Hai Tao said at the time.

In comparison, dumping a few stray crabs and lobsters really does seem merciful.

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Strong gas smell in north-east S'pore traced to industrial facility in Malaysia

VICTOR LOH Today Online 29 Sep 17;
SINGAPORE — The strong whiff of odour which plagued residential areas in the North-east of Singapore on Monday (Sept 25) has been traced to an industrial facility in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia.

The National Environment Agency said that it had contacted its counterpart in Malaysia, the Department of Environment (DOE) for the latter's assistance to investigate the gas-like smell on the same day.

"(The DOE) is taking action against the operator," NEA said in a statement posted on its Facebook page on Friday.

Checks by the NEA and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on factories in affected areas had initially failed to find any anomalies that could have caused the gas smell.

NEA's air monitoring stations in Singapore later detected low and safe levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air.

"VOCs can be human-made or naturally-occurring chemical compounds that easily enter the air as gases from some solids or liquids," NEA explained. "They are numerous, varied and commonly present, and each individual's reaction to VOCs may vary."

Complaints about the odour appeared on the online forums such as Reddit and Hardware Zone at about 5pm on Monday. Many netizens said that the smell appeared to be largely confined to the North-Eastern parts of Singapore in areas like Sengkang, Hougang, Buangkok and Ang Mo Kio.

At the time, SCDF deployed its "resources to investigate" and found nothing amiss, and was closely monitoring the situation together with the NEA.

"Our monitoring teams have not detected the presence of Toxic Industrial Chemicals in the air," the SCDF said in a Facebook post.

Air quality levels during the period were found to be well within safety limits.

"Since about 3pm (on Monday), winds were light and there was some convergence of winds over the northern half of Singapore, which might have led to an accumulation of smells in the northern area of Singapore," the NEA wrote in its post.

Similar complaints have surfaced in the past.

In 2013, there were complaints of a "foul odour" in Punggol and Sengkang. An NEA spokesman then said that the smell could have possibly "emanated from palm oil industries".

NEA however ruled out industries near Punggol as the cause of the smell, after inspections of their equipment, processes, operations and records "did not reveal any abnormalities or issues in their operations" that could be behind the "chemical smell as mentioned in the feedback".


Strong gas smell traced to Pasir Gudang industrial facility: NEA
Channel NewsAsia 29 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE: Reports of a strong smell which was detected at various locations of Singapore on Monday (Sep 25) has been traced to an industrial facility in Pasir Gudang, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The agency said on Friday it had contacted the Department of Environment (DOE) in Malaysia to seek its assistance in the investigation.

The DOE traced the source to an industrial facility in Pasir Gudang, Johor Baru and is taking action against the industrial facility operator, said NEA in a Facebook post.


Both NEA and the Singapore Civil Defence Force did not find any abnormal factory operations or incidents in Singapore after carrying out investigations and air quality measurements at the locations reported.

During the period when the smells were reported, NEA said that the convergence of winds over the northern half of Singapore and further light winds could have led to a slow dispersion of the smell.

Residents in many parts of Singapore, including Sengkang, Toa Payoh and Commonwealth, reported a strong odour on Monday afternoon and evening.


Monday's chemical stench traced to industrial facility in Pasir Gudang, Johor: NEA
Samantha Boh Straits Times 29 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE - The mystery chemical stench that cloaked the island on Monday (Sept 25) has been traced to an industrial facility in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a Facebook post on Friday (Sept 29) that it contacted its counterpart in Malaysia, the Department of Environment (DOE), to seek its assistance after the smell was detected on Monday.

It said: "The DOE has deployed resources in identifying the source of the smell. It has traced the source to an industrial facility in Pasir Gudang, and is taking action against the operator."

NEA added that it will continue to monitor the air quality levels in Singapore.

A large zone in the 311-sq-km town of Pasir Gudang is dedicated to heavy industries, and fumes and pollutants from the area have drifted to Punggol in past incidents.

On Monday, complaints first poured in from residents in Sengkang and Punggol about an acrid, chemical stench that was later detected by people in estates such as Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, Seletar and Bishan. Thick smoke also hung over some of the affected areas, residents said.

The NEA said its officers and those from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were sent to affected areas to carry out investigations and ambient air quality measurements immediately after they received the reports.

NEA officers checked factories in affected areas, and other possible sources of gas and chemical leaks.

"NEA and the SCDF did not find any abnormal factory operations or incidents in Singapore that could have caused the gas smell experienced," the NEA said.

It added that the winds were light and there was also some convergence of winds over the northern half of Singapore during the period when smells were reported.

"This might have led to an accumulation, and slow dispersion, of smells in that area," it said.

NEA added that air monitoring stations here detected low and safe levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air.

VOCs can be human-made or naturally-occurring chemical compounds that easily enter the air as gases from some solids or liquids.

They are numerous, varied and commonly present, and each individual's reaction to VOCs may vary.

Chemical smell across Singapore traced to Johor
Samantha Boh Straits Times 30 Sep 17;

The chemical stench that cloaked the island on Monday came from the industrial town of Pasir Gudang in Johor, investigations have revealed.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said yesterday that its Malaysian counterpart, the Department of Environment (DOE), had identified the source of the smell, and would be taking action .

"The DOE has deployed resources in identifying the source of the smell. It has traced the source to an industrial facility in Pasir Gudang, and is taking action against the operator," it said. The Malaysian authorities were not immediately available to comment on which facility was at fault, or the composition of the gas.

NEA stressed yesterday that air quality in Singapore has remained at safe levels since Monday, and it will continue to monitor the situation.

A large zone in the 311 sq km town of Pasir Gudang is dedicated to heavy industries, and fumes and pollutants have drifted to Punggol in past incidents. The industrial estate, established in the 1990s, is a little more than 1.5 km across the Strait of Johor from Punggol, and controlled burning to get rid of waste gases is a common occurrence there. The town is home to a port, power station and petrochemical companies, as well as those dealing with edible oils, steel and fertiliser.

On Monday, complaints poured in from residents in Sengkang and Punggol, and later in Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, Seletar and Bishan, about an acrid, chemical smell. The NEA said its officers and those from the Singapore Civil Defence Force were sent to affected areas to investigate and test air quality. Checks of factories in affected areas revealed no abnormal operations or any other possible sources of gas and chemical leaks.

Light winds over the northern half of Singapore at the time might have led to an accumulation and slow dispersion of smells, it added.

While those affected were afraid that the gas was toxic, the NEA assured the public that air monitoring stations here detected only low and safe levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air. VOCs are chemical compounds that easily enter the air. "They are numerous, varied and commonly present, and each individual's reaction to VOCs may vary," the NEA said.

Read more!

PUB to extend floating solar panel trials at reservoirs

Tender called for studies at Tengeh and Upper Peirce reservoirs
CYNTHIA CHOO Today Online 29 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE — The national water agency is expanding its trials to test the feasibility of deploying floating solar energy panels on reservoirs, following the successful roll-out of the world’s largest floating solar test-bed at Tengeh Reservoir last year.


On Friday (Sept 29), the PUB called for tenders for engineering and environmental studies for a 50 megawatt peak (MWp) floating solar photovoltaic (PV) system in Tengeh Reservoir and a 6.7MWp floating solar PV system in Upper Peirce Reservoir.

The proposed Tengeh system could potentially take up one-third of the reservoir’s water surface area, and power up to 12,500 four-room Housing and Development Board homes.

The Upper Peirce system is estimated to occupy about 2 per cent of the reservoir’s water surface area, and can power about 1,500 four-room flats.

Last October, Tengeh Reservoir became the world’s largest floating solar test-bed atop a hectare of waters. The S$11 million pilot of 10 PV systems at the reservoir was enough to power 250 four-room HDB flats for a year.

On Friday, the PUB said the results of the test-bed so far “show that the system performed better than a typical rooftop solar PV system in Singapore, due to the cooler temperatures of the reservoir environment”.

It added that to date, there were also “no observable changes in water quality in the reservoir and no significant impact on wildlife from ongoing studies on water quality and biodiversity”, hence it plans to further explore floating solar PV systems at two more locations.

Upper Peirce Reservoir was chosen as a potential location due to its close proximity to the Chestnut Avenue Waterworks, which will allow the solar energy generated to be fed directly to the Waterworks for its water treatment operations, helping it reduce its reliance on grid energy, said the PUB.

The PUB said it would be carrying out comprehensive environmental studies at the two reservoirs before making any decision on implementation.

It has also consulted environmental groups such as Nature Society of Singapore on the scope of the environmental studies, and will continue to consult relevant groups as the projects develop.
It added that there will be no infringement on forested areas.

While most solar PV panels are deployed on land or rooftops, waterbodies with significant surface areas present greater potential especially in land-scarce countries like Singapore, explained the PUB. 


PUB’s chief sustainability officer Tan Nguan Sen said: “The natural option is our vast water surface but we want to study the possible impact and relevant mitigating measures very carefully before reaching a decision to proceed with large-scale floating solar PV deployment.”

The Republic invested over S$30 million in alternative energy tests in 2016. Besides the test-bed at Tengeh Rerservoir, a micro-grid system — which consolidates power generated from multiple renewable energy sources — was also tested at Semakau Island.


Siting solar energy farms at reservoirs
PUB calling for tenders to study impact on habitats at Tengeh, Upper Peirce reservoirs
Fabian Koh and Audrey Tan Straits Times 30 Sep 17;

Reservoirs could soon play host to floating solar energy farms, national water agency PUB announced in a press statement yesterday.

It said it was planning to explore the implementation of floating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in reservoirs to utilise their vast surface areas.

It is calling for tenders for engineering and environmental studies for such systems in Tengeh Reservoir and Upper Peirce Reservoir.


Solar energy, which is renewable, reduces Singapore's reliance on fossil fuels and is in line with national climate-change mitigation pledges.

While most solar panels are deployed on land or rooftops, the use of water bodies is beneficial for land-scarce places like Singapore.

A floating solar PV system test bed was launched at Tengeh Reservoir in October last year. It has been shown to perform better than its rooftop counterparts, because of cooler temperatures in its surrounding environment.

Water quality and wildlife were not affected, said PUB.

Potentially, the energy generated could power about 12,500 four-room Housing Board homes.

PUB has consulted environmental groups and will carry out environmental studies at the two reservoirs before making any decision on implementation.

"PUB will continue to study the feasibility of adopting clean energy in our installations. This will help us reduce our dependence on grid energy and carbon footprint. But the lack of deployable land space puts a limit on what we can reap from this clean energy," said PUB chief sustainability officer Tan Nguan Sen.

"The natural option is our vast water surface, but we want to study the possible impact and mitigating measures carefully before reaching a decision to proceed with large-scale floating solar PV deployment."

Conservationist Tony O'Dempsey said he applauds PUB's efforts to include environmental impact assessments in the project and for engaging nature groups. "Of course, our greatest concern is for the Upper Peirce Reservoir site, as the introduction of infrastructure into or adjacent to the (Central Catchment Nature Reserve next door) has the potential to impact natural habitats.

"I think we should be looking at other reservoirs as alternatives. The Lower Seletar Waterworks off Seletar West Link is also a potential beneficiary of direct connection to solar panels that could be deployed in Lower Seletar Reservoir. Other reservoirs may also offer similar possibilities as alternatives."


PUB to explore using reservoirs as solar energy farms
Fabian Koh and Audrey Tan Straits Times 29 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE - Reservoirs could soon play host to floating solar energy farms, PUB announced in a press release on Friday (Sept 29).

Singapore's national water agency said it is planning to explore the implementation of floating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in reservoirs, to utilise their vast surface areas.

It is calling for tenders for engineering and environmental studies for such systems in Tengeh Reservoir and Upper Peirce Reservoir.

Solar energy - which is renewable - reduces the country's reliance on fossil fuels and is in line with national climate change mitigation pledges.

While most solar panels are deployed on land or rooftops, the use of water bodies is especially beneficial for land-scarce countries like Singapore.

A floating solar PV system test-bed was launched at Tengeh Reservoir in October last year.

It has been shown to perform better than its rooftop counterparts, due to cooler temperatures of the surrounding environment.

Water quality and wildlife were also not affected, said PUB.

Potentially, the energy generated could power about 12,500 four-room HDB homes.

PUB will carry out environmental studies at the two reservoirs before making any decision on implementation, and has also consulted environmental groups.

"PUB will continue to study the feasibility of adopting clean energy in our installations. This will help us reduce our dependence on grid energy and carbon footprint. However, the lack of deployable land space imposes a limit on what we can reap from this clean energy," said PUB's chief sustainability officer Tan Nguan Sen.

"The natural option is our vast water surface, but we want to study the possible impact and relevant mitigating measures very carefully before reaching a decision to proceed with large-scale floating solar PV deployment."

Conservationist Tony O’Dempsey said he applauds PUB’s efforts to include environmental impact assessments in the development and for its engagement with nature groups.

“Of course our greatest concern is for the Upper Peirce Reservoir site, as the introduction of infrastructure into or adjacent to the nature reserve has the potential to impact natural habitats,” he told The Straits Times.

“I think we should be looking at other reservoirs as alternatives to Upper Peirce. The Lower Seletar water works off the Seletar West Link is also a potential beneficiary of direct connection to solar panels that could be deployed on the Lower Seletar reservoir. Other reservoirs may also offer similar possibilities as alternatives and I have encouraged the PUB to look into these alternatives to Upper Peirce Reservoir.”

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Malaysia and Singapore discuss environment issues at 30th Annual Exchange of Visits

Melody Zaccheus Straits Times 29 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE - Reducing harmful vehicular emissions for better air quality in Malaysia and Singapore, and jointly monitoring the water quality in the Strait of Johor, were some of the issues discussed at the 30th Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits.

Malaysian Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli encouraged both sides to share best practices to control such emissions and to implement measures to control sources of pollution.

Their discussion largely centred around the progress achieved by the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment.

For instance, both countries have agreed to continue exchanging information on the monitoring of ecology and morphology in and around the Johor Strait, for the purpose of conserving marine biodiversity.

The two ministers also reaffirmed the usefulness of conducting regular joint exercises to ensure that emergency response agencies would be able to effectively respond to incidents involving spillage of hazardous chemicals.

They further noted the increase in ship traffic in the Strait of Johor, and highlighted the importance of regular joint exercises. Such exercises help to facilitate and coordinate prompt response actions in the event of an accident.

The two ministers commended the good collaboration between both sides in information sharing and capacity building to prevent and control oil pollution in the strait.

There will be continued cooperation between the Environment Institute of Malaysia and the Singapore Environment Institute in the exchange of training opportunities and resources.

Both countries exchanged views on other matters, including the transboundary movement of wastes and e-wastes, as well as land reclamation works in and around the Strait of Johor.

The annual exchange, which started on Thursday (Sept 28), will conclude with friendly games on Saturday (Sept 30).


Singapore and Malaysia note close environmental cooperation at 30th Annual Exchange of Visits
Channel NewsAsia 29 Sep 17;

SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia noted their close bilateral cooperation on a series of environmental issues during the 30th Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits (AEV), the two countries announced in a joint media release on Friday (Sep 29).

Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Malaysia's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, is leading a delegation on a visit to Singapore from Sep 28 to Sep 30, at the invitation of Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.

The two ministers reviewed the progress achieved by the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment and exchanged views on several areas of cooperation, said the statement issued by Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Malaysia's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Both countries noted the increase in ship traffic in the Straits of Johor and highlighted the importance of regular joint exercises to anticipate a potential accident in the area.
They also reaffirmed the usefulness of conducting joint exercises to ensure emergency response agencies would be able to act effectively if there were a chemical spill at the Malaysia-Singapore Second Crossing.

Both sides also noted their close bilateral cooperation to reduce harmful vehicular emissions, agreed on the importance of good water quality in the Straits of Johor and agreed to continue to exchange information on the monitoring the ecology in the area to conserve the marine biodiversity there.

The two ministers also commended the information sharing between both sides to prevent and control oil pollution in the Straits of Johor and noted the collaboration in training between the Environment Institute of Malaysia and the Singapore Environment Institute.

The two countries also discussed land reclamation works in the Straits of Johor and the potential for negative transboundary impact.

The 30th AEV will conclude with the Annual Friendly Games on Sep 30, and the next exchange of visits will be held in Malaysia in 2018.
Source: CNA/nc

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Malaysia: Dwindling flying fox numbers, dying durian market

mei mei chu The Star 30 Sep 17;

PETALING JAYA: Flying foxes are disappearing from our forests and according to a team of researchers, this could be devastating to the multimillion-ringgit durian industry.

Flying fox specialist Dr Sheema Abdul Aziz said her team's research showed that the giant fruit bats, known as "keluang" in Malay, are major pollinators of durian trees.

Unfortunately, flying foxes are commonly killed as pests as there is a perception that their large form – they are the biggest of all the bat species – are destructive to the trees which produce the “king of fruits.”

Her study, which included placing camera traps in durian trees on Pulau Tioman, however, found the opposite was true: Not only are they non-destructive, but they play a crucial role in the pollination process.

And the decline in the flying fox population could lead to fewer or poorer-quality durians.

“Previously, people believed flying foxes eat the durian flowers but our study shows the exact opposite. They do not destroy the flowers, they merely drink the nectar by licking it with their tongues.

“The pollen from the flowers sticks to their fur while they feed on the nectar, and the pollen is transferred and cross-pollinated when the flying foxes move to feed on other trees,” Dr Sheema said.

She also noted that cross-pollination, the process of transferring pollen from the anther of a flower one plant to the stigma of the flower of another plant of the same species, is essential to the production of healthy fruit.

Previous studies have also shown that durian trees have evolved to be perfectly suited to bat pollination, making these animals the main and most effective pollinators for durian trees.

The durian industry “owes a huge debt” to these bats, said Dr Sheema.

However, flying foxes have become a rare sight in orchards across Peninsular Malaysia.

Orchard owner Hapsah @ Apisah Abdul Manap said that majestic flocks of flying foxes, numbering in the thousands, used to grace the skies of Pulau Tioman, but these have dwindled to the occasional sighting of flocks of only 20 to 30.

“Two years ago, you could see thousands of flying foxes leave the roost and emerging into the sky during sunset.

“It’s difficult to see flying foxes now; I don’t know where have they gone,” she said, adding that the only bats she sees now are the smaller varieties.

Hapsah, 52, said the durian harvest in her orchard in Kampung Juara has likewise dropped.

In Pahang, Jimmy’s Durian Orchard director Jimmy Loke said there are no flying foxes in his orchard, but he welcome these bats because of their importance in the cross-pollination process.

“Most orchard owners have no issues with bats, unless they have fruit trees like longan because the bats will eat all the fruits,” said Loke.

Some, however, were not aware of the essential role bats play in pollination.

Desaru Fruit Farm director Steve Er, whose farm is in Johor, said they used to erect nets to catch bats, especially crops like jambu air.

“Since then, the number of bats in our farm has been reduced, but we do not think the decline of bats is related to the poor durian harvest,” said the 31-year-old.

Four orchard owners The Star spoke to lamented the fact that their durian harvest this year was 30% to 80% less than last year’s harvest, but they attributed it to the prolonged rainy season.

Already on a decline due to climate change, these durian orchards could suffer even more if the population of flying foxes continues to deteriorate, Dr Sheema’s study suggests.

According to Dr Sheema, both the Malayan flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) and island flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) are classified as “Endangered” under Malaysia's National Red List.

Flying foxes are severely threatened worldwide due to over-hunting and deforestation.

In Malaysia, they are killed as agricultural pests and hunted not only as exotic meat, but also consumed as medicine due to an unproven belief that they can cure respiratory problems like asthma.

“If flying foxes are hunted to extinction, it’s not hard to see that there could be a serious blow to the beloved king of fruits,” said Dr Sheema, who is also president of wildlife conservation organisation Rimba.

“In areas of Thailand where bats don’t exist, durian farmers are manually pollinating durian trees by hand,” she said. “It is an expensive and dangerous job”.

She added that in areas where there are no flying foxes, the cave nectar bat (Eonycteris spelaea) is the main pollinator for durian trees, but even these smaller bats are threatened by the quarrying of limestone karsts for cement and marble.

Dr Sheema, who led the study as part of her PhD research under France’s Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, said the findings are important as they shed light on the importance of flying foxes as seed dispersers and pollinators in Malaysia’s rainforests.

According to University of Nottingham Malaysia associate professor Dr Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz, the disappearance of flying foxes could have disastrous repercussions on tropical ecosystems.

“The durian is a fascinating plant that, with its flowers pollinated by bats and its seeds dispersed by large animals like elephants, beautifully exemplifies the importance of plant-animal interactions,” said the professor, who also co-authored the study.

“We hope this study brings attention to the urgency of conserving flying foxes in South-East Asia,” he added.

For consumers, a further drop in the durian harvest could see prices go up as demand from locals and tourists alike has reportedly outstripped supply.

The Star previously reported that in Perak, Musing King and Black Thorn varieties are being sold at between RM60 and RM90 per kg while D101 and D24 are being sold at RM25 to RM28 per kg.

Adding to the increasing demand is China’s growing appetite for the pungent fruit.

Malaysia’s durian exports to China, consisting of frozen fruit and derivative products, were RM18.02mil in 2016 and is targeted to hit RM92.5mil by 2020.


Flying foxes to be upgraded to 'totally protected species'
mei mei chu The Star 30 Sep 17;

PETALING JAYA: The endangered Malayan flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) and island flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) will soon be listed as “totally protected species” under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) is in the midst of amending Act 716 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and plans to upgrade its classification from “protected species” to “totally protected species”.

“The flying fox is currently listed under the First Schedule (protected species) of the Wildlife Conservation Act, but Perhilitan is proposing to upgrade the protection status of the flying fox to the Second Schedule (totally protected species),” director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim told The Star.

Once they are listed as a “totally protected species”, the hunting of flying foxes will be prohibited.

It is currently legal to hunt flying foxes with a hunting permit issued by Perhilitan.

According to Abdul Kadir, only Johor and Terengganu have banned the hunting of flying foxes.

“Since 2015, Perhilitan has stopped issuing hunting permits for flying foxes in various states based on the understanding of the breeding habits of the species and the dramatic population decline,” he said.

This, he added, was to allow a sufficient recovery period for the local bat population.

Abdul Kadir said Perhilitan has no plans to put a blanket ban on the hunting of flying foxes, but will not issue any permits until the law is amended.

The changes are expected to take effect next year.


We need more flying fox researchers
mei mei chu The Star 30 Sep 17;

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has not enough researchers who specialise in the conservation ecology of flying foxes, and the lack of data has put local conservationists in a quandary over how to save the endangered megabat species.

Dr Sheema Abdul Aziz (pic below), the only ecologist in Malaysia specialising in flying fox conservation ecology, said the flying fox is a forgotten animal.

“It is an animal group that has been neglected for so long that we do not have enough information to be able to take the right conservation action,” she said.

“Flying foxes have been completely ignored by research and conservation groups because bats have a bad reputation – they are not cute and cuddly like tigers and elephants,” she said of the winged mammal.

She added that the flying fox is a victim of the negative perception of it as a health threat and a pest.


image: http://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2017/09/30/03/09/sheema-abdul-aziz-new.ashx?la=en


Yet, research has shown that flying foxes, along with other bat species, are major pollinators of the durian fruit, and their extinction could affect the nation’s durian supply.

“The current studies on flying foxes revolve around virology as they were found to be the host of the deadly Nipah virus that caused an outbreak here in 1998.

“However, we need more research to understand the beneficial aspects of flying foxes to overcome these negative perceptions, so we can determine effective conservation actions,” she said.

Dr Sheema, who has been studying flying foxes since 2013, took up the task for her PhD research as she was fascinated by their unique interaction with plants.

“I was interested in flying foxes when I learned bats are helping us by pollinating and producing durian fruit – it was something that many people did not know,” she said.

She said that studies overseas have noted the importance of flying foxes as seed dispersers and pollinators, but there is not enough local data to fully understand their ecological services, population size, and conservation methods here.

She added there was also an urgent need to research the conflict between flying foxes and fruit farmers who want the animal eradicated.

“We need to understand how much economic loss flying foxes are causing and come up with effective conflict mitigation options,” she said.

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Planet-warming methane from livestock underestimated: study

Marlowe HOOD AFP Yahoo News 29 Sep 17;

Paris (AFP) - Emissions of the greenhouse gas methane from livestock are larger than previously thought, posing an additional challenge in the fight to curb global warming, scientists said Friday.

Revised calculations of methane produced per head of cattle show that global livestock emissions in 2011 were 11 percent higher than estimates based on data from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change.

Periodic reports by the IPCC, drawing from thousands of scientists, help leaders take action on climate change, which has begun to wreak weather havoc around the globe.

"In many regions, livestock numbers are changing, and breeding has resulted in larger animals with higher intakes of food," said Julie Wolf, a researcher in the US Department of Agriculture and lead author of a study in the journal Carbon Balance and Management.

"This, along with changes in livestock management, can lead to higher methane emissions."

Earlier estimates, she added in a statement, were based on "out-of-date data".

After rising slowly from 2000 to 2006, the concentration of methane in the air has climbed 10 times more quickly in the last decade, according to earlier research.

Besides natural sources such as peatland, wetlands and termites, methane from human activity -- approximately two-thirds of the total -- is produced in two ways.

The odourless and colourless gas leaks during the production and transport of coal, oil and especially natural gas.

In roughly equal measure, it also comes from the flatulence of ruminants such as cattle and sheep, as well as the decay of organic waste, notably in landfills.

- 'Hidden climate change cost' -

Methane accounted for about 16 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2015, according to the IPCC.

Carbon dioxide -- produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels -- accounts for more than three-quarters of planet-warming emissions.

"As our diets become more meat and dairy-rich, so the hidden climate cost of our food tends to mount up," said University of Edinburgh professor Dave Reay, reacting to the study.

"Cows belching less methane may not be as eye-catching as wind turbines and solar panels, but they are just as vital for addressing climate change."

The new study boosts the "estimate of human-induced emissions of methane from all sources by about four percent," said University of Leeds professor Piers Forster, who was not involved in the research.

Methane is far more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas, capturing more of the Sun's radiative force. But it persists for less time in the atmosphere.

Taking that into account, scientists calculate that over a 100-year period the "global warming potential" of the gas is 28 times greater than for carbon dioxide.

The study noted that methane emissions from livestock have risen most sharply in the rapidly developing regions of Asia, Latin America and Africa.

By contrast, the increase has slowed sharply in the United States and Canada. In Europe, emissions of the gas have declined.

A sharp rise in methane pollution could jeopardise the goal -- enshrined in the 196-nation Paris climate pact -- of capping global warming below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), a consortium of 81 scientists warned in December.

"Such a target will become increasingly difficult if reductions in methane emissions are not also addressed strongly and rapidly," they wrote in an open letter.

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