Malaysia, Johor: Illegal poultry farm to be shut down for causing pollution in Sungai Johor

Rizalman Hammim and Ahmad Fairuz Othman New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: An illegal poultry farm that also makes fertiliser using chicken manure will be shut down by the Johor state government, after it was identified as the source of ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the decision was made following a recommendation made during a meeting chaired by the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) today.

The pollution in Sungai Johor, which was caused by the farm located at the border of Kulai and Kluang, has led to the temporary shut down of three water treatment plants since Friday.

The emergency meeting, Khaled said, was attended by representatives from water utility company SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd, Johor Department of Environment (DoE), Kulai Municipal Council and Johor Veterinary Services Department.

“We (state government) will close down the premises... the recommendation will be further discussed at the state executive council meeting this week.

“We have to take drastic measures to prevent this from happening again in the future,” Khaled told reporters after launching the “eRezeki and eUsahawan Bootcamp” at the Johor Baru Central Municipal Council hall in Gelang Patah today.

The pollution in Sungai Johor had forced SAJ Ranhill to shut down its Semangar water treatment plant on Friday after ammonia levels exceeded the permissible exposure limit.

The permissible exposure limit for ammonia set by the Health Ministry is 1.5 parts per million (ppm). The ammonia level in Sungai Johor reached 2.75 ppm.

SAJ Ranhill was also forced to shut down the Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants after ammonia was detected downstream.

The temporary closures affected about 1.8 million consumers in Johor Baru, Kulai, Iskandar Puteri and Kota Tinggi.

An SAJ Ranhill spokesman said this is the third time its treatment plants shut down this year due to ammonia pollution.

State Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat yesterday confirmed that the pollution was caused by a poultry farm.

Ayub had said the pollution created by the farm caused the three water treatment plants to shut down on July 12 last year, affecting some 600,000 consumers.

Meanwhile, Johor DoE director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh said the farm was operating without the approval from the state DoE.

“The state DoE previously did not support the approval of the factory in the Preliminary Assessment Site (PAT) to proceed with the project in the area.”

“After last year’s ammonia pollution, a meeting was conducted with all stakeholders and the DoE had recommended for the factory to be relocated.

“However, no action was taken,” he said, adding that the premises fell under the purview of the Veterinary Services Department.

Johor Veterinary Services Department director Dr Dr Aida Muhid, however, said ths was not a “clear-cut case” as the department was not informed of the plan to construct a fertiliser component at the farm.

“Initial checks revealed that a licence was given to the farm to rear livestock on one plot of land.

“But the fertiliser processing plant, which may have opened more recently, is located on a different plot of land. There is no permit for this plant,” she said when contacted.

Dr Aida assured the public that her department will continue to monitor the premises to prevent untoward incidents.

Two of the three affected water treatment plants resumed operations at about 7pm yesterday.

SAJ Ranhill corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil water supply is expected to return in stages.

The Tai Hong plant, which is operated by Singapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB), remains closed.

Jamaluddin said he expected the plant to resume operations by tonight.


Illegal poultry farm found to be cause of ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor
Ahmad Fairuz Othman and Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: An illegal poultry farm that also makes fertiliser using chicken manure has been found to be the source of ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor that led to the temporary shut down of three water treatment plants since Friday.

The incident raised the ire of residents as water supply disruptions affected several parts of Johor Baru.

It also led to the state water utility company SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd to issue a notice saying that up to 1.8 million consumers could be affected by the incident.

However, what was troubling was that it was not the first time the same poultry farm contributed to ammonia pollution.

A previous case of ammonia pollution at Sungai Johor in July last year, which affected the water supply to 600,000 people, was partly caused by the same farm.

Johor Department of Environment (DoE) director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh said the poultry farm on the banks of Sungai Sayong, which is a tributary of Sungai Johor, was operating without the approval from the state DoE.

"The state DoE previously did not support the approval of the factory in the Preliminary Assessment Site (PAT) to proceed with the project in the area.

"However, it continued to operate. The farm operated under the jurisdiction of the Kulai District Land Office and Johor Veterinary Services Department, and these are the only agencies which can tell the farm to stop its operations," Ezanni told the New Straits Times.

Ezanni said that following the previous case of pollution that occurred in July last year, a meeting was conducted with all stakeholders and it was agreed upon that the factory should be relocated.

"However, there was no action taken on this, and the state DoE's notice to have the poultry farm relocated has fallen on deaf ears," said Ezanni.

He said the department had no jurisdiction over this factory as it rears chicken and therefore any order to close must come from the Johor Veterinary Services Department or the District Land Office.

He said based on checks conducted by DoE staff at the farm since the previous case of pollution last year, the factory did not adhere to proper storage techniques for its fertiliser.

"The factory uses manure from the chicken to make fertiliser. Much of the fertiliser is improperly stored. The fertiliser products and chicken manure are stacked and exposed to the elements.

"When it rains, the water soaks these items and the water seeps into the ground and flows into the river. This leads to the high content of ammonia in the river," said Ezanni.

Yesterday, Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat confirmed that the ammonia pollution was caused by the premises which processed chicken manure.

Ayub said this was the third incident of ammonia pollution and based on SAJ Ranhill's investigation, it was caused by the same party.

“The Department of Environment (DOE) previously did not support the approval in the PAT to proceed with the project in the area and we also regret that the local Land Office and Veterinary Department did not take stern action over the matter,” he said.

Meanwhile, SAJ Ranhill's corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil said that two out of the three water treatment plants that were shut down had resumed operations.

"The Semanggar and Sungai Johor water treatment plants were re-opened about 7pm last night. Now, only the PUB (Public Utilities Board) Tai Hong water treatment plant remains closed," said Jamaluddin, adding that regular water supply to several areas would resume by tonight.


Call to impose heavier penalties on anyone found to have polluted water catchment areas
Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: Residents affected by the water supply disruptions in Johor want the government to be more stringent and impose heavier penalties on anyone found to have polluted the water catchment areas in the state.

These residents, who have experienced dry taps before, said it was not enough to just impose fines as these polluters could do it again.

Sahrulerman Abd Rahim, 38, said many Johoreans were forced to endure days without water supply in the past due to the shut down of water treatment plants because of excessive amount of ammonia at rivers.

He said the nightmare kept recurring and many people wondered how come nothing was done to stop the polluters from doing it again.

"It is not enough for authorities to only impose fines or compounds on those who are found to commit such offences.

"They should not be let off with just a slap on the wrist. They will continue to carry out their activities even after a fine or a compound because they can afford to pay.

"The authorities should impose a heavier penalty like shutting down the operation of any business found to be polluting rivers. Better still, ask the operator to move their factory to another place," said Sahrulerman, who lives in Taman Nusa Bestari 2 in Gelang Patah with his wife and three children.

He said it is was a nuisance for his family whenever there was a water disruption as it affected their daily lives.

"The last time the Semangar plant was closed, water supply to my house was disrupted for about three days," he said.

Sahrulerman was commenting on the move by SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd to shut down the operations of three water treatment plants along Sungai Johor, namely the Semangar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong plants, since Friday night following the increase in the level of ammonia in the river.

The Semangar plant was closed late on Friday night when ammonia levels at its intake point at the river was recorded at 2.75 parts per million (ppm), which was higher than the permissable level of ammonia set by the Health Ministry, which was 1.5 ppm.

The situation got worse when SAJ Ranhill announced yesterday evening that high ammonia levels were also detected at the Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants, which forced the shut down of the plants.

The Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants are located further downstream from the Semangar plant.

This is the third occurrance of water treatment plants being temporarily shut down due to ammonia pollution this year.

The authorities traced the latest case of ammonia pollution to a poultry farm which processes fertiliser from chicken manure located at the banks of the river.

Meanwhile, Norazilah Ab Rasul, 36, said the water supply in her area was disrupted a day after she heard about it through SAJ Ranhill's announcement.

She said she only noticed that the water supply to her house was disrupted about 10 am today.

"I knew about the closure of the Semangar plant, but the water supply at my house was initially not affected.

"It is only this morning I found that the water supply was disrupted. By that time, I could not do anything," said Norazilah, who lives in Taman Nusantara.

The housewife agreed that more stringent action should taken against those who were found polluting the water sources.

"These polluters must be dealt with strictly by the authorities. Action must be taken against them to serve as a lesson to others not to pollute our rivers," said Norazilah.

Fertiliser factory ordered to close for polluting Sg Johor
zazali musa The Star 30 Oct 17;

GELANG PATAH: A factory processing poultry manure into fertiliser in Layang-Layang along Sungai Johor has been ordered to close as it is linked to ammonia pollution in the river.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the drastic move was taken as the factory had been identified as the source that caused the rise of ammonia in the raw water.

He said operations at the Semanggar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants were forced to stop when the chemical content was detected in the raw water from Sungai Johor on Saturday.

Following that, water supply to some 1.8 million users in south Johor was disrupted for two days.

He said the same factory had in July last year caused a major water disruption to hundreds of thousands of consumers in south Johor due to ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor.

Khaled said a similar directive was given to a poultry farm operating near to the factory, as it also contributed to the chemical content in the raw water.

The decision to ask the factories to cease operations was made following recommendations by eight agencies including the Johor Water Regulatory Body, SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd, Department of Environment, Kulai Land Office and Veterinary Department in a special meeting yesterday.

SAJ Ranhill corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil said water supply to some areas in three districts namely Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi has been restored.

Operations at the three water treatment plants would back to normal today.

“We will not take any risks as water quality is top priority,” he said.

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Malaysia: All logging activities near Fraser's Hill ceased, says NGO

HIDIR REDUAN New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

KUANTAN: All logging activities near Fraser’s Hill in Raub have stopped since the imposition of a temporary cease order on Sept 8.

This was confirmed by The Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia (Peka) president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, who sent a fact-finding team to the famous eco-tourist spot earlier this month.

“(There is) no more logging and all the machines have been taken out of the area,” she said in reference to the removal of heavy machinery from the area, which measures 106.78 hectares.

On Oct 6, the New Straits Times quoted her saying that a fact-finding team would be dispatched to Fraser’s Hill to verify claims that a lorry was seen entering the Batu Talam Forest Reserve, which is in violation of the active interim cease order.

Shariffa said Peka intends to conduct a reforestation project at the hill to restore it to its pristine state.

However, she said, Peka can only do so after receiving permission from the Raub District Forestry Officer (DFO).

“We have written a letter to the DFO seeking permission to conduct the project. We are still waiting for the green light,” she said, adding that the letter was sent two weeks ago.

Sabrina said many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and volunteers are eager to take part in the restoration exercise.

On whether the interim stop order should be extended, Pahang Forestry director Datuk Indera Mohd Paiz Kamaruzaman said the department will look into the matter seriously.

“We will conduct a study to determine the suitability (of extending the stop order),” he said when contacted today.

Meanwhile, a Raub Forestry Department representative said the department has received Peka’s letter.

He said the reforestation project, if allowed to proceed, will be a joint effort by Peka and the Forestry Department.

“The department will identity suitable areas to plant the new trees and the NGOs will be in charge of planting them.”

He also confirmed that no new logging activities will take place near Fraser’s Hill while stop order is active.

He said Forestry Department officers, during their routine patrols, have not encountered any parties breaching the order.

NST on Sept 26 published a report on illegal logging activities near Fraser’s Hill, which had been gazetted as a primary forest reserve and water catchment area.

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Malaysia: Monsoon on Malaysia's doorstep, says Meteorological Dept

ADRIAN DAVID New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The signs of the impending monsoon are here with thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong wind expected over several states in Peninsular Malaysia, today.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department’s forecast, the situation will persist until Thursday.

Tourism in Terengganu will be affected as access to its idyllic islands will be cut off during the monsoon season until March next year.

Continued rain is expected to cause flooding in low-lying areas in the peninsula states. The affected areas are in Perak (Manjung, Perak Tengah, Bagan Datoh and Hilir Perak), Selangor (Gombak, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Kuala Langat, Sepang and Hulu Langat), Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan (Jelebu, Jempol and Tampin), Johor (Segamat, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Mersing, Kota Tinggi, Johor Bahru, Kulai and Pontian), Pahang (Cameron Highlands, Lipis, Raub, Bentong, Rompin, Pekan and Kuantan), Kelantan (Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Machang and Tanah Merah) and Terengganu.

The department also forecast strong north-easterly winds of 40-50 km per hour with waves up to 3.5 metres to occur over the waters off Samui (Thailand), Tioman, Bunguran, Condore, Reef North and Layang-Layang until Thursday (Nov 2).

Similar conditions are expected off the coast of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor.

“This condition of strong winds and rough seas is dangerous to small crafts, recreational sea activities and sea sports,” the statement on its official website said.

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Malaysia: Taps in 1.8 million south Johor households run dry

kathleen ann kili The Star 28 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: Some 1.8 million residents in southern Johor have been struck by a major water supply disruption after three water treatment plants were shut down due to high ammonia levels found in raw water from Sungai Johor.

Operations at three water treatment plants – the Semangar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants – were stopped Saturday after a high level of ammonia was recorded.

SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamal said that residents in at least three districts, namely Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi, have been affected by the shutdown that may last up to two days.

He said that the ammonia level of 2.75 parts per million (ppm) recorded late Friday night had not reduced as of 4.30pm on Saturday. The level is much higher than the Health Ministry's permitted level of 1.5ppm.

"This is not the first time high levels of ammonia have disrupted water supply. We have recorded three major incidents this year alone," he said in a statement here on Saturday.

Jamaluddin said the situation could be prolonged if ammonia levels do not drop.

"We urge the public not to panic and to use water wisely," he said, adding that affected residents could contact its hotline at 1800-88-7474 for assistance.


Ammonia pollution at Sungai Johor caused by chicken droppings processing factory
Bernama New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: The ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor near Kota Tinggi, yesterday, was caused by a chicken droppings processing factory close to the river.

Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the pollution has affected 160,000 user accounts of Semangar water treatment plant who were living in Kulai, Senai, Gelang Patah, Iskandar Puteri, Skudai, Kempas, Taman Sri Austin and Kangkar Pulai.

He said this was the third incident of ammonia pollution and based on Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) investigation, it was caused by the same party.

“The Department of Environment (DOE) previously did not support the approval in the Preliminary Assessment Site (PAT) to proceed with the project in the area and we also regret that the local Land Office and Veterinary Department did not take stern action over the matter,” he told reporters at the Johor Talent 3 Graduation Ceremony at Warisan Sultan Abu Bakar Complex, here today.

He said the chicken droppings processing factory had to be closed immediately in order to ensure such incident does not occur again.

“The DOE does not have any authority to close (the factory) but we have referred the matter to the local Land Office and Veterinary Department for immediate action,” he said.

He added, a meeting regarding the matter would be held tomorrow, which would be chaired by the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) and related agencies including SAJ, DOE, Land Office and Veterinary Department. -- BERNAMA


160,000 homes and businesses affected after Semangar water treatment plant shuts down due to excessive ammonia
The Semangar water treatment plant was shut down due to excessive amount of ammonia in Sungai Johor. NSTP File pic.
Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 28 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd (SAJ Ranhill) has been forced to shut down the operation of the Semangar water treatment plant since late last night following the presence of excessive amount of ammonia in Sungai Johor.

SAJ Ranhill said this is the third time this year that the plant had to be shut down because of ammonia pollution.

"When this happens, we had no choice but to stop the plant's operations in order to prevent ammonia from seeping into the treated water supply system and disrupt the water quality received by the users.

"Our main concern is the quality of the water that we supply and we have to meet the standard level of ammonia set by the Health Ministry, which is set at 1.5 parts per million (ppm).

“We have taken the decision to stop treating the raw water from the river after it was found to have a high level of ammonia, which was recorded at 2.75 ppm early this morning," said SAJ Ranhill in a statement.

The company's corporate communication head Jamaluddin Jamil said the plant will remain shut down until the ammonia level at the river dropped to the required level.

"It is difficult to say how long the plant will remained shut down because we have to wait until the ammonia level goes down. Even after the plant starts operating, we have to wait for some time in order to build up the pressure before normal supply is restored," said Jamaluddin.

The plant is the main plant that supplies treated water to parts of Johor Baru and Kulai and its closure is expected to affect 160,000 account holders in areas like Skudai, Kempas, Senai, Pulai, Gelang Patah and Tanjung Kupang.

Meanwhile, consumers were left fuming at the repeated occurance of ammonia pollution that has affected their water supply.

Sheikh Mohayuddin said residents in his neighbourhood woke up to find out that they have been hit by a water cut.

"I urge the administrator (of SAJ Ranhill's Facebook page) to update us earlier about this disruption. There has beem no water from 7am....you only put up the notice on the disruption in the afternoon," he said on Facebook.

He said that as his house was on a hilly area, whenever there is a disruption to water supply, he will be one of first few victims to experience it, and among the last last to get water supply back.

As for Jalaludin Hashim, he urged the water utility and all related state agencies to take note of how the water supply chain could be polluted.

He said a better filter system to avoid ammonia pollution was needed.

Lawrence Ho was more critical of the state's water resources and urged for the authorities to go after those polluting the river.

"Where did the ammonia come from? Industrial discharge? They should look at the source of the problem, not just wait for the level of ammonia to drop," said Ho.

SAJ Ranhill has urged consumers to contact 1800887474 for further information.

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Malaysia: Lone elephant runs wild in Kupang village, strikes fear in farming community

Safuri Kamarudin New Straits Times 28 Oct 17;

BALING: Over 600 residents at Kampung Bukit Hijau, Kupang voiced their fear over the 'unpleasant visit' from an elephant which has destroyed their crops.

Since the elephant made its presence known to the villagers, many of the locals here have stayed away from their farms, worried that they will run into the elephant.

The village's Development and Safety Committee chairman Idris Yaacob said the wild elephant had destroyed the villagers' crops including banana trees, rubber plant seedlings, coconuts as well as betel trees.

He added the elephant was also getting bolder.

"The elephant usually comes into the village late at night and goes back into the woods early in the morning.

"Many villagers are now afraid to go to the farms and this has caused them to lose their income," he said, adding that he has informed the Wildlife and National Parks Department and hopes that appropriate action will be taken soon.

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Convention of Migratory Species: Chimpanzees among 33 breeds selected for special protection

BBC 28 Oct 17;

Species like Chimpanzees seeing large reductions in numbers, there are now 50% less than three generations ago
A UN-backed wildlife conference held in the Philippines has voted for additional protections for a list of 33 endangered species including chimpanzees, leopards and giraffes.

Whale sharks, the world's largest fish, were also included on the list.

The six-day long Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) concluded on Saturday, demanding better protections for species that cross country borders.

The groups executive secretary said "everybody has to pitch in" to efforts.

"It has helped to convey the message that the future of migratory wildlife is integral to our own future and that we all have the responsibility to act," Bradney Chamber said.

Governments also made commitments to cooperate on reducing the negative impacts of marine debris, noise pollution and climate change on migratory species.

More than 1,000 delegates from 129 countries debated species' protection at the 12th conference of its kind, backed by the United Nations Environment Programme.

China is still not part of the delegation, but organisers said the country had made some advances on animal protection, such as committing to shut-down the ivory trade and banning the serving of endangered species, such as shark fin soup, at government events.

Hosts the Philippines lobbied for the inclusion of whale sharks, which have become a tourist attraction for the nation. Three other shark breeds were also included in the list.

Ten species of vultures were also singled out for special protection, alongside well-known African mammals deemed to be in danger.

Giraffes are on decline on the continent, with only 90,000 thought to be left in the wild.

Lesser-known species were also singled out for protection - including the Gobi Bear found in the Gobi desert in Mongolia and China. Organisers said only 45 of them remain in the wild.



Lions, whale sharks, other endangered species get more protection
Philippine Daily Inquirer 30 Oct 17;

ENDANGERED Lion cubs Sarah and Benjamin are shown at a circus in Stuttgart, Germany. The endangered animals are among 34 selected to receive heightened protection at the meeting of the Conservation of Migratory Species in Manila. —AFP

Lions, chimpanzees, giraffes, leopards and a wide variety of sharks, including the whale shark, received added protection at a UN wildlife conference in the Philippines, organizers said on Saturday.

Some 34 endangered species were selected to receive heightened conservation efforts at the 12th conference of state parties to the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) that just concluded in Manila.

Protecting migratory species poses particular difficulties since they cross borders, including possibly moving to countries with less stringent wildlife protection systems, said Bradnee Chambers, CMS executive secretary.

“If the species is moving around all of these countries, everybody has to pitch in,” he said at the end of the weeklong conference.

Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the Biodiversity Management Bureau said migratory animals played a critical role in the planet’s ecosystem.

‘Inspiration for people’

“They act as pollinators, control pests and are a source of food and income. They are also an inspiration for people here in the Philippines and all around the world,” Lim said.

Lions, leopards and chimpanzees were singled out as needing more conservation work. The chimpanzee in particular is at risk as its numbers have dropped sharply in recent years due to habitat loss, the organizers said.

The giraffe, which is in decline throughout Africa with fewer than 90,000 animals left in the wild, was also listed.

All four of these African mammals were approved by a “wide majority” for additional protection measures, a CMS statement noted.

“Everybody in this room can identify with these animals,” Chambers remarked.

Vultures, sharks

Less popular species also received additional protection, including 10 species of vultures.

Chambers said these birds provided a vital service by cleaning out carcasses, which prevents the spread of diseases like anthrax and rabies.

Also listed was the whale shark, the largest fish in the world. The Philippines had lobbied for this creature, which had become a major tourist attraction.

Three other shark species—the angel shark, dusky shark and blue shark—were also listed along with three species of rays, the organizers said.

The Pew Charitable Trusts praised the CMS action, saying it was crucial to save these marine animals.

“In some regions, the newly protected shark species have experienced population declines of 50 percent or more,” Pew shark conservation expert KerriLynn Miller said in a statement.

Also listed was the Gobi bear, which lives in the wild regions shared by Mongolia and China. Only 45 specimens remain in the wild, the organizers said.

Compliance review

One of the breakthroughs of the meeting was the adoption of a “compliance review mechanism,” to check if member countries respect the protective lists, the organizers said.

The conference also saw agreements to create an intergovernment task force to curb the illegal killings of birds crossing the East Asian-Australasian Flyway; a conservation road map for the critically endangered African wild ass; and guidelines on assessing impact of marine noise activities

Also adopted by the convention’s 124 state-parties during the weeklong conference was the Manila Declaration on Sustainable Development and Migratory Species, and the Philippine proposals for resolutions on Marine Protected Area Networks in Southeast Asia, sustainable tourism, and the conservation of critical intertidal and coastal habitats for migratory species.

A Pew international conservation expert, Max Bello, said that even though the CMS lists did not provide for sanctions, many member countries still complied with them.

“It does work. It needs more [authority] for sure. But you can use it. It’s actually a very good tool,” Bello said.

“A year or two ago, I was helping some group in Peru in the coast of the South Pacific and we used CMS to convince the government of Peru to protect the giant mantas that come from Ecuador every year,” he recalled.

More than 120 states are party to the CMS, but this does not include China and many other Asian countries.—REPORTS FROM AFP AND JAYMEE T. GAMIL

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Nestlé, Hershey and Mars 'breaking promises over palm oil use'

This year’s Halloween confectionery will contain palm oil grown on land that should lawfully be habitat to orangutans, rhinos and clouded leopards, despite commitment to clean up supply chains
Arthur Neslen The Guardian 17 Oct 17l

Nestlé, Mars and Hershey have been accused of breaking pledges to stop using “conflict palm oil” from deforested Indonesian jungles, just days before the annual Halloween confectionery frenzy.

The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) says consumers have been “deceived” by promises from the brands to clean up their supply chains which were subsequently delayed, revised or watered down.

Laurel Sutherlin, a spokesman for the group, told the Guardian: “For too many years, Nestlé, Mars and Hershey have cherry-picked their [palm oil] targets and then moved the goalposts when they don’t achieve them. There’s just no further room for error to prevent the extinction of tigers, orangutans and elephants.”

The last parcel of Sumatran rainforest in which these three species all roam – along with rhinos, clouded leopards and sun bears – is vanishing at a dramatic pace as lucrative palm oil plantations illegally eat into tropical forestland.

The brands source palm oil from this 2.6m hectare Leuser region, via complex supply chains, some involving traders linked to suppliers illegally logging in the region.

Nestlé promised to end deforestation in its supply chain by 2015 in response to Greenpeace’s KitKat campaign of 2010. After Ran’s “Snack food 20” report, this was upgraded to a pledge of “no sourcing from areas converted from natural forests after 1 February 2013”. The target was missed.

“Four years later we can now trace over 90% of our palm oil back to the mill of origin and almost two thirds back to the plantation level,” said Nestlé spokeswoman Peggy Diby. “Our ambition is to raise this figure to 100% by 2020, back to plantation.”

In July, Nestlé told the Guardian it could only source 47% of its palm oil to plantations, suggesting a big improvement in the last three months.

Hershey’s said in 2014 that it would source all of its palm oil back to the mill level by 2015, and to plantations by 2016. But its plantation level sourcing actually fell in 2016 from 27% to 14%, and the commitment has been deferred until 2020.

Greenpeace protestors dressed as orangutans demonstrate against palm oil harvested from rainforest destruction outside a Nestle shareholders’ meeting
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Greenpeace protestors dressed as orangutans demonstrate against palm oil harvested from rainforest destruction outside a Nestle shareholders’ meeting. Photograph: Antoine Antoniol/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Jeff Beckman, Hershey’s communications director said: “While we remain deeply committed to pushing all stakeholders to accelerate traceability and bring full transparency to this supply chain along with our supplier partners, we realised it would take more time to achieve this goal than originally anticipated.”

Mars did not respond to a request for comment, despite a promise of “cutting suppliers trafficking conflict palm oil by the end of 2015,” which campaigners claim has not been met.

Gemma Tillack, Ran’s campaign director said: “It is our view that the brands have deceived consumers by continually claiming to be tackling deforestation when they have not executed the actions required to achieve a moratorium on the forest frontlines of their global supply chains.”

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As electricity market opens up, experts foresee payoffs for S’pore and marked change in power usage habits

TAN WEIZHEN Today Online 27 Oct 17;

SINGAPORE — It was an announcement that did not exactly fire up Singaporeans, and in fact, left many wondering about its mechanics: From early next year, some households will be able to choose which provider to buy their power from, a break from the current, age-old model of getting it from a sole, government-linked provider.

But while going shopping for electricity might not exactly hold the same thrill for retail-happy Singaporeans that buying consumables does, the announcement will have far-reaching results.

At its base, and possibly most appealing, level, when shopping for a power provider comes to 108,000 Jurong households from April next year — the rest of Singapore will get it from the middle of 2018 — it could result in some savings for consumers.

But quite apart from that, freeing up the market could be the start of a movement that could bring about a sea change in power consumption habits that could alter production and work cycles and lifestyles, and spark efficient usage that might save the country enormous amounts of money: Savings that could eventually be returned to consumers in the form of even lower prices.

These were the possibilities that excited analysts and other experts who spoke to TODAY in the wake of last week’s ground-breaking announcement by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) on the soft launch in Jurong of the liberalisation of energy market and the nationwide rollout next year.

The move has been in the making for some time.

Since 2001, the Government has progressively opened up the electricity market to competition to promote more competitive pricing as well as give consumers more choices.

It started with businesses, which could choose to buy electricity from retailers other than SP Group, the corporatised entity of the former electricity and gas departments of the Public Utilities Board.

In 2015, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran announced that the market will be fully liberalised to include households.

A PUSH FOR BETTER EFFICIENCY

Today, besides incumbent SP Group, which is also the power grid operator, there are 26 licensed electricity retailers, of which 18 are currently active, according to EMA.

They range from big players such as power generation companies Senoko Energy Supply and Tuas Power Supply, to large renewable energy providers like Sunseap, as well as small independent retailers.

Among those eyeing a piece of the action is Sembcorp Power, which intends to roll out a number of pricing plans for consumers with different needs.

This includes its ‘highly flexible peak and off-peak” plans, where consumers can plan their electricity usage to take advantage of lower prices during off-peak timings.

Mr Gilles Pascual, Asean power and utilities leader at consultancy firm EY, said such plans will allow households to select those that suit their needs.

“They might even change their behaviour when it comes to electricity consumption in order to achieve further savings,” he said.

SP Group, too, will offer half-hourly wholesale electricity prices to consumers for the first time.

It would allow consumers to track prices whenever they fall, so that they can shift their activities to those hours, resulting in cost savings.

Customers will be able to check the provisional prices about an hour ahead of each half-hour block, said SP, adding that prices will fluctuate according to demand and supply.

Prices will spike if there is say a power disruption at a source, such as natural gas from Indonesia, or if there are big events in Singapore that use a lot of power.

Prices generally tend to be higher during the day, with demand driven by commercial and industrial needs, and this tapers down towards the end of office hours to night time, when prices will become increasingly cheaper.

In October last year, the authorities had called for proposals to develop technical solutions for a smart metering trial that can read electricity, gas and water meters remotely so that consumers can use such data to better manage their consumption patterns.

By next year, households will be able to use these smart electricity meters as well as mobile apps such as the SP Utilities app, which tracks which period a consumer uses the most electricity or the least, to monitor changes in prices.

Analysts say that dynamic pricing would benefit Singapore, by driving consumers towards lower wastage of electricity.

It would also lead to greater energy efficiency, as the load on the power generators’ gas turbines will be spread out in a more equitable manner, said Dr Sanjay C Kuttan, programme director at Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute.

When turbines are operating at partial load due to low demand, it becomes inefficient and burns more fuel, he explained.

“Over time, such plans might lead to more positive behaviour being generated. With more people being aware of their electricity usage, it might cause them to be conscious that they are wasting electricity in some areas.”

For instance, some consumers might decide they do not need to turn on the air conditioner the whole day, and switch off lights in the day, he said, adding that they might also shift some activities, such as doing the laundry, to night time instead.

In the industry, the use of pricing and technology by authorities to encourage consumers to optimise their energy use is called demand side management.

Mr Sharad Somani, Asia Pacific head for power and utilities at KPMG Singapore, said that for electrocity retail liberalisation to be a success, consumers need to understand “that this is not just about price competitiveness”.

“Public education around the overall optimisation of consumption through effective demand side management and usage pattern analytics should come first,” he added.

“Once consumption is optimised, it can lead to cost savings and thereby give consumers higher value for money.”

EMA, citing a Stanford University study, said that every megawatt reduction of peak demand in Singapore translates to a systems-wide saving of about S$1.6 million.

According to EMA, Singapore consumed about 49,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity in 2016 — enough to power all public housing units in the country for about 11 years.

The industrial, commercial and services sectors accounted for almost 80 per cent of the usage, with households using 15.6 per cent.

EMA has started demand side management with the commercial and industrial sector.

Last year, it launched Project OptiWatt, a pilot for companies to test the viability of initiatives to optimise energy usage.

Some examples include automating chillers to reduce energy use, and using thermostats with built-in sensors to improve peak loads.

Preliminary results have shown some reduction in energy use during peak periods.

For instance, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research has shifted about 0.3 — 0.4 MW of its consumption by setting its washers and sterilisers to operate outside the peak period.

WHAT CAN HOUSEHOLDS EXPECT NEXT YEAR?

From next year, consumers can expect a mix of retailers offering anything from conventional electricity to solar energy, as well as bundled deals.

Retailers say they aim to offer customers price plans that are cheaper than SP’s regulated tariff rates.

Sunseap, the largest solar energy provider here, told TODAY it is looking to offer packages that are 15 to 30 per cent lower than current rates.

While other retailers were not prepared to give specific rates, their enterprise customers have seen between 20 to 50 per cent savings since they switched from SP.

Ms Valerie Lee, general manager of Sembcorp Power, said that in overseas markets such as Australia and Japan, liberalisation and the entry of new players had led to greater price competition and transparency for consumers, as well as targetted pricing plans to suit different consumers’ needs.

“Liberalisation can also give rise to innovative partnerships, and even increase the uptake of technology solutions such as IoT (Internet of Things) applications and asset management tools.”

For instance, in Japan, electricity retailers have partnered a wide range of companies, such as supermarkets and telcos, to offer bundled deals and cross promotions.

But Mr Allan Loi, a research associate at the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore, warned that not all plans will be suitable for consumers.

“Yes with such plans, there is the potential to pay lower costs. But unlike SP’s fixed tariff prices, these dynamic pricing plans might be very volatile, and not for the risk-averse or low-income consumers. Consumers will need to monitor these prices themselves.”

It is also unclear whether consumers will be charged for switching suppliers, which Mr Loi noted is the case in places such as Texas, United States.

“There have been complaints because these switching fees can be quite high, at over $100. So this has deterred consumers from switching. In Singapore, the government has to see if any administrative fees charged by the retailers are reasonable, or should be there at all,” he said.

A survey by Sembcorp this year found that one of the main reasons cited by consumers not in favour of a switch in supplier was the trouble they would have to go through.

Many of the 400 respondents added that they might be lured to switch if there were lower rates, flexible contract periods, or attractive bundled packages.

The EMA said that the process for switching suppliers will be seamless.

“Under a fully liberalised market with various retailers to choose from, consumers may wonder if they would receive varying levels of reliability and quality of electricity supply. There is nothing to worry about,” said the EMA in response to queries by TODAY.

“All consumers will receive their electricity supply through the same power grid, managed and operated by SP Group. As such, the reliability and quality of their electricity supply will remain the same, regardless of their choice of retailer. Consumers are advised to contact SP Group’s Electricity Service Centre if they do experience any electricity supply interruption.”

In an interview with TODAY, SP Group said that it will be overseeing the switchover process, which will be much like how consumers switch telcos.

“Consumers will be able to switch seamlessly,” said Mr Chuah Kee Heng, Managing Director of SP Services.

“We will switch consumers not just from SP to retailer A, but also from retailer A to retailer B. The process will take a few days, but there will be no interruption to the electricity supply in the process.”

Although SP will face more competition with the opening up of the market, it is also tapping on other opportunities that come with it. For instance, it intends to provide services to newer retailers which might not have a full suite of support services. These will include call centre and billing services, said Mr Chuah.

For a fee, SP’s 130 call centre agents will provide customer support on behalf of these retailers, and they will be trained on their services and products, he said. The number of call centre agents will also be scaled up if necessary.

SP is also planning to offer billing support for retailers which does not have the capacity to bill customers themselves.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

Experts say the experience of countries such as Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, parts of North America, and Japan that had liberalised their energy markets could hold some lessons for Singapore.

In these countries, there had generally been a high switch rate from the incumbent to new players, noted Mr Pascual of EY.

But an overwhelming choice of retailers, and multiple, complicated plans had also led to much confusion among consumers. Japan, for instance, has over 400 retailers.

Mr Somani of KPMG noted that in the UK, regulator Competition and Markets Authority had found that due to a bewildering number of options and price plans, residents did not always select those most suitable for them and some ended up paying more.

Since then, rules have been in place so that retail plans are sufficiently simple and easy to understand and compare, he said.

In Singapore, EMA and SP are working on an online platform that will show the various price plans in the market, to help consumers compare prices across different electricity retailers.

Mr Loi of NUS stressed that any comparison of these price plans will have to be on an apple-to-apple basis, as he expects that there will be many types of combinations, with some retailers even throwing in rewards.

He added that the authorities and retailers can work together on a clear marketing campaign that guides consumers on what to do when the market opens up.

Experts add that it may take some time for retailers and consumers to have a better understanding of what works and what does not.

“It is a significant change for household consumers who will now have a choice in selecting their power supplier. For the industry players, it is also a significant change, as traditional market players are not typically equipped to deal with household consumers,” said Mr Pascual.

“They need to establish a retail strategy, which is new to them.”

Despite the challenges, analysts are excited about the change and its potential benefits.

“The payoffs can be great, depending on the innovativeness of the retailers to meet the aspirations of the consumers,” said Dr Kuttan of the Energy Research Institute.

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Malaysia: 3 Sabah islands to be gazetted as marine areas

OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 28 Oct 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The state government is in the process of gazetting Mantanani, Mengalum and Sipadan islands as total protected marine areas.

State Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming said the initiative was in line with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recommendation to have at least 10 per cent of protected marine areas by 2020.

“It is difficult to have three marine areas to be gazetted by 2020 as the process will be long.

“However, the state government has already prepared the documents (for the gazettement of those waters),” he said, adding that the gazetting of Mantanani waters would be tabled in the next cabinet meeting.

Pang said the process for Mengalum would be discussed next year and status of Sipadan, renowned as one of the world’s top dive sites, to be discussed in 2019.

Once the three sites are gazetted, marine areas will make up 13 per cent of Sabah, exceeding the IUCN recommendation.

Sabah now has more than one million hectares, or 7.6 per cent, listed as total protected areas.

The Tun Mustapha Park off Kudat waters, Malaysia’s largest marine park, was the most recent gazetted area.

Pang added that his ministry was also encouraging hoteliers and seafood restaurants to sell sustainable seafood to their clients.

He said they could buy from suppliers who adopted good practices, such as fish farming and fishing using the right nettings, among others.

Buying sustainable seafood is not only good for branding but also helps to maintain seafood supply in the long term.

“In Sabah, it has been our priority to market ourselves as an eco-destination and our marine system is one of the best in the world.

“At the (high) rate of arrivals by Chinese, South Korean and other international tourists in Sabah, the situation is putting pressure on our precious resources,” he said, adding that high quality seafood was available at more affordable prices compared to Hong Kong and China.

Meanwhile, Sabah Hotel Association past-president Christopher Chan said they were willing to comply with the ministry’s suggestions, provided the supply met the demand.

“Operators like us will look into the availability of different varieties and sizes of sustainable seafood when buying.

“If suppliers or relevant parties are able to meet our demands, it is not a problem to go with the government’s initiative.”

Sabah Fisheries director Dr Ahemad Sade said since department’s establishment 50 years ago, they had been pushing to have sustainable seafood.

“This is to ensure the fisheries source is sustainable and will be available for future generations.”

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Malaysia: Budget 2018 fails to address core environmental issues, say NGOs

mei mei chu The Star 27 Oct 17;

PETALING JAYA: Environmental groups have welcomed Budget 2018's push for green technology, but were disappointed that it did not effectively address Malaysia's core environmental issues.

"We are encouraged to see an attempt by the Government to push for more green investments with the RM5bil allotment for the Green Technology Financing Scheme," said Greenpeace Malaysia chief operating officer John Loh.

He added that he hoped this would entice more companies to invest in sustainable investments that will generate green jobs and protect the environment.

"However, we would have loved to see the Government allocate more for environmental protection as well, to support Malaysia's pledge to cut carbon emissions intensity by 40% by 2020," he said.
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"While TN50 has been mentioned, there was no reference to the equally important intermediate agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals which Malaysia has signed up to," he said.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) president Henry Goh agreed that the budget lacked provisions for wildlife and environmental enforcement.

"With increasing incidents of encroachment, poaching and wildlife getting killed, the budget did not address shortfalls like manpower or technologies for enforcement," Goh said.

He said more should have been allocated to address the loss of biodiversity and enhance the protection of wildlife, especially those in the critically-endangered list.

Meanwhile, Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Datuk Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said the RM517mil allocation for flood mitigation was a good initiative, but that alone would not effectively reduce flash floods in the country.

She said Budget 2018 failed to go to the root of the problem, which is the loss of water catchment areas due to large-scale deforestation.

"We are going to see a lot of floods due to climate change and deforestation. Conservation and preservation should be prioritised in the budget," she said.


Not enough allocation for environmental protection, say groups
The Star 30 Oct 17;

PETALING JAYA: Environmental groups have welcomed Budget 2018’s push for green technology but cautioned that it does not address Malaysia’s core environmental issues.

“We are encouraged to see an attempt by the Government to push for more green investments with the RM5bil allocation for the Green Technology Financing Scheme.

“This will hopefully entice more companies to invest in sustainable investments that will generate green jobs and protect the environment,” said Greenpeace Malaysia chief operating officer John Loh.

“However, we would have loved to see the Government allocate more for environmental protection as well, to support Malaysia’s pledge to cut carbon emission intensity by 40% by 2020.”

“Despite increasing incidents of encroachment, poaching and wildlife getting killed, the budget did not address shortfalls like manpower or technologies for enforcement.

“More budget should be allocated to address potential biodiversity loss and enhance the protection of wildlife as some are already on the critically endangered list,” Goh said.

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Datuk Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said the RM517mil allocation for flood mitigation plans failed to tackle the root of the problem, which is the loss of water catchment areas due to large-scale deforestation.

“We are going to see a lot of floods due to climate change and deforestation, so conservation and preservation should have been prioritised in the budget,” she said.

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