Best of our wild blogs: 1-2 Feb 16

Yellow-vented Horizons
Saving MacRitchie

Seven New Species added to the 2013 Checklist
Singapore Bird Group

Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus) @ Old Upper Thomson Road
Monday Morgue

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30 cleaners work overnight to clear up Laneway trash

Noor Ashikin Abdul Rahman, The New Paper AsiaOne 1 Feb 16;

The thumping electronic beats of Australian music producer Flume closed the 12-hour Laneway Festival on Saturday at one of its main stages at The Meadow at Gardens By The Bay.

The upbeat music was soon replaced by the sharp crunch of plastic cups and beer cans being crushed underfoot and the crackle of plastic and mats being kicked as its 13,000 festival-goers made for the exit at the end of the night.

When the crowd thinned, what was left was a litter-filled venue, a sight similar to last year's edition of the event.

This, despite four designated garbage bin points with large banners that read "Bin There, Dump That".

That same reminder had flashed on the screens after every set.

Some 30 cleaners from event cleaning company Qool Enviro, working a nine-hour shift, got to work immediately.

The company's assistant sales manager Gerald Yang said the crew finished work at 9am yesterday.

The cleaners would go back over the next few days to make sure it is litter-free.

The first of the three shifts started at 9am on Saturday and they cleaned up after festival-goers throughout the day.

Working equally hard during the festival, which had 27 local and international acts, were the couple behind the Traceless movement on Facebook.

The movement aims to encourage fellow festival-goers to take responsibility for their own litter.

Laneway fans Timothy Chua, 25, and his girlfriend Sumita Thiagarajan, 21, started it about two weeks ago, in response to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's Facebook remarks following the mess left behind at the previous Laneway Festival.

Mr Lee wrote: "It takes continuous effort to keep Singapore clean. We need to progress from being a cleaned city to a truly clean city."

Mr Chua and Miss Sumita literally took matters into their own hands by picking up as much rubbish as they could in between sets and discarding it into dustbins.

Disheartened that festival-goers failed to clean up their act this year, despite politicians' call to action and the media attention, they were nonetheless encouraged to see others pitching in to help.

SOME HELPED

Miss Sumita, a National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduate, told The New Paper: "When they saw us picking up litter, some people helped. That was nice to see.

"Others were interested to find out more about the Traceless movement.

"A girl called out to her friends to help, but her friends refused. But she still tried to pick up as much trash as she could before she left."

Mr Chua, who recently graduated from NUS, said that more women than men readily offered their assistance.

Both locals and foreigners helped, but the offenders far outnumbered them.

Miss Sumita said: "I saw people piling their trash on their mats and I thought they would bin the mess. But at the end of the night, they shook off their mats and walked away so that all the rubbish stayed behind.

"Some people even denied the trash belonged to them when it was right there at their feet."

A 21-year-old cleaner at Laneway, who declined to be named, said that the aftermath did not differ greatly from that of past gigs like Dutch DJ Hardwell's show at the same venue last year.

He added that the cleaning up is tiring and that cleaning "a small part of the field" - the size of two basketball courts - takes about two hours.

"People just want to party and when they are having fun, they forget. At the end, they just want to go home," he said.

One of the festival-goers who helped Mr Chua and Miss Sumita was Kuala Lumpur-based American student Maya Nazareth, 18.

She said: "I always pick up my own trash. Everyone is trying to enjoy the festival and good music, but you can't do that if you're always stepping on the trash on the ground. It's gross."

Mr Chua and Miss Sumita hope they can work with Laneway organisers next year to come up with a better approach to keep litter at bay.

"I hope we can help ease the burden of the organisers, but we need a lot of support," said Mr Chua.

This year's highlights

MORE THAN MUSIC

Festival-goers had plenty of options should they need a break from the music.

They could pose for selfies atop British lifestyle brand Jack Wills' pink-and-blue Land Rover or at US home rental company Airbnb's House of Smiles.

Creative festival-goers tried their hand at designing shoes or bags at the Onitsuka Tiger pop-up.

Those who were hungry had an array of food to choose from.

There was sushi, kebabs, churros and popsicles.

The best part? Some vendors even dished out free food and drinks towards the end of the night.

QUIRKY COOL

In previous years, the likes of US singer St. Vincent or Kiwi singer Kimbra set themselves apart from other Laneway Festival performers with their whimsicality and off-kilter charm.

This year, Canadian synth-pop artist Grimes scored top points.

From her dressing - a giant red head bow, matching neon yellow arm bands and mismatched socks - to her unique singing style and dance moves, fans celebrated her eccentricities that were a breath of fresh air.

BAD BOY

With the buttons of his white shirt undone, showing off a tattoo in the centre of his chest, The 1975's singer Matt Healy showed his bad-boy side during the British alt-rock band's set.

Not only did he light up on stage and steal a few puffs, he also spurned the bottled water and sipped from a wine glass instead.

HIGH END

Festival-goers had to choose between Canadian futuristic-pop duo Purity Ring at the Cloud Stage and Australian music producer Flume at the bigger Bay Stage to cap off their night.

Both made their audience feel they had made the right decision by serving hard-hitting beats to close Laneway on a high.

Flume also threw in his remix of Kiwi pop singer Lorde's Tennis Court, which had the pumped-up crowd singing along.

LOCAL FLAVOUR

This year's edition boasted seven home-grown acts, the most in the festival line-up to date.

Bands such as Cashew Chemists and Riot !n Magenta as well as electronic acts Intriguant and Kiat (featuring Kane) proved that they were as much crowd-pullers as their international counterparts.

The crowd showed its support by singing along to Cashew Chemists' hits like First Kiss and Feel Amazing.

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Rich biodiversity on offer as Kranji Marshes open

LOUISA TANG Today Online 1 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE — After two years of efforts by the authorities, the largest freshwater marshland in Singapore was officially opened today (Feb 1), and the public will be able to take in its rich biodiversity through guided walks that will take them through conservation areas typically off-limits to visitors.

Located next to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the Kranji Marshes wetlands lie along the north-western shore of Kranji Reservoir and sprawl over 56.8 hectares, or about 60 football fields.

Kranji Marshes is divided into two main areas: One that is accessible to all members of the public, and a core conservation area limited to visitors who register for guided walks, due to the ecological sensitivity of the area. These guided walks will begin at the end of the month.

The marshland is an Environmental Improvement Project by the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), and is part of the third phase of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Masterplan.

The marshland was created when Kranji reservoir was dammed in the 1970s, flooding the surrounding low-lying areas and drawing wildlife. In 2008, the Nature Society of Singapore (NSS) began clearing dense vegetation there to build a more suitable habitat for wildlife. The task was taken over by URA and NParks in 2014, which also built amenities for visitors.

The marshland is now home to more than 170 species of birds, 54 species of butterflies and 33 species of dragonflies. Of the 170 bird species, 22 are threatened species, such as the Purple Swamphen and the Red-wattled Lapwing, both of which are rarely found elsewhere in Singapore.

Speaking at the official opening today, URA director (projects) Teo Chong Yean said one challenge of developing the marshland was understanding the environment and the birds’ behaviour, in order to avoid disrupting their patterns. “That’s how we started to look at satellite images, and flew a drone and took pictures of the area, and started to trace profiles of the previous fish ponds, then we could map (the area) out carefully for contractors to carry out work,” he said.

NParks director of conservation Wong Tuan Wah said constant clearing of vegetation is needed to keep the birds coming back. “Every month or so, we have to keep removing the water hyacinths, for example, because they grow very fast and once they cover the water area, the birds won’t come back. There’s always a constant need to remove water weeds,” he said.

As part of conservation efforts, last year, Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve staff raised and trained several Red-wattled Lapwing chicks that were rescued by members of the public. Upon their successful rehabilitation, they were tagged and released in Kranji Marshes to integrate with their wild counterparts.

Other signature bird species include the Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Blue-eared Kingfisher, and Lesser Whistling Duck. The observation points in Kranji Marshes are named after these signature species, such as the Swamphen Hide, a sheltered structure for visitors to observe wildlife in close proximity.

NParks will begin offering its guided walks on Feb 27. To be held on a Saturday evening monthly, the two-hour walk will take visitors into the core conservation area — which is not open to the general public — and educate them about the biodiversity in the marsh, woodland and grass habitats.

The NSS will also be organising three-hour morning walks, with a focus on bird-watching. These are also due to begin at the end of this month.

All walks are free-of-charge and limited to 20 participants.

Said Mr Wong: “We just completed developments and the vegetation has not grown back yet, and wildlife is still coming back. We want to let the (core conservation) area establish itself first for the next six months to a year, and assess how the conditions are like, then consider opening it to the public to see.”

Those who choose to visit on their own can take a 1km-long walk from Kranji Gate. Along the way, visitors can learn about the flora and fauna through signboards and outdoor classrooms. They can also take in a bird’s-eye view of the marshes by climbing up the 10.65m Raptor Tower.

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2,000 households to take part in energy-saving challenge

The cost savings of participating households will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the South West Community Development Council and Singapore Power and donated to needy families in the district.
Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia 31 Jan 16;

SINGAPORE: Starting April, more than 2,000 households in Singapore’s South West district will take part in an energy-saving challenge to reduce their electricity consumption for a good cause.

Over a three-month period, the cost savings of participating households will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the South West Community Development Council and Singapore Power, and donated to about 1,000 needy families in the district.

About S$50,000 in cost-savings can be achieved during the pilot, the project’s organisers estimated.

The initiative was launched at the district's ECo Day Out by Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli and Mayor of the South West District Low Yen Ling.

The goal is for one block in each of the 17 districts to come on board the initiative. The organisers hope that the programme can be eventually rolled out to the rest of the district, Ms Low said.

"This initiative is to combine the message of energy conservation with the drive to do good," she said. "This friendly challenge between the residents - we hope that it will encourage everyone in South West to come on board and get in the habit of saving energy. We firmly believe we can do more with less."

Each household is also encouraged to download the Singapore Power mobile application to track their power consumption. The app also allows them to compare their consumption patterns with that of their neighbours.

More than 200 volunteers from Singapore Power, grassroots and students from ITE College West will also be on hand to help participating households.

"What I'm asking you is to think how to make it a culture," said Mr Masagos. "So you don't just do this once a year, you don't just do this because we come together, but you do this as a way of life. That is the challenge - that all of us in Singapore must convert our affluent lifestyle, caring for the environment and protecting the environment for our children."

It is hoped the energy saving pilot can eventually be implemented in the entire district.

- CNA/cy

Over 2,000 households to compete on who can save the most energy
SIAU MING EN Today Online 31 Jan 16;

SINGAPORE — More than 2,000 households in South West Community Development Council (CDC) will be participating in a pilot contest to reduce their energy consumption over a three-month period, with the goal of achieving S$50,000 in cost-savings.

The cost-savings reaped from the project will then be matched dollar-for-dollar by Singapore Power (SP) and South West CDC, and donated to the needy families in the district.

Partnering SP for the pilot, participating residents will be encouraged to download the SP Services mobile application to track and compare their electricity usage against that of their neighbours. The mobile app was piloted last year and some 260,000 people have tried it.

There will also be a friendly competition among the 17 blocks of flats selected for the pilot, as well as among the individual households within each block, to see who manages to save the most energy.

About 200 volunteers, including the grassroots volunteers, SP staff and ITE College West students, will make regular visits to participating households to explain how to use the app, conduct monthly household checks and offer energy-saving tips.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the district’s annual ECo Day Out held at Hong Kah North Community Club today (Jan 31), Mayor of the South West District Low Yen Ling said: “This friendly challenge between the residents, we hope, will encourage everyone in South West to come on board and get into the habit of saving energy.”

Boon Lay resident Nicoll Peh, 34, said she would be keen on joining the pilot as her home’s electricity bill had gone up after she gave birth to twin sons. “The immediate benefits will be the cost-savings,” said the engineer, before adding that instead of turning on the air-conditioning at home, her family may try to use the fan more often, among other ways and means to save energy.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, who was the guest of honour at the event today, also encouraged residents to do their part for the environment.

Citing the increasing amount of domestic waste being thrown out — from the 1.6 million tonnes in 2012 to the 1.74 million tonnes in 2014 — Mr Masagos noted that reducing wastage should be “a way of life” for Singaporeans.

“That is a challenge that all of us in Singapore must overcome. Despite our affluent lifestyles, we should care (for) and protect our environment for our loved ones and our children,” he added.

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Expect a wet and warm Chinese New Year in Singapore

For two or three days around the Lunar New Year period, a monsoon surge is forecast to affect the region, says the Meteorological Service Singapore.
Channel NewsAsia 1 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE: Those heading out over the Chinese New Year period should keep umbrellas handy. An advisory by the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said over the next fortnight, short-duration thundery showers are expected mostly in the afternoon on four to five days.

"For two or three days around the Lunar New Year period, a monsoon surge is forecast to affect the region and this is expected to bring widespread rain and occasionally windy conditions to Singapore," said MSS on Monday (Feb 1).

It added that warmer temperatures over the past few months are expected to continue in the first two weeks of February. During this period, the daily maximum and minimum temperatures could reach as high as 34°C and 27°C respectively on some days, MSS forecast.

MSS said January was the warmest on record since temperature records began in 1929. The mean monthly temperature of 28.2 degrees Celsius eclipses the record of 28 degrees Celsius in January 1998. This follows the warmest December on record the previous month, said MSS, noting that December and January are climatologically the coolest months of the year.

The mean daily maximum temperature of 31.6 degrees Celsius and mean daily minimum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius for January 2016 are 1.2 degrees Celsius and 2.1 degrees Celsius above their respective long-term mean temperatures, said MSS.

Most parts of Singapore received below-average rainfall in January as well.

- CNA/ly

Rainfall to be above average this Chinese New Year, says MSS
Today Online 1 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE — Expect a windy, rainy Chinese New Year period, with a monsoon surge forecast to affect the region, bringing with it widespread rain and occasionally windy conditions.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said this today (Feb 1) in its fortnightly forecast, and also pointed out that last month was the warmest January on record.

In the first fortnight of this month, short-duration thundery showers, mostly in the afternoon, are expected on four to five days. The showers may be heavy at times on days when there are convergence of winds, coupled with strong solar heating of land areas, the MSS said. Rainfall for these two weeks is expected to be slightly above average, although warmer temperatures Singapore has experienced in the past few months are expected to continue, the agency added.

During these two weeks, the daily maximum and minimum temperatures could reach as high as 34°C and 27°C, respectively, on some days.

In its review of January, the MSS said there was “significantly warmer than usual conditions”. The average daily maximum temperature (31.6°C) and average daily minimum temperature (26°C) for January were 1.2°C and 2.1°C above their respective long-term means.

“The mean monthly temperature of 28.2°C for January marks the warmest ever January since temperature records began in 1929, surpassing the previous record of 28.0°C set in January 1998,” the MSS said.

“This follows the warmest December on record the previous month. December and January are climatologically the coolest months of the year.”

This is despite showers on many days in January, albeit with below average rainfall. Most showers were due to strong solar heating of land areas and convergence of winds in the vicinity of Singapore, it said.

For the whole of January, the north-eastern part of Singapore around Sengkang had the lowest rainfall — 56 per cent to 62 per cent below average. Conversely, the western part of the island around Jurong saw the highest rainfall — 9 per cent to 59 per cent above average.

The thundery showers were heaviest on Jan 22 where the highest total daily rainfall recorded was 78.8mm around the Kent Ridge area.

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Asia shrimp farmers restock mangrove "supermarket" by going organic

ALISA TANG Reuters 1 Feb 16;

LAEM FA PHA, Thailand, Feb 1 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - S urakit Laeaddee walks along the narrow banks of earth dividing his organic shrimp and fish ponds, rests under the shade of a tree he recently planted, and points to the lush mangroves marking out his plot.

Too many trees invite birds that prey on his seafood stock. But planting just enough, on a fifth of his 10 hectares (24 acres), cools the ponds and improves soil and water quality, boosting the health, reproduction and survival of his shrimp and fish.

"I hope the community will become more conscious about the importance of planting trees and looking after the ecosystem in order to raise seafood sustainably and prevent coastal erosion," he said, looking toward the Gulf of Thailand, which has gnawed away at the shore, bringing the sea ever closer to his home.

Since the 1980s, a boom in shrimp farming has decimated mangroves around the world.

The trend has destroyed a key ecosystem for carbon storage, added to emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide, and exposed shorelines and communities to storm surges and erosion.

Now, growing consumer demand for organic and sustainable foods has spurred interest in shrimp farms like Surakit's that may stem mangrove loss and encourage planting in areas long devoid of trees.

"A shift from intensive farming to more natural farming is more sustainable in the long run," said Supranee Kampongsun, mangroves and markets project coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

"It gives marine species natural spawning grounds and improves the mangrove ecosystem. If individual farmers consider having trees on their land, it will contribute to a growth in overall coverage in the area."

LAND GRABS AND INVESTORS

A 1961 survey along Thailand's 3,100 km (1,900 mile)coastline tallied 368,000 hectares of mangrove forests, which include more than 70 tree species - from typical mangroves hovering above water with buttressed roots to giant nipa palms.

Over half a century, a third of that area has been lost, leaving 246,000 hectares, according to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. About 70,000 hectares are used for seafood farms, mostly shrimp.

Similar declines have been documented across Asia and Latin America. A 2012 U.N.-backed study found a fifth of mangroves worldwide had been lost since 1980, mostly for intensive shrimp farms that often become choked with waste, antibiotics and fertilisers.

In Thailand, the destruction of mangroves for shrimp levelled off about 10 years ago, but the government is struggling to restore the barren lands, said Somsak Piriyayota, director of the mangrove resource conservation office.

"The issue today is how do we change that land for shrimp back into mangroves," Somsak said in an interview, noting some mangroves have been inhabited by communities for generations.

"We've never been strict. The policy has allowed for them to live there, but the ecosystem is deteriorating, so we have to solve this problem, yet we have to give them the right to a livelihood as well."

A key challenge is sorting out real land ownership from profit-driven land grabbing.

"We have a government policy to reclaim forests - from investors, but not from poor people. With shrimp farmers, it's generally investors," Somsak said.

A new mixed land-use policy will allow communities in southern Nakhon Sri Thammarat province to use degraded mangroves for income, on the condition that half the area is maintained as mangroves or converted back to them, he said.

HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE

Once the leading exporter of shrimp, Thailand has been hit hard in the past few years by a deadly disease called early mortality syndrome that wiped out shrimp populations, as well as by widespread reports of migrant labour rights abuses.

The government and seafood industry have scrambled to bring in measures to clean up labour violations in their supply chains.

On the farming front, the Thai Department of Fisheries is encouraging more environment-friendly production systems to avoid disease and decrease pollution.

That includes planting trees to act as a filtration system, using natural rather than artificial feed, and steering clear of pesticides, fungicides and antibiotics.

The IUCN is working with shrimp farmers in Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh to restore mangroves and use them sustainably. With support from the conservation agency, farmers like Surakit are sharing best practices with their neighbours and across the country.

Surakit's marine shrimp farm is among the first to be certified organic by the Thai government.

Fifteen other farmers living nearby are on track to be certified this year, which would increase the organic shrimp farming area in the community tenfold, to almost 100 hectares.

Organic yields are much lower, but each shrimp grows much larger. Surakit says he raises two to five shrimp per square metre, compared to 20 to 30 per square metre on intensive farms.

His organic shrimp sell at a higher price - up to $27 per kg, compared to $14 per kg for the largest shrimp from an intensive farm.

Furthermore, input costs are lower, and organic ponds have a longer lifespan than intensively farmed ponds, which often become so overrun by disease and pollution they are abandoned.

The plush JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok buys shrimp from Surakit. In Vietnam, where the IUCN piloted its mangroves and markets programme, more than 700 farmers are certified organic and selling to European markets.

"Mangroves are a supermarket for humans," said Somsak of the mangrove conservation office, describing a food chain from leaves and parasites to crabs, fish and humans.

"The main producer is the trees, and everyone else is in the chain of consumers. When humans cut the trees, it's the end. The food chain is broken." (Reporting by Alisa Tang, editing by Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, corruption and climate change. Visit www.trust.org)

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Malaysia: Decline in orphaned orang utan shows Sabah move is effective

The Star 2 Feb 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s move to protect key orang utan habitats in the state’s east coast is paying off with a sharp decline in orphaned animals being sent to a rehabilitation centre in Sepilok.

Sabah Wildlife Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said only two orang utan were brought to the centre, about 30km from Sandakan, last year.

In comparison, the centre received about 15 to 20 orang utan two or three decades ago.

“This decline is mainly because as much as 80% of orang utan habitat are now protected, thanks to the efforts of the Forestry Department,” Sen added.

He said these areas included the Ulu Segama-Malua forest reserve, Dermakot as well as the Lower Kinabatangan wildlife sanctuary.

Sen said that Sepilok and the adjoining 4,300ha Kabili forest reserve were home to dozens of the rehabilitated creatures that now had their own offspring.

Meanwhile, a 20-year orang utan rehabilitation and conservation programme is set to come to an end in April with the last three orphaned primates returned to the Sepilok rehabilitation centre.

The programme is being run by the Sabah Wildlife Department and Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa.

Launched in 1996 under Shangri-La’s orang utan care project, the orphaned primates were provided sanctuary within a private 25.9ha nature reserve belonging to the resort.

Nearly 40 orphaned primates had completed the first phase of their rehabilitation under the care of trained rangers.

They would be sent for a reintegration programme in Sepilok first.

After this stint they will be released to the nearby Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve.

General manager of Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa Jonathan Reynolds said the resort was grateful for the opportunity to bring close to 12,000 students from 276 schools in Sabah to view the pro-ject.

“They can better understand the need to protect these endangered primates,” he said.

The programme, however, had its own share of critics, especially from conservationist and non-governmental organisations, who claimed that the orang utan were being exploited for tourism.

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Malaysia: Mangrove oasis in jeopardy

VICTORIA BROWN The Star 2 Feb 16;

KUALA SELANGOR: Walking through the green oasis of Kuala Selangor Nature Park mangroves, with chirping birds and the occasional rustle of leaves from climbing monkeys, it saddens me that such a pristine ecosystem full of wildlife and beauty are slowly diminishing.

Malaysia has an extensive area of wetlands, with the Malaysian Wetland Directory listing over a hundred wetland sites, including mangroves, mudflats, river systems and tropical peat swamp forests.

Wetlands are vital ecosystems that provide food, filter water, reduce flood risk, increase resilience to storms and offer a unique habitat for a variety of species.

More than a billion people make their living from wetlands. Hence this year's World Wetlands Day theme, that falls on Feb 2, is aptly 'Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihood'.

However, these valuable ecosystems are degrading rapidly due to pollution, conversion for agriculture plantations and development purposes.

Wetlands International Malaysia resource development officer Kamaliah Kasmaruddin said that these development activities will have a long term impact on the environment and community.

“For example, the degradation of mangrove areas will affect coastal erosion, it will effect the sea level, and will affect the inundation of land,” she said.

“When there’s coastal erosion, the fishermen will suffer because there are no more fish,” said Kamaliah.

She said that with coastal erosion, we will be losing more land space. And despite efforts to reclaim the land by building banks, Kamaliah said that hard structure engineering cannot replicate the natural foundation mangroves provide.

The dense root systems of mangrove forests trap sediments flowing down rivers and off the land, that helps to stabilize the coastline and prevent erosion from waves and storms.

Kamaliah said that by clearing wetlands due to agriculture, aquaculture or other types of development can have profound effects on the functioning of wetlands.

A Wetlands International commissioned case study on Rajang Delta in Sarawak shows that about 87% of Rajang Delta may be flooded within 100 years if current peatland management is continued.

Wetlands International Malaysia technical officer Yong Huai Mei said that peatland subsidence will cause flooding, rendering half of Rajang Delta unsuitable for any agriculture cultivation.

“Such flooding is due to the conversion of peat swamp forest to agriculture. The grower will need to drain the water from the peatlands and then compact the peatlands.

“This will bring down the water which will cause peatland subsidence,” said Yong.

Yong said that areas in Rajang Delta are already experiencing drainage problems. But if nothing is done to address the problem, it will lead to extensive flooding across the peatland.

“It is an irreversible process unless we have more investment to build dikes and pumps to pump out the water. Otherwise, they would lose the productive land,” said Yong.

Yong said that the findings of the study is "scary", especially since many people live near Rajang Delta.

“Imagine that their houses could be occasionally flooded and they may need to leave their home. It is very dangerous,” said Yong.

Kamaliah said that there is no point in having short term gains with bad effects in the long term.

She gave the example of the Netherlands, where two thirds of the country is vulnerable to flooding due to the development of peat swamps and mangrove areas.

“Now, they are suffering from their losses because there is no way that you can secure the land without mangrove areas and peat swamp forests,” she said.

The risk of flooding has led to the installation of river dikes, drainage ditches and pumping stations.

“Can you imagine how much that will cost? We also hear about the faulty pumps and things like that. So we wouldn’t want that happening in Malaysia,” said Kamaliah.

Kamaliah said that proper calculations and environmental impact assessments are not being carried out properly.

“We are actually not doing a cost effective approach for development. That is one of the biggest problems,” she said.

“We are losing more and more land space. What is happening is that we are clearing wetlands, then it doesn’t function, and it will become barren.

“So that piece of land is no longer providing any services for us.

“The services that is provided by the ecosystem is the most valuable. You cannot really replicate these kind of things in constructed wetlands or in any manmade structure,” said Kamaliah.

Kamaliah said that many communities also depend on wetlands to earn a living.

“The resources it provides are the wood and timber of the mangrove area. And fishermen depend on wetlands to catch cockles, crabs, fish,” she said.

“There are a lot of resources that can be used in wetlands.

“Without the wetlands area, I think it really opens up a whole new level of vulnerability against the community,” said Kamaliah.

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Malaysia: Carcass on Terengganu beach was of Melon Headed Whale

ZARINA ABDULLAH New Straits Times 31 Jan 16;


KUALA TERENGGANU: The carcass of a sea creature found at Kampung Beting Lintang beach last Thursday has been identified as a Melon Headed Whale.

State Fishery Department director Abdul Khalil Abdul Karim said their checks showed that the whale died in the ocean and had washed up on the beach following recent rough sea conditions.

The carcass was spotted on the beach by villagers.

"It was nearly decomposed, making it hard for our researchers to check," he said when contacted.

Abdul Khalil said the animal carcass, measuring about 6.8 metres, was buried on Friday afternoon.

"It was learnt that the whale was moving with a pod but became separated, and it later died," he said.

On Thursday, the State Fishery Department had dispatched a team of researchers to determine whether the animal carcass found at Kampung Beting Lintang beach was that of a whale.

The picture of the partly decomposed animal went viral after it was photographed on the beach near Kampung Beting Lintang.

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Malaysia: '500 dengue cases reported a day'

THARANYA ARUMUGAM New Straits Times 1 Feb 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has raised the alarm about dengue outbreak, urging the people and agencies to act urgently to put in place measures to contain the situation before it worsens.

From 2000 to Jan 16 this year, 707,227 dengue cases have been reported with 1,721 deaths.

In 2000, the Health Ministry recorded 7,103 dengue cases and 42 deaths. But merely two weeks into this year, 6,837 cases and 14 deaths were reported, an average of more than 500 cases a day.

Health deputy director-general (public health) Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman said the main factors contributing to the sharp rise in the disease were poor environmental cleanliness, littering and poor garbage management.

He also cited mobility of the population, high population densities and rapid urbanisation as being other factors.

Aside from that, he said, the El Nino phenomenon that was expected to last until next month would lead to warmer temperatures. Mosquitoes will breed actively, increasing the frequency of mosquito bites and the spread of dengue virus.

“In the dry and hot weather, the life cycle of an Aedes mosquito, from the egg to the adult stage, will be shorter and this will increase the mosquito population.

“The density of Aedes mosquitoes will also increase two weeks after the rainy season, leading to a jump in dengue cases.

“The local authorities should not be (solely) blamed because there are many factors that cause the spike in dengue cases,” he told the New Straits Times.

Dr Lokman said to ensure environmental cleanliness, the local authorities should increase enforcement activities, especially in illegal rubbish dumping sites, and make arrangements for timely garbage collection at least thrice a week.

“Apart from ensuring a proper solid waste management and a clean environment, the authorities should step up dengue control activities, especially in the Klang Valley.

“This involves active participation from the Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Kajang, Gombak and Klang municipal councils.

“These are ‘rich’ local authorities and, therefore, they should invest more resources in dengue control activities and implement recycling programmes.”

Dr Lokman said the key strategy to reduce dengue cases was to empower the community through “source reduction” activities and clean-up campaigns.

Global evidence, he said, showed that dengue control could never be achieved or sustained without community empowerment and ownership.
“However, in reality, the sustainability of community involvement in dengue prevention is very difficult to establish.”

Dr Lokman said Aedes mosquitoes could be predominantly found in urban areas, especially in densely populated places such as the Klang Valley, Petaling, Hulu Langat, Klang, Gombak and Kinta, which have the highest number of hot spots in Malaysia.

Last year, Selangor topped the list with the highest number of dengue cases and fatalities at 63,198 cases and 127 deaths, followed by Johor (15,743 cases) and Perak (9,466 cases).

Dr Lokman said to overcome the dengue menace, the Health Ministry would strengthen dengue prevention and control activities, including improving environmental cleanliness by all agencies and the public, and increasing source reduction activities.

The ministry, he said, would also promote and implement cleanliness campaigns and activities in vacant lands, residential areas, construction sites and other premises with a high Aedes-breeding index.

“We will increase enforcement, especially in construction sites, with other agencies such as the Construction Industry Development Board, Occupational Safety and Health Department and local authorities.”

Dr Lokman noted that it was high time for the authorities to increase punitive measures instead of merely urging people to cooperate in eradicating mosquito-breeding grounds.

“The Destruction of Disease Bearing Insect Act 1975 should be strictly enforced. We will continue to issue compound to households that breed Aedes.

“We will also continue to focus on construction sites and issue stop-work order for two weeks if any premise is found to be a breeding ground and bring them to court for repeated offences, as we have done before. As such, the public will be more cautious and play a more proactive role in dengue prevention activities.”

Dr Lokman noted that everyone was the risk of being infected with dengue virus, especially in the urban area where Aedes-mosquito breeding sites were in abundance as a result of illegal dumping and littering.

All age groups, he said, were at risk of dengue infection, with the most vulnerable group being in the productive age bracket of 15 to 49.

Dr Lokman said 27 per cent of those aged between 20 and 30 were diagnosed with dengue fever.

“This is the active age group with a high mobility. They will be at risk of getting dengue while going to work in the early morning and after office hours in the late evening, which is also the peak biting time of Aedes mosquitoes.

“To prevent mosquito bites, the public is advised to use mosquito repellent and wear long-sleeved shirt and long pants, especially during the peak biting time (5am to 7am and 5pm to 7pm).”

Dengue claims first Johor victim
ZAZALI MUSA The Star 2 Feb 16;

JOHOR BARU: The state claimed its first dengue victim this year – a 42-year-old male from Taman Tebrau Jaya near here.

Johor Health and Environment committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said there were 563 dengue cases in Johor between Jan 17 to 23 – down by 16 cases from the previous week.

However, he said there were 1,655 cases reported in the first three weeks of the year compared to 486 during the corresponding period of 2015.

“Although we only recorded one death in January against two last year, we are not resting on our laurels,” said Ayub.

He said the Johor Baru district recorded the highest number of dengue cases in the state with 77.9% of the 563 cases between Jan 17 and 23, followed by Kulai with 5.2%, Batu Pahat (3.6%), Kluang and Segamat (3.4%) each, Kota Tinggi (2.8%), Pontian (1.8%), Muar (0,9%), Tangkak (0.7%) and Mersing (0.4%).

“Johor Baru people have only themselves to blame for failing to maintain the cleanliness of their surroundings, which has contributed to the rise of dengue cases in the Johor Baru district,” said Ayub.

He said the anti-dengue programmes and the deployment of personnel from the health departments from other districts on a rotation basis did not yield the desired results.

“The only way to prevent dengue from spreading is to practise the highest standards of hygiene, but sadly most urbanites are not doing that,” Ayub said.

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Malaysia: ‘Zika virus found in Malaysia in 1969’

LOH FOON FONG The Star 2 Feb 16;

PETALING JAYA: Zika is an existing virus in Malaysia and the steps needed to prevent its infection are similar to those adopted for dengue, said a researcher.

World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus Reference and Research director Prof Dr Sazaly Abu Bakar said the Zika virus was isolated from mosquitoes in 1969 in Bentong, Pahang.

However, the origin of the virus discovered in Malaysia was not known since it was not studied to determine its genome, he said.

“It may have come from Africa or could be native to our country and found in our monkeys and mosquitoes,” he added.

Dr Sazaly said they had not seen the virus since 1969 because no one had looked for it.

According to WHO, Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in the rhesus monkeys.

It was subsequently identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.

Asked why the world had had the virus for so long but the issue of babies born with small brains (microcephaly) only started to emerge recently, Dr Sazaly said the size of an outbreak possibly amplified the otherwise rare event.

“The ways to prevent Zika infection are similar to the methods used in dengue prevention,” he said.

“If we tackle dengue, we tackle Zika too.”

Universiti Malaya research consultant Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit said since the Zika virus was first isolated in 1969 by a team of American scientists, a German traveller was diagnosed with mild Zika infection upon her return to Germany in September 2014, after visiting Sabah.

“It looks like Zika has been around this region for decades and accounts for mild infections,” he said.

There was still no conclusive evidence that Zika virus was the cause of microcephaly although the link was strong, he said.

“If microcephaly is indeed caused by Zika virus, then the present strain in Brazil has possibly undergone changes and become more neurogenic.

“One needs to then study the genes of this strain and compare the findings with past strains,” he said.


Zika virus found here in 1969?
OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 1 Feb 16;

KOTA KINABALU: More studies are needed to determine the status of the Zika virus infection, which resembles dengue.

A United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report said a woman from Germany had possibly contracted the disease in Keningau, Sabah, two years ago.

This was revealed by Universiti Malaysia Sabah Entomologist Associate Professor Dr Chua Tock Hing in a talk organised by Jesselton Medical Centre here on Saturday to increase awareness among the public on tackling the rise in dengue cases.

However, Chua said despite the finding, dengue was the main concern in Sabah. “The dengue and Zika viruses are carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Here, dengue is more commonly found.”

But he said there was a need for more studies on the Zika virus.

Chua, an expert on mosquitoes, was referring to a CDC report, “Emerging Infectious Diseases” Volume 21 — Number 5, May 2015.

The report said the 45-year-old woman from Heidelberg, Germany, fell ill six days after her return from a three-week vacation in Malaysia in August 2014.

She developed high fever, rashes, hearing difficulties, swelling and burning sensation on her hands, but recovered after three days of treatment.

The report also cited a study by Marchette NJ, Garcia R and Rudrick A on isolation of Zika virus from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Malaysia, which shows that antibodies against Zika virus were detected in 15 out of 79 people in Peninsular Malaysia and nine out of 50 in Sabah in 1969.

The World Health Organisation recently issued an advisory for pregnant women against travelling to countries with Zika virus cases to prevent birth defects to newborns.

Meanwhile, infectious diseases specialist Dr Timothy William urged the people to seek immediate medical attention to prevent complications due to dengue fever.

“Patients can be closely monitored, especially during critical phases, if they are hospitalised.

Two in 1,000 patients died from complications, such as organ failure and shock (profuse internal bleeding).”


PM wants Health Ministry to take preventive measures on Dengue, Zika virus
BERNAMA New Straits Times 3 Feb 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has instructed the Health Ministry to take preventive measures to protect the people from dengue fever and Zika virus.

He also wanted all parties, including government agencies, non-governmental organisations and the people in general, to join hands in combating Aedes mosquito which was the agent of infection for both diseases.

“I am aware of the dengue situation in several areas in the country and also the public concerns regarding the alarming spread of Zika virus in many areas in America,” he said in the latest posting in his blog NajibRazak.com.

Najib said more rigorous monitoring activity was needed as the country’s hot weather was very conducive for the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.

“We need to prevent and destroy the source or vector of both diseases, that is Aedes mosquitoes. Do not given them any room to breed,” he said.

Following the spread of Zika virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared it as a Public Health Emergency Of International Concern (PHEIC). -- Bernama

Zika virus: Health Ministry to issue guidelines in next 48 hours
SARBAN SINGH The Star 2 Feb 16;

SEREMBAN: The Health Ministry will issue a comprehensive set of guidelines in the next 48 hours on plans to combat the mosquito borne Zika virus following a declaration by the World Health Organisation that it has become an international public health emergency.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said in the meantime Malaysians planning to visit South America should postpone travel plans.

"We are aware of the WHO advisory and are treating the matter seriously," he told reporters after launching the "Watch Your Weight, Watch Your Calories" healthy eating campaign at the south bound R&R along the North-South Expressway here Tuesday.

Subramanian said Malaysia was also at risk as the disease was spread by the aedes mosquito.

"The mosquito is the only vector that spreads Zika.

"So what we need to focus on is eradicating the vector to check the spread of the deadly virus here," he said.

Dr Subramaniam said another challenge faced by the authorities was the fact that carriers of the virus hardly displayed any symptoms.

"There is also no vaccine or known treatment for it," he said.

Dr Subramaniam said his ministry would also advise those returning from South America to be cautious if they experienced lethargy and any weakness in their limbs.

WHO declared the disease an international public health emergency when tens of thousands of babies were born in Brazil with damaged brains. The victims also had unusually small heads. The condition has been linked to, but not proven to be caused by the Zika virus.

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Malaysia: Protecting Terengganu's coastline against erosion

ROSLI ZAKARIA New Straits Times 1 Feb 16;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Climate change, which has affected the weather patterns poses a new challenge for the Irrigation and Drainage Department in redesigning beach protection measures to prevent damage in areas with economic value along the Terengganu coastline.

The recent high tide and rough sea conditions that battered the breakwaters and beach revetments have provided clues on the seriousness of beach erosion and the threat it posed to fishing villages, as well as measures to protect the beach.

Although the structures, completed last year following the big floods, were able to withstand the rough weather, they, however, failed to protect the entire stretch.

“Beaches protected by breakwaters and revetments were not affected, but a section of the beach just a few metres from the structures suffered serious erosion.

“We can see this in Paka (Dungun), Tok Jembal (Kuala Nerus) and Gong Batu (Setiu),” state Irrigation and Drainage Department director C. Poobalan told the New Straits Times recently.

“Tanjung Gelam in Kuala Nerus had a couple of houses destroyed by rough seas.

This stretch is not protected by a breakwater.

“In Gong Batu, the beach was protected by a strip of sandbars. But, in the recent rough sea condition, sea water breached it and flowed into Sungai Setiu.

“This encroachment will affect the salinity of water in Sungai Setiu and may affect aquaculture activity in Gong Batu,” he said, adding that the department had initiated efforts to protect the bund with geobags and geotubes.

Poobalan said culverts that acted as a retaining wall would be placed along the affected stretch.

In Tok Jembal, he said, the state government had provided funds to reinforce the beach revetments as a temporary measure to stop further erosion along the unprotected stretch.

“We will build a breakwater along this stretch.

The length of the breakwater will depend on the model proposed by the National Coastal Erosion Study that will be discussed next week.

The last study was in 1985.

“The criteria for beach protection have changed due to changes in the weather patterns influenced by the global climate change.

“The study will help the department to plan mitigation measures and prioritise it according to zones,” he added.

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