Best of our wild blogs: 25 Oct 13

Clean & Green Hackathon in November
from Green Drinks Singapore

Getting to know our Singapore sotong
from wild shores of singapore

Butterflies Galore! : Colour Sergeant
from Butterflies of Singapore

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Culling doesn't tackle root of monkey problem

Straits Times Forum 25 Oct 13;

MR HAN Cheng Fong expressed concerns over the aggressiveness of macaques and recommended culling as a solution ("Do more to curb monkey population"; Wednesday).

While the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) understands his concerns, the reality is that culling is not an effective solution and also does not address the root of the problem.

The root of the problem is the readily available food sources in human areas.

In addition, the reality is that macaques are opportunistic animals which naturally live on the edge of the forest rather than deep in the forest. We have now built our houses on their natural habitat and as such, there will undoubtedly be an increase in human-macaque interactions.

It is, however, possible to co-exist with the macaques. Steps must be taken to actively manage the interactions between the macaques and humans, and residents must also take active steps to ensure that there is no readily available food source in their property.

Acres has now embarked on an awareness programme to create the much-needed awareness on how to interpret macaque behaviours and understand their language. This will undoubtedly help to reduce the aggressive interactions between the macaques and humans.

There is currently no need to curb Singapore's monkey population as there is no evidence indicating that there is an overpopulation of macaques here.

Culling is not endorsed internationally and is an unethical practice. This year, Gibraltar stopped culling its macaques and is now focusing on public education and legal enforcement against people who feed the macaques.

The key to resolving the human-macaque conflict is to learn to co-exist with the macaques.

We share residents' concerns about the current conflicts and Acres has recently established a Macaque Rescue Team to assist residents with any human-macaque conflict issues and also embark on public education campaigns. Members of the public can call our hotline on 9783-7782.

See Han Sern
Campaign Executive
Acres

Practical solution needed for monkey problem
Straits Times Forum 25 Oct 13;

I SHARE Mr Han Cheng Fong's concern on the monkey situation in Singapore ("Do more to curb monkey population"; Wednesday).

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority placed a monkey trap in our housing estate when my family member alerted it to a troop of monkeys plaguing our estate, although it is very far from forested areas.

The trap did not work as the monkeys have learnt to avoid such traps.

They move in packs and use overhead cables to enter the estate. They rummage through the closed disposal bins, creating a mess.

Once last month, I came face to face with two monkeys in the kitchen. They had come in through the narrow window grille. They opened the refrigerator and took the fruit drinks and fruits. They dirtied the kitchen and left faecal droppings behind.

Something constructive and practical needs to be done by animal activists and interested monkey researchers to tackle the real monkey problem in Singapore.

These monkeys need to be lured back to their natural habitat.

Ada Chan Siew Foen (Ms)

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BCA building regulation to include reflectivity requirements for all facade materials

John Leong Channel NewsAsia 24 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE: The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be updating its building regulation to include reflectivity requirements for all kinds of facade materials.

Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said in a blog post that currently, such requirements only pertain to glass.

Mr Khaw said there has been some feedback on excessive glare from sunlight reflected from the metal roof of other buildings in Singapore.

He said it is an issue of concern as there are more buildings with glass and metal facades, and covered with metal roofs.

He noted that building designs are getting more complex and elaborate with more developers and architects exploring the use of less conventional materials.

Mr Khaw said there must be some form of check and balance to ensure that the building design does not come at the cost of comfort and safety.

He said the regulatory update is useful to ensure that new designs add to the neighbourhood, allowing residents, users and commuters to enjoy without causing any inconvenience or hardship to anyone.

Citing examples of similar cases overseas, Mr Khaw said certain buildings were in the news recently because their reflective surfaces had caused inconvenience to city dwellers.

A London building was dubbed "fryscraper" as it had reflected so much sunlight that its rays could even fry an egg nearby.

The tallest building in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Centre, was a subject of debate in their Parliament.

He cited how Sydney has responded to the use of reflective materials in building facades.

The Australian city regulates the daylight reflectance of all facade materials.

Sydney's regulation requires that light reflectivity from building materials used on external facades must not exceed 20 per cent.

There is an additional requirement for buildings in the vicinity of arterial or major roads and Sydney Airport, given the safety concerns.

Architect Lim Ching Tung has called for more consultations before the update of BCA's building regulation.

Mr Lim, senior project architect at ARCHURBAN, said: "It should be more widely consulted, so that the profession can be more aware, and then throw in more discretions or ideas on how to take care of these issues.

“I think there are already a lot of cases or a lot of regulations that have been very limiting of the creativity of the designers. Creativity is about getting around things, but of course, the choice of material is still very important."

- CNA/xq/nd


BCA to update rule on use of reflective materials in buildings
Sumita D/O Sreedharan Today Online 25 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE — The use of reflective building materials, such as metal roofs and cladding, which can cause blinding glare and raise safety concerns, will soon come under greater scrutiny.

Calling it “an issue of concern” in his blog entry yesterday, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will update its building regulation on the use of reflective materials, following feedback on unwelcome glare from sunlight that is reflected from the metal roofs of buildings.

“One resident said he has had to wear sunglasses in his own home!” said Mr Khaw.

Current regulation covers only the use of reflective glass.

With an increasing number of buildings with glass and metal facades, Mr Khaw said more developers and architects are exploring the use of less conventional materials, and “some form of check and balance has to be in place to ensure the building design does not come at the cost of comfort and safety”.

“This is a useful regulatory update to ensure new designs will add to the neighbourhood, allowing all residents, users and commuters to enjoy, without causing any inconvenience or hardship to anyone,” said Mr Khaw.

Last month, a London skyscraper was dubbed the “fryscraper” after sun rays reflected from the building reportedly melted parts of several cars, including a luxury Jaguar.

The tallest building in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Centre, also became the subject of much debate in the Hong Kong Parliament because the glare it created inconvenienced residents, said Mr Khaw.

He cited what Sydney had done in response to the use of reflective materials in building facades.

According to the minister, the city’s regulation covers daylight reflectance of all building-facade materials. There is also an extra requirement for buildings in the vicinity of arterial or major roads and Sydney Airport, given the safety concerns.

Responding to media queries, the BCA said it received feedback on unwanted glare from 18 residential and commercial buildings in recent years.

One such case involved the shopping mall myVillage at Serangoon Garden.

It had to apply an opaque finishing on its facade and have two-way tinted glass installed after residents complained that their homes were warmer due to the building’s reflection of sun rays onto their houses.

The BCA said the new regulation would include reflectivity requirements for all kinds of facade materials and be applicable to all projects in which building plans are submitted after the amendment of the rule. Existing buildings that do not meet the new regulation will not be affected.

BCA to take some shine off new buildings
Range of prohibited facade materials to be expanded, to reduce reflection of light
Charissa Yong Straits Times 25 Oct 13;

BEING dazzled by the glare from buildings that reflect too much light could soon be a thing of the past here.

Rules will be updated by the authorities to ensure that building facades are not too blinding, with metal roofs a likely early casualty.

The aim of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is to increase the types of materials banned for use as buildings' external surface because they are too reflective. Now, the only shimmering culprit disallowed is glass.

But the range of materials will soon be broadened to include "all kinds of facade materials", wrote National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan on his blog yesterday.

Metal roofs, in particular, have been flickering too much for their own good.

"We are beginning to get some feedback on unwelcome glare from sunlight reflected from metal roofs of other buildings," said Mr Khaw, adding that one resident has even had to wear sunglasses in his own home.

To date, BCA has received feedback on 18 residential and commercial buildings on the glare from sunlight reflected from glass facades, metal roofs and metal claddings, which are coverings on a building.

Notably, myVillage in Serangoon Gardens darkened its floor-to-ceiling windows in 2010, after nearby residents complained that the glass reflected too much sunlight and heated up their homes in the evenings.

The neighbourhood mall subsequently replaced the reflective glass with two-way tinted glass a few months later.

The regulatory update is so that designs can be enjoyed by all without causing anyone inconvenience or hardship, said Mr Khaw.

It comes as building designs here are becoming more complex and elaborate.

"With an increasing number of developers and architects exploring the use of less conventional materials, some form of check and balance is necessary so that design does not come at the cost of comfort and safety," he said.

For example, he noted, London is home to a skyscraper which reflects so much sunlight that the rays have fried an egg nearby.

Nicknamed the Walkie-Talkie for its shape, it was in the spotlight a month ago, when a businessman complained that the reflected rays melted the side of his car parked near the tower.

Singapore Institute of Architects council member Lim Choon Keang said that building facades here generally reflect less light, compared to those in countries which do not prohibit reflective glass.

But he also suggested that the regulation be relaxed in less dense areas where the distances between buildings are farther.

"Then you can have slightly more varied designs and greater selection of materials," he said.

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Uniquely Singapore beach should be saved

John Lim Today Online 25 Oct 13;

I agree with the views expressed in “Would East Coast Park still be for all to have after redevelopment?” (Oct 21).

I wish to add that many foreign visitors, several of whom are Americans, have praised Singapore for the greenery on the stretch of East Coast Park, which is quite unlike California’s boisterous beaches, for example.

Due to this unique sense of being close to nature, many of them look forward to visiting the park each time they return to Singapore.

If the greenery were to be replaced by entertainment establishments, in the pursuit of commerce, I envisage the park becoming another Phuket or Pattaya, laden with litter and inebriated patrons.

Furthermore, the noise and potential overcrowding would create negative externalities for Marine Parade residents. In a nutshell, this uniquely Singapore beach should be saved.

Parks are more than just event venues​
Tay Yong Hong Today Online 25 Oct 13;

I agree with the writer of “Would East Coast Park still be for all to have after redevelopment?” (Oct 21).

I cycle on weekend mornings from eastern Singapore to the Central Business District. Watching a sunrise at Gardens by the Bay or Marina Bayfront is a joyful experience. I use the park connectors, as they are safer than the road, which means I pass through East Coast Park.

However, the increasing use of the park for paid events on weekend mornings, especially around the Lagoon food centre, is inconveniencing users. For example, while a recent triathlon there was no doubt a success for its organiser, many park users were upset that public paths — the beach path, footpath and cycling path — were closed to them.

There were one or two crossing points, but no proper indications for users, and members of the public had to wait for 20 to 30 minutes to pass. Some of them ran through at the expense of a possible accident or injury.

Even if the revenue from these events is being used for redevelopment of the park, the authorities could also find other suitable venues, such as the site slated for the Changi Motorsports Hub, for such activities.

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Singapore’s curious bicycle island

Steve Thomas BBC Travel 23 Oct 13;

Just a five-minute ferry ride from Singapore’s busy streets is Pulau Ubin, a near pristine island oasis with some of the best city-fringe cycling and mountain biking in Southeast Asia, perfect for those seeking a little respite from the city.

A slice of history

For many years Pulau Ubin – which mean “granite island” in Malay – was used as a quarry for the granite used in many of the nation’s major structures, including the causeway that links Singapore to Malaysia.

But quarrying started to decline in the 1970s and only small-scale operations exist on the island today. This withdrawal has left behind a slice of Singapore from 50 years ago: an overgrown and rugged landscape, a small number of wooden, old-style Malay and Chinese kampongs (villages), around 100 residents and little else.

Despite being earmarked for high-rise housing development and a proposed MRT tunnel link to the mainland, Pulau Ubin has managed to remain green and natural. There are no traffic jams or shopping complexes, not a single KFC or Starbucks, and very little urban stress, making it a favourite weekend retreat for both locals and visitors.

There are very few motorised vehicles on Ubin, and even fewer roads. Bicycles are the way to get around, and in 2007 a superb mountain bike trail network was put in place; the 45 hectare Ketam Mountain Bike Park, an all-weather, manmade route that has solidified the island’s unofficial title of “Bicycle Island”. The park even has International Mountain Bicycling Association endorsement, which pays testimony to its quality riding.

From gridlock to greenery

Stepping off the old “bumboat” ferry onto Ubin’s narrow wooden jetty is a relief, with the hustle and the stress of the city suddenly a world away.

Just a few metres from the shore is a tiny kampong with a few restaurants, all set in traditional, single-storey wooden shops. There are also bikes – hundreds of them – that are purely for visitors. Rent a bike (or bring your own) and follow the only pathway out of the village. This is the start of 10km of mountain bike trails.

Weaving through calming woodland and across open grassland on gently winding singletrack trails is a tonic to the heat and hurry of the city. For experienced mountain bikers there are demanding single sections, with short but tough climbs, hillside switchbacks and rocky sections.

For less-skilled riders, Ubin also has a network of rolling and flat gravel roads, and even the odd sealed stretch. By using the gravel roads you can reach the more remote areas of the islands, including the 100-hectare Chek Jawa wetland area, which has a walkway and viewing platform, affording great bird and marine life spotting opportunities.

Ketam’s master trail builders have also created a skills area with manmade obstacles to negotiate and a pump track (a BMX-style section for jumping) by the trails’ starting point, which can be great fun for those wishing to spice up their ride.

You can circumnavigate the entire island in half a day, and would be unlikely to hear the roar of a single engine. With its one-way directional ride system you can plod – or blast – away in peace.

Practicalities

Pulau Ubin is a short ferry ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. Bikes are not allowed on the MRT or on local buses, so if you are taking your own wheels then it is best to ride to the terminal or to take a taxi.

Bike rental costs between eight and 14 Singapore dollars, depending on the rental duration and bike quality. The rental mountain bikes found on the island are well used and of reasonable standard.

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Indonesia: Plantations Winnow Tigers Down to the Hundreds

Thalif Deen Inter Press Service Reuters AlertNet 22 Oct 13;

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 22 (IPS) - The tiger population in the rainforests of Sumatra is vanishing at a staggering rate, reducing the number of the endangered species to as few as 400, warns Greenpeace International.

The primary reason is the expansion of oil palm and pulpwood plantations, which are responsible for nearly two-thirds of the destruction of tiger habitat from 2009 to 2011, the most recent period for which official Indonesian government data are available.

In a new study released Tuesday, Greenpeace says such destruction fragments the extensive tracts of rainforest over which tigers need to range in order to hunt.

"It also increases their contact with humans," the study says. "This leads to more poaching for tiger skins and traditional medicines and more tiger attacks, resulting in both tiger and human deaths."

The decline of Sumatran tigers is a measure of the loss of rainforest, biodiversity and also climate stability, according to the study titled 'Licence to Kill'.

This summer, huge fires, both accidental and deliberate, raged across the Sumatran province of Riau, destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares of rainforests – including the deep peatland forests that are a last stand of tiger habitat in the province.

The fires released record amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pollutants in a haze that stretched as far as Thailand.

There are no estimates as to how many tigers have been killed so far, although the figure could be in the thousands over the last decade.

Asked whether the United Nations is engaged in the protection of tigers, Bustar Maitar, the Indonesian head of Greenpeace's Forest Campaign and Global Forest Network, told IPS, "I don't see much U.N. activity on forests.

"The only thing I know is the U.N. Development Programme (UNPD) manages a one-billion-dollar fund from the Norwegian government for the U.N. collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)."

He said REDD was working closely with its Indonesian counterpart to accelerate REDD projects in Indonesia.

Maitar also said the U.N.'s focus is more on general sustainable development and democracy in Indonesia than on protecting the tiger, described as a critically endangered species.

"Or they might not really be clear as to how to fit in with this issue in Indonesia," he said, adding that the U.N. could provide more technical assistance and capacity building for government and civil society.

The U.N. REDD programme was launched in 2008 and encompasses the technical expertise of UNDP, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP).

It supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and "promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation", according to the United Nations.

Currently, about 85 percent of Indonesia's GHG emissions typically come from land-use changes (principally related to deforestation for plantations or agriculture), and around half of this is peat-related.

Even Sumatran tiger habitat in protected areas such as the world-famous Tesso Nilo National Park has been virtually destroyed by encroachment for illegal palm oil production, and government officials acknowledge that protection for such areas exists only on paper, says Greenpeace International.

The study also points out that forested tiger habitat in licenced plantation concessions has no protection at all. One million hectares – 10 percent of all remaining forested tiger habitat – remained at risk of clearance in pulp and oil palm concessions in 2011.

Over the 2009-2011 period, pulpwood suppliers were responsible for a sixth of all forested tiger habitat loss. And during the same period, the palm oil sector cleared a quarter of the remaining tiger habitat in its concessions.

"These failures expose how unregulated and irresponsible expansion, notably of oil palm and pulp wood plantations, undermines the Indonesian government's commitments to stop deforestation and to save the tiger and other endangered wildlife," the study says.

Greenpeace also says its investigations have revealed that household names, including Colgate Palmolive, Mondelez International (formerly Kraft), Nestle Oil, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser and a host of other companies are linked to Singapore-based Wilmar International Ltd and its international trade in dirty palm oil.

Wilmar is the world's largest palm oil processor, accounting for over one-third of the global palm oil processing market and with a distribution network covering over 50 countries.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon points out that forests are vital for human well-being.

In a message for the International Day of Forests last March, Ban said forests cover nearly a third of the globe and provide an invaluable variety of social, economic and environmental benefits.

Three-fourths of freshwater comes from forested catchment areas. Forests stabilise slopes and prevent landslides, while also protecting coastal communities against tsunamis and storms.

More than three billion people use wood for fuel, some two billion people depend on forests for sustenance and income, and 750 million live within them, he added.

Ban also said forests are often at the frontlines of competing demands. Urbanisation and the consumption needs of growing populations are linked to deforestation for large-scale agriculture and the extraction of valuable timber, oil and minerals.

Often the roads that provide infrastructure for these enterprises ease access for other forest users, who can further exacerbate the rate of forest and biodiversity loss.

"We need now to intensify efforts to protect forests, including by incorporating them into the post-2015 development agenda and the sustainable development goals," Ban noted.

"I urge governments, businesses and all sectors of society to commit to reducing deforestation, preventing forest degradation, reducing poverty and promoting sustainable livelihoods for all forest-dependent peoples," he said.

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Best of our wild blogs: 24 Oct 13

Wed, 30 Oct 2013, 10.00am @ SR1: Daniel Ng on “Impacts of climate change on Singapore amphibians” from The Biodiversity crew @ NUS

Sharks in Singapore Waters!
from Pulau Hantu

Butterflies Galore! : Purple Duke
from Butterflies of Singapore

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NTU, maritime body to set up facility to test alternative fuels

David Ee Straits Times 24 Oct 13;

SHIP operators looking for alternative fuel sources amid rising bunker fuel costs may find the answers through a maritime energy test-bed facility to be established in Singapore by 2015.

To be set up by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI), the facility, the first of its kind in South-east Asia, will enable the shipping industry to research and test alternative fuels such as biodiesel and liquefied natural gas.

Companies will also be able to explore new technologies in the areas of emissions control and fuel additives, for example.

The establishment of the $8.1million facility, to be located on NTU's premises, was announced yesterday by SMI chairman Teo Siong Seng at the institute's annual forum.

Speaking after the event, NTU Energy Research Institute co-director Chan Siew Hwa said the research carried out at the facility would benefit maritime players. "Ship operators are under intense pressure because of rising fuel costs," said Professor Chan.

Cargo ships run on bunker fuel, which can account for more than 70 per cent of an operator's voyage expenses. As of last month, bunker fuel cost US$597 (S$740) per tonne, which was four times that at the end of 2008.

The facility will welcome scientists and engineers from around the world to conduct research there, and also aims to train maritime doctorate students.

At least 12 ship operators and equipment suppliers are already lined up to use it, said Prof Chan.

Mr Teo said that the facility could be a boost for the maritime sector here, which contributes about 7 per cent of Singapore's annual gross domestic product.

SMI executive director Lam Yen Chin agreed, saying the facility would "attract more business to the whole maritime value chain, ranging from local suppliers to shipyards and ports".

NTU sets up South-east Asia’s first green maritime energy test facility
The facility is expected to be ready by 2015
Today Online 24 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE – The first South-east Asia advanced maritime energy test facility for research and development work in green ship and port technologies will be set up by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in a joint fund with the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI).

SMI Chairman Teo Siong Seng announced this today (Oct 23). The facility is expected to be ready by 2015.

According to a statement, the SMI will contribute S$4.7 million over the next 10 years, while NTU will provide S$3.4 million, with support from the industry.

Mr Teo said: “The establishment of the Maritime Energy Test Bed will help in the translation of innovative technologies from lab-scale to large-scale application where new technologies will be tested prior to sea trials.”

The new facility is built according to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements, said Professor Chan Siew Hwa, Co-Director of ERI@N. It will also have a 1.5 megawatt diesel engine which can be modified to run on different fuels, as well as advanced equipment for research in energy storage, noise pollution and waste heat recovery.

“To develop new technologies for green ships and green ports, all aspects of energy usage have to be studied, from the type of fuel and its associated emissions issues, to the efficiency of engines and waste heat recovery systems,” said Prof Chan.

Maritime manpower training and development is also an important objective of the new facility as it will also be a platform to train PhD students and engineers, said MI@NTU executive director Lam Yen Chin.

“With the creation of new knowledge and green technologies, as well as skilled manpower, Singapore will be able to attract more business to the whole maritime value chain, ranging from local suppliers to shipyards and ports,” said Mr Lam.

“In addition to Singapore getting a share of the multi-billion dollar green shipping industry through R&D, this initiative will also help to promote Singapore’s international standing when it comes to environmental sustainability in the maritime industry.”

NTU to set up Southeast Asia's first green maritime energy test facility
Channel NewsAsia 23 Oct 13;

The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is setting up an advanced maritime energy test facility for research and development work in green ship and port technologies.

SINGAPORE: The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is setting up an advanced maritime energy test facility for research and development work in green ship and port technologies.

Called the Maritime Energy Test Bed, it will be open to scientists and engineers from both academia and industry, and is expected to be ready by 2015.

NTU and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) are jointly funding the centre, which they say will be the first in Southeast Asia.

SMI Chairman Teo Siong Seng said: "The establishment of the Maritime Energy Test Bed will help in the translation of innovative technologies from lab-scale to large-scale application where new technologies will be tested prior to sea trials."

SMI will contribute S$4.7 million over the next 10 years to the centre while NTU will provide S$3.4 million with support from the industry.

- CNA/de

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Malaysia: Boycott civet coffee, Peta urges public

Atiqa Hazellah New Straits Times 24 Oct 13;

ABUSE: This is to prevent cruelty to catlike animals

KUALA LUMPUR: ANIMAL protection group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has called on Malaysians to boycott kopi luwak, or civet coffee, saying that animal abuse was part of the production of the coffee beans.

Peta Asia vice president (international operations) Jason Baker said most of the civets producing the famous coffee were confined to cages and subjected to cruel, unnatural treatment.

"Purchasing a product that's the direct result of animal abuse supports the abuse, which is why Peta is asking consumers to boycott civet coffee."

He said that the abuse was worse than drinking a beverage derived from beans pulled from animal excrement.

"Although unappetising, drinking coffee made from beans that were plucked from faeces isn't the most revolting aspect of civet coffee."

Kopi luwak is made out of coffee beans that are eaten and then excreted by Asian palm civets -- a small grey and black cat-like mammal that inhabits Asian forests.

After passing through the animal's digestive tract, it's said that the beans become less acidic and acquire a "smooth and unique" taste.

A Peta Asia investigator who visited civet coffee farms in Indonesia and the Philippines documented that the catlike creatures were confined to tiny and filthy cages which made them suffer from malnutrition and skin infections.

"Undercover video footage showed how the civets incessantly pace, spin and bob their heads -- indications that they're going insane from confinement and depression."

Peta alleged that the companies had put a wild-sourced label on its packaging, when actually its coffee came from caged civets.

"Even though it is impossible to produce large amounts of coffee from beans excreted by wild civets, some of the farms that kept civets advertise their beans as 'wild-sourced'."

The group also found that civets were generally caged for a maximum of three years before being released back into the wild, where some failed to readapt and died.

The video footage from Peta's investigation can be found at PETAAsiaPacific.com.

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Malaysia Budget 2014: Environment, wildlife, heritage conservation efforts need boost in funds

Dina Murad The Star 24 Oct 13;

PETALING JAYA: When it comes to allocations in the national budget, everyone fights for a slice of the pie. Amidst the calls for accelerating economic growth and social welfare, conservation groups are hoping that a little is put aside to safeguard our environment, wildlife and heritage buildings.

"What we would like to see in the 2014 budget is the creation of an institutional framework to mainstream sustainable development in Malaysia, through committees such as a National Cabinet Committee for Sustainable Development" said Nithi Nesadurai, president of the Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia.

"Under this system, before any projects get approved, those seeking approval will have to consider if the projects are good for Malaysia's environmental sustainability," he explained.

Nesadurai also recommended the establishment of a National Council on Sustainable Development which allows for vertical integration.

"This will bring all players on the federal, state and local government sectors on one table to bring emphasis to environmental protection," he said.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) president Professor Maketab Mohammad advocates substantial tax breaks for truly green industries and tax exemptions for corporate social responsibility (CSR) conservation programmes from major companies.

In addition to that, financial support for environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and similar organisations should also be taken into account, he said.

Currently, he said MNS' rent for its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and Penang is subsidised but it does not receive any financial funding from government agencies.

What about wildlife?

Malaysia's abundance of flora and fauna makes it an irresistible target for wildlife poachers and traffickers. Apart from the high demand for endangered animals in traditional medicine and in the exotic meat market, Malaysia also serves as a significant transit area for ivory smuggling.

As such, a large number of enforcement officers is required to be able to handle the stream of wildlife criminals who make base in our lands.

Dr Chris R. Shepherd, wildlife protection NGO Traffic deputy regional director, argued that although our nation has very good wildlife conservation laws, enforcement is still lacking.

"The number of staff patrolling Malaysia's protected areas is very low, considering the size of the area, and the constant threat from local and foreign poachers," said Shepherd and added that a bigger presence of authorities works as a deterrent to poachers.

"This is an area that the Malaysian government should look into when tabulating the budget."

He said there was also the issue of specialised training required in species identification, wildlife trade policies and handling wildlife crime cases, all of which require further funding.

Preserving culture and history through heritage buildings

At present, conservation measures of heritage buildings are mainly reactive in nature. To encourage the preservation of our architectural history, perhaps it is time to go the extra mile and implement preventive conservation in addition to present reactive measures.

"The 2014 budget can look into allocating funds to establish a specialised team in every state which are trained to look for and restore heritage buildings. This will allow for better maintenance and progressive restoration," said Khoo Salma Nasution, Penang Heritage Trust president.

Khoo also recommended the establishment of a task force within specific government bodies, which is trained to handle conservation.

"Some of these buildings require immediate attention. If we don't take quick action, their condition will only worsen," said Khoo, who added that good maintenance and preventive conservation would save costs on extensive restoration later on.

"This specialised body can help to oversee repairs and make sure they are done in a way which is compatible with conservation approaches," said Khoo.

While it may be difficult to allocate resources to restore private sector buildings, Khoo believes that government assets deemed heritage, at the very least, should be taken care of.

"Now that the Government is asking the private sector to conserve its buildings, it must make sure none of its own heritage buildings are badly renovated or left in derelict conditions."

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Malaysia: Ringlet dam disaster - The perfect storm

The Star 24 Oct 13;

IT was like a perfect storm. For years, persistent and unchecked land clearing has caused land erosion and heavy sedimentation in the Sultan Abu Bakar dam at Ringlet in Cameron Highlands.

On Tuesday, it started pouring cats and dogs. And at midnight, while most of the farmer residents of the area were fast asleep, the siren at the dam went off, signalling the release of excess water.

For 40 years now, the residents have heard the sirens only to see the Sungai Bertam water level rise a little. So, those who could hear the siren over the din of the pouring rain slept on.

And the waters came in a torrent, sweeping away cars and houses and destroying vegetables worth a fortune gone.

It was tragic story.

“But these are all man-made mistakes,” said Regional Environ­mental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach) president R. Ramakrishnan.

The mistakes led to the death of three people, and left hundreds more homeless or with wrecked houses and lives that they will have to nurse back to normalcy.

Ringlet dam disaster: Man-made mistakes contributed to deluge, says Reach
The Star 24 Oct 13;

PETALING JAYA: Heavy rain and persistent land clearing over the past few years probably contributed to the need to release more water from the Sultan Abu Bakar dam, says Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach) president R. Ramakrishnan.

He added that land clearing upstream of the dam would have created erosion and contributed to heavy sedimentation.

“These are all man-made mistakes. The siltation caused the water level in the dam to rise while the sand also damaged its turbines,” he said in an interview.

Ramakrishnan, who has constantly spoken out against ongoing land clearing in Cameron Highlands, warned that the same thing could happen near the new Ulu Jelai hydroelectric dam if massive land clearing went unchecked.

“Should the Ulu Jelai dam be required to release excess water, Lipis can be flooded,” he added.

Ramakrishnan said many farms were swept away in the torrent of water in yesterday’s incident.

However, he claimed that the farms were illegal because they had been set up on the river reserve despite the existence of TNB signboards warning farmers against doing so.

“No structure is supposed to be built in that particular area, while no human activity should take place on river reserves,” he added.

Ringlet dam disaster: Area around dam undergoing massive land clearing
The Star 24 Oct 13;

PETALING JAYA: Commissioned in 1963, the 39.6m-high Sultan Abu Bakar Dam was built across Bertam river to generate electricity by then Lembaga Letrik Negara by impounding water from a 183.4sq km catchment in the highlands.

The dam forms part of the Cameron Highlands-Batang Padang Hydro-electric Scheme, which has an installed capacity of 262MW.

Under normal operating circumstances, water from the dam, located 1,071m above the sea level, is channelled via a tunnel to an underground power station further downstream.

Overtopping of a dam beyond its spillways can cause its eventual failure. Overtopping surface runoff will remove earth on both sides of the riverbank that hold the dam in place.

To counter this, dam operators normally undertake controlled discharges via the spillways, something that TNB claimed that it did early yesterday morning, to prevent flooding the entire Bertam valley.

The area around the dam is widely known to be undergoing massive land clearing activity, legal or otherwise, for agriculture and tourism.

Even to the most casual of observers, siltation over the years from land clearing in Cameron Highlands is forcing TNB to put in place a near-continuous desilting programme to maintain the reservoir, which was once a popular tourist attraction.

Number of tragedies at veggie and flower farms in Cameron Highlands
The Star 24 Oct 13;

PETALING JAYA: Vegetable and flower farms in Cameron High-lands have been the scene of a number of tragedies over the years.

Prior to yesterday’s mud flood in Bertam Valley which killed three people after water was released from a dam, there have been at least three other incidents of farm workers killed due to a land or mudslide.

On Oct 10, 1996, three farm workers were buried alive when a landslide hit a farm located at KM48 Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Terla in the highlands.

Four years later on Jan 6, 2000, two pre-dawn landslides hit farms in Kampung Raja near Tanah Rata after the nearby Sungai Ikan burst its banks, killing five people.

The most recent incident prior to yesterday’s tragedy took place on Jan 17, 2008, when two foreign workers were buried alive after a slope gave way in a flower farm in Tringkap.

Bertam Valley which was hit by the floods yesterday is a village located in the town of Ringlet which is Cameron Highlands main vegetable and flower farming hub.

The village is located near the Bertam river bank, a flat valley which is where many of the farms are located.

Other farming villages located in Ringlet include Boh and Habu, both of which are popular for their vegetables, flowers and tea.

Cameron Highlands hit by land clearing for farms
Silt build-up in rivers and lakes due to development, clearing of hillside land
Yong Yen Nie Malaysia Correspondent In Cameron Highlands Straits Times 28 Oct 13;

ON THE tree-lined patio of a colonial-style hotel, tourists sip their drinks as they enjoy the cool air that many come to Cameron Highlands for.

Their view of the lake in front of them, fortuitously, is blocked by the foliage. If it was not, all they would see is a muddy brown body of water, no thanks to silt building up over the years.

Sultan Abu Bakar lake has been like this for more than two decades, said Mr Mohamad Ariffin, 45, a vegetable distributor who has lived here all his life.

"People stopped hanging out by the lake after the water got more and more murky," he told The Straits Times at the weekend.

It is not just the colour of the water in the lake and rivers that troubles residents and environmentalists about Cameron Highlands, one of Malaysia's top exporters of vegetables and flowers and one of Singapore's sources of fresh vegetables, from capsicum and cabbage to iceberg lettuce.

Years of development and illegal clearing of hillside land for farming have turned the area into an environmental hot spot.

Farms and hotels are perched - some precariously - on the slopes. In some places, gigantic plastic sheets plaster the hillside to prevent the soil from loosening and triggering a landslide.

Environmentalists say that as more forest vegetation is cleared to make way for farms, it is causing more and more silt to build up in the rivers, including Sungai Bertam and the Sultan Abu Bakar hydroelectric dam. During heavy rain, the rivers and dam are likely to overflow, sometimes with catastrophic consequences.

Last week, water released from the nearly full dam triggered a flash flood that swept Ringlet, a district in Bertam Valley, leaving three people dead and hundreds of homes and vehicles destroyed.

Residents said the waves of water that gushed through the village, carrying mud and debris, were as high as 4m. Many watched in horror from the upper floors of their homes as the mudflow destroyed their furniture, television sets and refrigerators downstairs.

Last Friday, Prime Minister Najib Razak announced when unveiling the 2014 Budget that RM40 million (S$15.7 million) would be allocated to widen and deepen a 3km stretch of the river, and that people living along that part of the river would be relocated.

This will take two to three years, Natural Resources and Environment Minister G. Palanivel said last Saturday.

But environmentalists and geologists say that deepening the river is merely treating the symptoms that could cause a flash flood like the one last week. Excessive rubbish and a lack of silt traps in farms will eventually narrow the river banks again, they argue.

"The government needs to ensure that farms have proper silt traps and farmers stop clearing land illegally," geologist Tajul Anuar Jamaluddin at the National University of Malaysia told The Straits Times. "If not, such a tragedy is bound to happen again."

In the 1990s, the Pahang state government stopped issuing temporary operating licences for land-clearing in response to environmental concerns.

But many farms have taken advantage of lax enforcement to encroach onto state land illegally as demand for vegetables rises.

Activists claim some 1,200ha of land is being cleared illegally for vegetable farming now. Many foreign workers have also been brought in illegally to work and squatter houses are built there.

A farmer who wanted to be known only as Mr Liew claimed that such illegal expansion goes unchecked because some farmers have bribed officers.

"The farmers don't mind paying because they know they will make back from the profits of selling more vegetables," he said.

Last year, Malaysia's Anti-Corruption Commission said it was investigating allegations that some people, including staff of the Cameron Highlands district and land office, had leaked details about raids on illegal land-clearing.

The status of the probe is unknown.

Meanwhile, a community- based group, the Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands, is doing what it can to get farmers and schoolchildren to recycle plastic sheets and containers used in farming and not to throw them into the river.

"It is only in the past few years that more farmers are paying attention to farming sustainably," said Ms Carroll Lawrence, 44, a founding member and volunteer of the group.

"We still have a long way to go."

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Asia-Pacific nations at UN call for urgent global approach to mitigate climate change

UN Press Release 28 Sep 2013

28 September 2013 – Asia-Pacific countries, some of them threatened with extinction from rising sea levels, took to the podium of the United Nations General Assembly today to call for an urgent global approach to mitigate climate change, voicing concern at the lack of progress so far.

“Climate change is no longer an environmental or political issue,” said Deputy Prime Minister Vete Palakua Sakaio of Tuvalu, a low-lying country of atolls in the direct line of onslaught from rising oceans.

“It is a borderless human security issue. Everybody must act to urgently reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and provide adaptation,” he added, echoing concerns already expressed by other leaders of small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs) at this year’s 68th Assembly General Debate.

On a new post-2015 development agenda to succeed the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cycle, the theme of this year’s 68th Assembly, he stressed the importance of partnerships. “The UN continues to be a beacon of hope and through strategic advocacy, and awareness-campaigns, brings the real issues and current events into the consciousness of the public and membership to propel action and redress,” he said.

“The scale of challenges can only be addressed by reforming ourselves, the UN and each member country.”

Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga of the Solomon Islands called for a new spirit of partnership to reform the global economic architecture. “Climate change remains a global issue that needs a global solution,” he said.

“We join all SIDS and LDCs in conveying our concern on the slow progress of climate change negotiations. The alarming pace of climate change is posing unprecedented threats to humanity’s survival.”

Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion of Papua New Guinea called for SIDS to remain a special case for sustainable development as the UN draws up a post-2015 blueprint for long-term sustainable development for the decades following the end of the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cycle.

“The adverse impacts of climate change continue to be of serious concern to the global community but especially for small island developing States,” he said. “While contributing the least to this threat, small island countries are not only suffering the most from the serious impacts of climate change but also run the risk of being submerged by rising sea levels...

“We therefore reiterate the challenge to the international community to accept its responsibility and leadership role.”

The Pacific countries received support from another small island but highly developed State – Singapore, which called for the views and concerns of small nations to be incorporated in the post-2015 development agenda as a priority.

“Many, especially small island developing States are among the more vulnerable members of the UN family,” Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam said. “Singapore identifies closely with our fellow SIDS countries' urgent concerns.”

He also cited two other priority areas: allowing countries flexibility in which goals they choose to prioritize and how they will achieve them; and emphasizing urban management and the intertwined issues of water and sanitation.

“The UN has a critical role in the evolution of the post-2015 development agenda,” he declared. “Only the UN, with its universal membership and access to global data, has the standing to establish a new global development agenda that is inclusive, effective and adaptable.”

Lao People’s Democratic Republic also highlighted the UN’s important role in establishing the new development blueprint. “It is more crucial than ever for the international community to redouble its efforts in enhancing development cooperation based on sincere and mutual assistance for the benefits of all and for a secured world,” Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith told the Assembly.

“As the world today becomes increasingly inter-dependent, no single country can develop and survive on its own without engagement and cooperation of the international community. In this context, the global institutions, like the United Nations, have an important duty to fulfil in advocating international development cooperation."

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