Youths for Ubin: a focus group discussion by Youth for Ecology 21 Dec (Sun)
from wild shores of singapore
Melastoma malabathricum and buzz pollination
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Striped Keelback (Xenochrophis vittatus) @ Sungei Buloh
from Monday Morgue
SundayLife! spends one day with Pulau Ubin residents to photograph them and experience life on the island
DESMOND LIM Straits Times 7 Dec 14;
He sits in the driver's seat with one leg propped up. A worn, yellowing polo T-shirt hangs loose on his tanned, scrawny frame.
"What do you want?" asks the driver in the beaten-up mini bus, raising his eyebrows over beady eyes.
I am at Pulau Ubin for the day, trying to find someone to let me spend a day with and photograph his life.
"I can help you," says the man, rolling a cigarette from loose tobacco. "I'll take you to meet some of the friendlier residents."
And so begins my journey with Mr Lim Cheng Tek, 56.
A former islander, he was born and grew up in a kampung on Ubin, but moved to a flat in Changi Village in 2000 so that his three children, now aged 18, 16 and eight, could attend school on mainland Singapore.
These days, he and his homemaker wife still live in Changi Village, but he takes the 15-minute ferry ride to and from Ubin daily, where he works as a taxi driver.
As we grind along the sandy roads, he tells me he prefers the austere life on Ubin. "Living in a flat is like living in a prison," he says. "Everyone goes home and shuts the front door. How is this different from a prison cell?"
Last Sunday, the Government announced plans to conserve and protect the rustic charm of the north-eastern island. These initiatives, which will take place over the next few years, include restoring its eroding shorelines, reforestation and preserving its wildlife.
But Ubin's rustic beauty, it seems, is not enough to keep residents rooted. Since 1987, the island's population has dwindled from about 1,000 to 30.
We pull up in front of a wooden house, painted mint green. Looking like it is held together by nothing but a handful of nails, the simple dwelling is home to Mr Tan Leong Kiat.
It was his love for cultivating medicinal herbs that brought the 84-year-old to Pulau Ubin 24 years ago.
"There was no place for me to grow my herbs near my flat in Bishan. So my friends suggested I move to Pulau Ubin," says Mr Tan, who was a pig farmer before he retired.
And so he moved. He sank $10,000 in savings into his mint-green house and never looked back.
Mr Tan's eight children and 25 grandchildren visit him on some weekends. His wife lives on the mainland and runs a dessert stall in Bedok.
For the most part, he lives alone, and spends his time growing and foraging for medicinal herbs, then selling them for a small allowance of about $500 each month.
Ubin natives mostly earn their keep running small businesses like bicycle rental, taxi services and restaurants that cater to the 2,000 to 3,000 visitors every weekend.
Mr Chu Yok Choon, a long-time resident, says: "We don't make a lot of money. But it is enough to get by."
"There's nothing to spend your money on on the island anyway," adds the 69-year-old, who declines to reveal how much he earns.
Together with his wife, he runs a bicycle rental business near the jetty where the cluster of shops and eateries are. Depending on the type of bicycle, rental costs $5 to $20 at his shop.
The locals fondly refer to the place as "Orchard Road" because of the commercial activities there.
Mr Chu met his wife, Yang Hui Qing, 60, on the island. They grew up, got married, and hosted their wedding banquet on the island more than 30 years ago.
Although Mr Chu's son and daughter have started their own families on the mainland, the family makes it a point to have their Chinese New Year's eve reunion dinner on the island every year.
Mention the Government's plans to conserve the eco-system of the island, and Mr Chu says: "We are more concerned about the practical aspects of our daily living."
But he acknowledges that it is also important to "preserve Ubin as much as possible". "Otherwise visitors will stop coming and that will affect our livelihood."
As the sun sets, the island gets quieter and visitors hurriedly make their way to the jetty to catch the last ferry out.
Save for the rumbling of diesel-powered generators and occasional chattering from residents nursing bottles of beer at the nearby seafood restaurant, the island folds itself into a soothing stillness.
I stand by the door of Mr Chu's bicycle shop and silently observe him having dinner with his wife and brother-in-law. Theirs is simple fare: leftovers from lunch, fried fish and bitter gourd.
Mr Chu is reluctant to move to the mainland because of the high cost of living, he says. But I suspect that the real reason is his emotional attachment to the island once known for its granite quarries.
The Ubin way of life, after all, is the only kind he has ever known.
Mr Chu Yok Choon combs his hair after a shower while his wife, Yang Hui Qing (both above), prepares dinner. The couple spend most of their time tending to their bicycle rental business in a shop next to their house. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
Mr Chu, an avid fisherman, washes his fishing net (above) after closing his shop, and checks his net for catches. He cherishes the freedom island life gives him. “I can fish anytime I want to,” he says. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
Mr Chu, an avid fisherman, washes his fishing net after closing his shop, and checks his net for catches (above). He cherishes the freedom island life gives him. “I can fish anytime I want to,” he says. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
Mr Chu, his wife and brother-in-law having dinner at the end of the day. Meals on the island are usually kept simple. Residents also make regular trips back to the mainland to shop for groceries at the Changi Village market. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
Mr Chu watching television (above) before turning in for the night. According to him, residents on the island usually sleep and wake early because there is not much to do after nightfall. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
Mr Chu and his wife at their bicycle rental shop (above). Mr Chu also offers rental of his small fleet of mini buses and lorries to supplement the household income. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
Mr Tan Leong Kiat (left), 84, is the oldest resident on Pulau Ubin, and Mr Mohammad Fadil (right), 30, is the youngest. Mr Tan moved to the island because he wanted to plant herbs. Mr Mohammad, a bachelor, spent time on the island as a child, but moved out for his studies. About five years ago, the idyllic charm of the island drew him back. The freelance kayaking instructor now lives with his father in a wooden house on the island. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
Channel NewsAsia 7 Dec 14;
SINGAPORE: Strong winds amid a thunderstorm on Sunday (Dec 7) saw trees toppling in various parts of Singapore and a mall in Tampines flooded.
Two levels of Tampines Mall were flooded after a heavy downpour on Sunday afternoon. Ms Chow May Kee, who called the MediaCorp hotline (68 2222 68) at about 3pm, said that the second and third floors of the mall were flooded, and there was water flowing down the staircase of the second level.
A caller who identified herself as Ms Sheryl sent photos of a tree that had fallen on a hill next to Block 2 Holland Avenue, and was blocking the walkway.
Another caller, Mr Xu, said a tree had also fallen near a flyover at Kaki Bukit Avenue 4, causing traffic to be backed up.
The National Environment Agency sent out advisories on Twitter at 3.10pm and 5pm, warning of thunderstorms with gusty wind in the afternoon and early evening over many parts of Singapore. The PUB also tweeted of high water levels at Leng Kee Road and Prince Philip Avenue.
- CNA/cy
Flooding, fallen trees as heavy rain batters Singapore
AMANDA LEE Today Online 8 Dec 14;
SINGAPORE — Heavy rain and gusty winds lashed the island yesterday, felling trees in several locations and causing brief flooding in a shopping mall.
The National Environment Agency issued warnings of heavy thundery showers with gusty wind over many parts of Singapore on Twitter in the afternoon.
PUB also posted on Twitter about high water levels at Leng Kee Road and Prince Philip Avenue.
Members of the public who called the MediaCorp hotline sent pictures of fallen trees at various locations, including an uprooted tree on a hill beside Holland Avenue Block 2 and another at Kaki Bukit Avenue 4 near a flyover.
In the east, several sections of Tampines Mall were flooded yesterday as the inlets, which were meant to channel rainwater collected from the rooftop of the mall to the external drainage, could not cope with the excessive rainwater.
Responding to TODAY’s queries, the mall’s marketing communications manager Sarah Lua said its staff noticed an overflow of water at parts of level two of the mall at about 3.10pm.
She said the unusually heavy amount of rainfall over a short period of time caused the rainwater to overflow from the rainwater inlets and some excess water flowed to small parts of the common areas on levels two and three of the shopping mall.
“We immediately cordoned off the affected areas,” said Ms Lua.
The mall resumed full normal operations at about 4.25pm after it had been entirely cleaned up, added Ms Lua.
Rain pours into Tampines Mall
AMANDA LEE Today Online 7 Dec 14;
SINGAPORE – The sudden heavy downpour this afternoon (Dec 7) caused some sections of Tampines Mall to flood as inlets meant to channel rainwater collected from the mall's roof top to external drainage could not cope with the excess rainwater.
"The unusually heavy amount of rainfall over a short period of time caused rainwater to overflow from our rainwater inlets and some excess water flowed to a small part of the common areas on Levels 2 and 3 of our mall," said Ms Sarah Lua, Marketing Communications Manager – Tampines Mall, in response to queries.
Ms Lua said the mall's staff noticed the "overflow of water" at sections of level 2 of the mall at about 3.10pm. "We immediately cordoned off the affected areas and redirected shoppers away. We mobilised our staff to mop up the floor and put dryers in the common areas. No one was hurt in the incident, although the overflowed rainwater affected several of our tenants," she said.
Tampines Mall resumed full operations at about 4.25pm after the mall was cleaned up. "We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our affected tenants and shoppers, and are putting steps in place to prevent a recurrence," said Ms Lua.
Pictures shared on social media showed rain pouring in from the roof of the outdoor area of the mall, while large puddles of water were seen inside the mall. Twitter user @wongyuetying said the rain had been "very heavy".
A MediaCorp hotline caller, Ms Chow May Kee, 44, said she was at the SingTel shop at about 3pm, when she noticed water on the second floor. It was coming from a staircase besides Giordano, and staff were clearing the water away with a broom.
Some people who were at Tampines Mall also shared the incident on Twitter:
Rain pours into Tampines Mall
AMANDA LEE Today Online 7 Dec 14;
SINGAPORE – The sudden heavy downpour this afternoon (Dec 7) caused some sections of Tampines Mall to flood as inlets meant to channel rainwater collected from the mall's roof top to external drainage could not cope with the excess rainwater.
"The unusually heavy amount of rainfall over a short period of time caused rainwater to overflow from our rainwater inlets and some excess water flowed to a small part of the common areas on Levels 2 and 3 of our mall," said Ms Sarah Lua, Marketing Communications Manager – Tampines Mall, in response to queries.
Ms Lua said the mall's staff noticed the "overflow of water" at sections of level 2 of the mall at about 3.10pm. "We immediately cordoned off the affected areas and redirected shoppers away. We mobilised our staff to mop up the floor and put dryers in the common areas. No one was hurt in the incident, although the overflowed rainwater affected several of our tenants," she said.
Tampines Mall resumed full operations at about 4.25pm after the mall was cleaned up. "We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our affected tenants and shoppers, and are putting steps in place to prevent a recurrence," said Ms Lua.
Pictures shared on social media showed rain pouring in from the roof of the outdoor area of the mall, while large puddles of water were seen inside the mall. Twitter user @wongyuetying said the rain had been "very heavy".
A MediaCorp hotline caller, Ms Chow May Kee, 44, said she was at the SingTel shop at about 3pm, when she noticed water on the second floor. It was coming from a staircase besides Giordano, and staff were clearing the water away with a broom.
Some people who were at Tampines Mall also shared the incident on Twitter.
More wet weather ahead after weekend deluge
JANICE HENG Straits Times 8 Dec 14;
SINGAPORE - Heavy rains and strong winds felled trees and flooded a shopping mall over the weekend, with the wet weather expected to continue into this week.
On Sunday afternoon, the National Environment Agency warned of "heavy thundery showers with gusty wind" over the north and east of the island, as Singapore faces the annual north-east monsoon.
The PUB also noted that water levels had risen above 90 per cent in canals at Leng Kee Road and Prince Philip Avenue, with a "high flood risk". Though the water levels fell back below the 90 per cent mark shortly afterwards, the high flood risk remained.
There was indeed a flood of sorts, in the east - though not due to canals bursting their banks. Water pooled on the second and third levels of Tampines Mall, after its rooftop drainage system could not handle an afternoon downpour.
The rainwater inlet, which helps channel rainwater from the mall's roof to external drainage, could not cope with the "unusually heavy amount of rainfall" and overflowed, said the mall's marketing communications manager Sarah Lua in a statement.
The flood was cleaned up by 4.25pm, and Tampines Mall is putting steps in place to prevent a recurrence," she added.
The wet weather looks set to continue this week, with the National Environment Agency forecasting thundery showers over many areas in the afternoon on Monday.
Tuesday's forecast is for passing showers in the afternoon. While Wednesday is set to be "occasionally windy", Thursday will see a return to thundery showers in the afternoon.
The Star 7 Dec 14;
CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Land which has been illegally developed for farming in the Cameron Highlands will be cleared and then rehabilitated by planting trees.
National Security Council (NSC) secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab said close monitoring would be conducted on land development in the Cameron Highlands to prevent further illegal land-clearing for farming.
"When this happens, problems arise as it (illegal land clearing) affects the environment and ecology, hence causing natural disaster like soil erosion," he told reporters during an operation, code-named Ops Gading, at the Blue Valley here Sunday.
A total of 300 personnel from 16 agencies, including the police, the Malaysian Armed forces, Immigration Department, Civil Defence Department, Rela and the Attorney-General's Chambers, were involved in the operation.
Mohamed Thajudeen said illegal land-clearing for farming did not only occur in the Blue Valley, but also in several other areas in Cameron Highlands.
Some 18 hectares of land in the Blue Valley had been illegally developed for farming, he said, adding that structures on 10 hectares of the land had been demolished.
"After the area has been cleared, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will carry out works to improve the soil there by planting trees," he added.
The incident of mud floods and landslides in Kampung Raja, Ringlet town and Bertam Valley in the Cameron Highlands last Nov 5 resulted in the loss of five lives and more than 90 victims from 28 families to be evacuated to the Ringlet community hall. - Bernama
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy Manila Standard Today 8 Dec 14;
As soon as it was known that Hagupit, the last but not the least typhoon that would hit the country this year, was barreling its way to the Visayas, “storm surge” warnings were up.
Two years ago , “storm surge” was not in the country’s disaster lexicon, but it was introduced there by Yolanda, complete with illustrations on how lethal it was.
Yolanda rewrote our typhoon playbook. It has increased this nation’s disaster IQ to the point that when a storm brews over the Pacific, the people on its forecast path already know the drill.
Most now pack up without prodding, batten down windows without prompting, and troop to the nearest evacuation center without being told to.
Officials have also memorized their what-is-to-be-done spiel. For sure, there’s the televised national and local command conferences where orders are barked with gale-force strength including rallying cries, the flavor of the month it seems is “zero casualty.”
But while it can be said that we have developed some sort of a muscle memory on disaster response, it seems that we have not when it comes to disaster prevention, or what the UN types would call disaster resiliency.
There is no debate that there are things to be done on how to mitigate the effects of our geographical misfortune of being the doormat to the typhoon alley.
There is actually a long checklist , but let me just focus on one, which is linked to storm surges.
It has been said that mangroves are the best coastal defense against storm surge. They’ve also been bruited as tsunami armors, which , by the way, is also a need in a quake-prone country whose archipelagic contour follows the outline of the earth’s Ring of Fire.
Sadly, we have stripped our coasts of these natural barriers. From half a million hectares at the turn of the last century, the area on which Philippine mangroves are planted has shrunk to about 120,000 hectares at the beginning of this century.
If we dial back our history lesson to the start of the Spanish conquest, we should remember that Metro Manila was one big mangrove. In fact, it got its name from the swamp plant called nilad.
During the 20th century, we converted almost a quarter of a million hectares of mangroves into fishponds, or at a rate of almost 200 basketball courts a day. To this day, the war of the backhoes against bakhaws continues.
This is not to say that there’s not one redeeming value in their conversion. Pond-raised fish, like tilapia and bangus, now account for more than half of the country’s annual fish output.
Not only do these ex-mangroves produce half of the fish we consume, but at a price half than the pricey species that commercial and municipal fishermen catch.
Because food security is a demand we cannot ignore, experts have proposed that for every hectare of mangrove converted into fishpond, we retain and nurture four. This 1: 4 ratio does exist, but sadly on the reverse.
However, it is not too late to expand our mangrove inventory. In fact, it becomes a national imperative —to boost climate change resiliency and to help attain food security. Rising seas and rising population demand that we must.
As source of cheap protein, a hectare of mangrove can yield up to 650 kilos of fish, mollusks, crabs, shellfish a year. At a bargain P100 per kilo, that’s P65,000 a year on 10,000 square meters of tidal greenbelt.
Its effect on fish density radiates to nearby waters. Corals near mangroves are known to exhibit up to 25 times more volume of fish.
Because mangroves are forests on water, then they yield wood, for fuel or even for furniture. Nipa is of course a roofing material. It is the same plant which oozes that nectar used in distilling nipa lambanog.
I’ve read one study on how a hectare of mangrove was able to yield 60,000 pieces of poles on Year 5 to 10 after planting. If you’ve been to a hardware recently, you would know how a lumber as hard as a cardboard costs nowadays.
They’re also a veritable medicine cabinet. They supply indigenous remedies to ailments. And provide sanctuary to birds. They’re not only spawning grounds for fish, they’re avian nurseries as well. Imagine mangroves to be a condominium, with stratified dwellers from the roots to the canopy.
There are mangrove benefits which are hard to pin a peso sign on. To cite one, the deep roots of mangroves are pollution sieves. They filter sediments and prevent erosion.
These are not only anchors which protect coasts hammered by typhoons, they serve as magnets for tourists, too.
Rustic accommodations in the middle of a mangrove forest, with the foliage serving as natural wallpapers, are the ones that fetch premium rates. Mangrove eco-tours, which feature kayaking, among many thrill sell-points, have built a wide fan base.
Is there money for mangrove planting ? Yes, there is. For next year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to spend P7 billion in planting 300 million seedlings and saplings on 300,000 hectares of land.
I know that the bias is for upland areas. But regreening should extend from ridges to (near the) reefs. And, for transparency requirements, mangrove replanting is easier to monitor and audit. How can you hide something which is visible and countable on the horizon?
And who has ever claimed that species planted on water has been burned in a fire caused by lightning?
Life History of the Dark Brand Bush Brown
from Butterflies of Singapore
My 3rd Visit to the Tampines Eco Green Nature Park
from Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 7 Dec 14;
He was one of South-east Asia's most respected conservation biologists, and an avid bird scientist who died suddenly in 2011 from cancer at the age of 49.
Now, Professor Navjot Sodhi, a Canadian citizen who spent the last 16 years of his life teaching at the National University of Singapore (NUS), has been immortalised by some of his former students who have named a new bird species after him.
The bird, the Muscicapa sodhii, had been spotted in Indonesia's Sulawesi several times since 1997, but researchers were not able to confirm its existence as it looks very similar to another bird, the Muscicapa griseisticta, said Assistant Professor Frank Rheindt from the NUS Department of Biological Sciences.
It was only in 2012, 15 years after the first sighting, that researchers from the United States and Indonesia managed to get two dead specimens from a local bird hunter.
Dr Rheindt and his assistant analysed the DNA of the specimens and confirmed that it was a new species that had not been named.
The bird is a small, grey-brown flycatcher with dusky streaks on its breast and throat, and short wings.
Its song consists of "thin, very high-pitched whistles, chirps, twitters, glissandos, buzzy notes and trills of highly varied and often complex form".
Mr Yong Ding Li, an ecology doctoral student at the Australian National University and one of the researchers, said Prof Sodhi had played an important role in making the Sulawesi expeditions possible before his death.
The late professor introduced the researchers to his colleagues in Indonesia, gave them advice when they were interested in mounting an expedition to the Sulawesi highlands, and even wrote letters of endorsement for the research permit applications, said Mr Yong.
Mr Yong also surveyed insects and birds in Borneo with Prof Sodhi from 2006 to 2008, and had his honours-degree work supervised by him.
"He gave us a lot of independence but was always approachable. Academics aside, he also had a great sense of humour - not many days would pass without laughter or the hyena-like giggle of his emanating from the conservation ecology lab," he said.
The bird discovery was published in scientific journal PLOS One last week.
Aside from the bird, Prof Sodhi also had a snail, a fish, a crab species and a crab genus with several species named after him.
RAZAK AHMAD The Star 7 Dec 14;
PETALING JAYA: Heavy rains have now filled three of Selangor’s eight dams to maximum capacity with one recording a level of 101.5%.
The almost daily downpours also flooded two water treatment plants earlier last week, causing a shutdown of the plants and temporary supply disruption in parts of the Sabak Bernam and Hulu Selangor districts.
The Klang Gates and Langat dams both recorded 100% capacity yesterday, while the Batu dam stood at 101.5%, according to the website of the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS), which is in charge of the state’s dams.
The Sungai Selangor dam, which supplies water to 60% of the Klang Valley and whose level fell to nearly 30% of its capacity in September due to a long dry spell, is now at 61.89%.
LUAS director Md Khairi Selamat said the high level of water at the three dams did not pose any danger.
“The water level can go over 100%, and when it reaches a certain level past that mark, excess water will be chanelled out,” he said.
“The situation does not pose any danger as the dams are designed to accommodate the overflow with spillway structures,” said Khairi.
Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) said supply to affected parts of Hulu Selangor was now back to normal after the temporary shutdown of the Sungai Selisek treatment plant on Tuesday.
“We were notified by the treatment plant operator that heavy rains had caused the water level at Sungai Selisek to rise sharply, causing the plant to be flooded,” said Syabas corporate communications general manager Priscilla Alfred.
Syabas buys treated water from the treatment plant operators, then distributes it to nine million residents in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
On Wednesday, the Bernam River Headwork treatment plant was shut down following heavy rains which caused the water level at Sungai Bernam to overflow its banks and flood the plant.
Supply to affected areas in Sabak Bernam returned to normal yesterday.
“It is not often that floods cause a shutdown but it does happen once in a while during heavy downpours,” said Alfred.
Association of Water and Energy Research (Awer) president S. Piarapakaran said that despite the heavy rains, supply disruptions could still happen because there was not enough treated water being produced to meet rising demand.
“It can rain cats and dogs for the next six months or so, but the supply of treated water is limited to how much the treatment plants can produce,” he said.
Measures to boost the supply of treated water in the Klang Valley, namely the Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project and the Langat 2 treatment plant, are ongoing.
New Straits Times 7 Dec 14;
IN the wake of the environmental disaster in Cameron Highlands brought about by illegal land clearing, the need for concerted efforts to protect the environment has become more urgent.
The Cameron Highlands tragedy has proven that if we are not going to make peace with the environment, the destruction will be all the more greater in the future.
From what we have fathomed from the Cameron Highlands destruction, we have not learnt from past mistakes and that recommendations on environmental protection had gone unheeded.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced recently that as next year’s Asean chair, Malaysia would advocate sustainable growth and climate action.
As Malaysia is about to embark on a year of global climate action and sustainable economic growth, and pushes for a green agenda, all sectors of our economy should work towards ensuring that the economy and the environment could prosper together.
We can and should demonstrate that sustainable development is not an indulgence but a precursor to success. We need more green industries to provide jobs and help Malaysians gain knowledge so that young entrepreneurs can acquire the skills to support this sector.
As our focus is on sustainable growth and environmentally-friendly development, it is essential for the public and private sectors to develop environmental auditing systems and provide annual reports on the impact of their activities on the environment.
At a time when environmental concerns in the business sector are being given greater focus across the globe, environmental auditing should be an integral part of corporate management. With the advent of the “green corporate culture”, there is a need for businesses to be more conscious of environmental issues. Companies must realise there is more to gain by preserving the environment.
Problems related to illegal land clearing, deforestation, dumping of hazardous waste by irresponsible companies and smoke emissions from factories have, time and again, been reported in the media. Unless those concerned are prepared to address these issues, they will not only have to bear the full brunt of the law, but eventually lose out, as trade barriers fall in the global market.
Environmental reporting is about the company’s disclosure on the impact of its economic activities on the environment. The disclosure may provide vital information for investors to protect themselves from unexpected losses as a result of environmental costs. To the public, such disclosures will enable them to evaluate the social commitments undertaken by the corporate entity.
As has been observed, there is an emerging trend among corporations, particularly internationally, to disclose information on environment policies, objectives and programmes to the public.
Malaysian companies need to improve their environmental accounting as this trend may become an established practice worldwide to govern investment decisions. Hopefully, environmental accounting will lead to a change in the mindset on environmental issues in a company’s top management. Securing profit should not be at the expense of the environment as companies have a social responsibility to inform their stakeholders of the impact businesses have on the environment.
Shareholders must also strive to be aware that profit is not made at the expense of the environment, and that companies should be more responsible for the future generation.
The proposed environmental accounting will no doubt ensure not only greater awareness but also the development of a responsible attitude among chief executive officers towards the impact of their company’s activities on the environment.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Kuala Lumpur
Thin Lei Win Reuters 4 Dec 14;
SOB MOEI, Thailand (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Tikuepor, an ethnic Karen from eastern Myanmar living on the Thai side of the Salween River, is one of thousands of people worried about losing everything if a multinational hydropower project goes ahead in this sensitive border area.
A senior commander of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), which claims to control land in Myanmar affected by the project, says the Myanmar military has moved more troops into the area and this could derail peace talks with the government.
Tikuepor was only 13 when she fled her village in eastern Myanmar to escape a campaign by the Burmese military against ethnic armed rebels, during which troops terrorised civilians to stop them supporting the rebels.
Now 54 and living in Sob Moei, a Thai village beside the fast-flowing Salween, she fears what little she knows of the hydropower project.
"I don't have a Thai citizenship card. We don't have titles for the land we live on," said Tikuepor, who goes by a single name, sitting on a bench in the school grounds. "We won't receive any compensation if we have to leave this village."
Sob Moei is located 47 kms (30 miles) upstream from the site of the long-planned 1,360-megawatt Hatgyi dam in Myanmar.
Environmental activists say Hatgyi, aimed at harnessing the power of the Salween, Southeast Asia's second longest river, could displace thousands of people, block fish migration routes and reduce the food and jobs on which riverine people depend.
Communities in the area are already marginalised - many are poor, uneducated ethnic and religious minorities living in remote places.
General Baw Kyaw Heh, KNLA's vice chief of staff, has said the Burmese troop deployment to the area threatens to derail peace negotiations between the government and ethnic armed groups.
Burmese also object to the fact that most of the electricity to be generated will go to Thailand, leaving little for energy-starved Myanmar.
Hatgyi is being developed jointly by Chinese, Thai and Burmese investors, including the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and IGE, a Burmese company dealing in timber, oil, gas and mining.
IGE is linked to the sons of Aung Thaung, a prominent Burmese lawmaker blacklisted by the United States for "actively attempting to undermine recent economic and political reforms."
Thana Puttarangsri, EGAT's manager for international issues, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation the completion of Hatgyi depended on decisions by partners but refused to comment further and did not pick up subsequent calls.
Myanmar's Energy Ministry was also not available for comment despite numerous calls.
NINETEEN DAMS PLANNED
The Salween rises on the Tibetan Plateau and flows some 2,400 kms (1,500 miles) through China, Thailand and Myanmar to the Andaman Sea, crisscrossing many of Myanmar's ethnic minority areas.
Six million people live in the Salween watershed and depend on the river for jobs and nutritious food, according to the WWF. Campaigners say six dams are planned in Burma and 13 on the upper Salween in China.
In Sob Moei, a remote village at the confluence of the Moei and Salween rivers, about 40 families share Tikuepor's plight, according to the village's Thai-Karen headman, Decha Srisawaidaoruang, 30.
The village has no electricity or phone signal, though WiFi is available in the school grounds. It is an hour's boat ride from the only pier along the Salween in Thailand.
"There have not been many channels to voice our concerns about this dam and we do not have access to decision makers," said Decha.
Civil society groups are concerned that Thailand's military rulers may allow EGAT and the Thai energy industry to push the project through without assessments of its impact on people living nearby, said Pianporn Deetes, campaign coordinator for the environmental group International Rivers (IR) in Thailand.
Information about the project has been minimal, she said. "The last environmental impact assessment that was conducted was not made public."
"We're just asking the Thai government and Thai energy utilities to behave as they do at home, to comply with Thai laws that require social and health impact assessments on large-scale infrastructure projects," she said.
THREAT TO PEACE TALKS
If built, Hatgyi could destabilise the area, KNLA general Baw Kyaw Heh warned.
"With such large-scale investment and a flood of money coming into the area, there are likely to be lots of conflicts. The villagers will face the direct cost of militarisation and fighting," he told journalists at Ei Thu Ta camp.
"It's clear that investment in Hatgyi and similar projects are obstructing the peace process in Myanmar, particularly in Karen state," Baw Kyaw Heh said.
Ei Thu Ta, 90 minutes upstream from Ban Sob Moei and on the Myanmar side of the river, was set up around 2006 for over 3,700 displaced Karens who say they fled abuses by the Burmese army.
Myanmar's semi-civilian government is currently negotiating a nationwide ceasefire with guerrilla groups. (Additional reporting by Kaweewit Kaewjinda in Bangkok and Soe Zeya Tun and Min Zeya Oo in Myanmar) (Reporting by Thin Lei Win; Editing by Tim Pearce)
Night Walk At Lower Pierce Reservoir (05 Dec 2014)
from Beetles@SG BLOG
Blue Sprite mating and ovipositing
from Bird Ecology Study Group
AsiaOne 6 Dec 14;
SINGAPORE - Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee officiated the opening of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve's (SBWR) extension this morning, marking the completion of phase two of the reserve's masterplan.
The reserve is the largest mangrove forest in Singapore, and is home to almost half of true mangrove plant species in the world. It became Singapore's first ASEAN Heritage Park in 2003, and is recognised as a site of international importance for migratory birds.
The 31-hectare extension, with its rich mangrove and coastal forests which are home to diverse species of fauna such as crabs and mudskippers, will be able to provide new outdoor recreational and educational activities.
Six new guided walks will be conducted on Saturdays by volunteers, the National Parks Board (NParks) announced today.
At the opening, Mr Lee announced that work on phase three of the masterplan has begun and will be completed by end-2017.
The third phase includes the sensitive enhancement of two conservation areas: the western end of the reserve, where Cashin House is situated, and the Kranji Marshes.
With the intention to keep the activity in the area low, nature appreciation of coastal habitats, education and outreach will take centre stage at the 6.16ha western end of SBWR.
The freshwater Kranji marshes will be enhanced to attract more marsh birds and include shelters and trails for better visitor access.
Speaking at the opening, MOS Lee said: "In 2008, NParks launched the Sungei Buloh Masterplan to ensure that Sungei Buloh continues to be a living wetland and a tranquil sanctuary for wildlife. The Masterplan included a new extension to be built at the fringe of the existing reserve, which will help reduce the pressure on the existing reserve as more Singaporeans and tourists visit the reserve."
NParks added that there has been a 50 per cent increase in active volunteers from last year, the highest rise in its volunteerism rate since its volunteer programmes began in the 1990s.
NParks said it welcomes more people who are passionate about nature to join its volunteer programme at www.nparks.gov.sg/volunteer.
Work begins on phase three of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Masterplan
Sara Grosse Channel NewsAsia 6 Dec 14;
SINGAPORE: Work on phase three of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Masterplan has begun and will be completed by end 2017.
Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee announced this at the opening of the reserve's extension on Saturday morning (Dec 6), marking the completion of phase two.
The third phase of the Masterplan includes the sensitive enhancement of two conservation areas: the western end of the Reserve, where Cashin House is situated, and the Kranji Marshes.
The Kranji Marshes will be enhanced to attract more marsh birds and to include shelters and trails for better visitor access. The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve extension opens on Saturday (Dec 6) to members of the public.
- CNA/by
Kranji Marshes to be more accessible by 2016
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 7 Dec 14;
Singaporeans will have better access to the Kranji Marshes when the area reopens in 2016 with shelters and trails.
The National Parks Board (NParks) has started works to improve the 56ha freshwater marshland, including clearing the ponds of weeds and replanting vegetation to attract more birds.
The wetland on the outskirts of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is well loved by nature lovers, and especially rich in marsh birds. The plans are part of Phase 3 of NParks' Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve masterplan, which also includes improving the western end of the reserve by 2017.
Within the next few years, NParks will spruce up the currently disused Cashin House - a former residence extending out to sea in Lim Chu Kang. Nature trails will also link the reserve to the house, which is historically significant as it may have been the first landing point of the Japanese in Singapore during World War II.
Yesterday, the agency spelled out its plans as it celebrated the completion of the masterplan's second phase, which involved a 31ha extension to the 130ha reserve.
The extension includes a new visitor centre, a mid-canopy walk through a secondary forest, a coastal boardwalk and other attractions like the Mud Experience, where visitors can step onto mudflats during low tide to get up close to creatures living in the mud, such as mudskippers.
Mr Desmond Lee, Minister of State for National Development, opened the extension yesterday. "Sungei Buloh is a unique place not just for birds, but also for us city dwellers who need a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life," he said.
Fourteen NParks volunteers were also given long-service awards yesterday. NParks said its volunteer ranks have grown by 50 per cent in the past year and number some 1,500 people today.
The agency also paid tribute to a group of about 50 former and current volunteers who have helped contribute to Sungei Buloh's growth since the 1990s.
One of them, nature guide Kwan Sau Kuen, 60, said she was motivated to volunteer because she noticed visitors leaving the reserve disappointed that they could not spot any birds.
"What they didn't know was that the patches of brown they thought were soil were actually birds. That was when I knew I had to do my part."
She added: "Sungei Buloh is one of the few places in Singapore that has been kept rustic and natural. It is important to conserve the wonders of the mangroves for the next generation to enjoy."
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