Best of our wild blogs: 19 Jul 16

Dead fishes at West Johor Strait, 17-18 Jul 2016
wild shores of singapore

Macro Outing : 2nd Quarter of 2016
Bugs & Insects of Singapore

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Lim Chu Kang fish deaths 'due to low oxygen levels'

Fish farms not badly affected; AVA had sent alert last Friday about risk
Goh Yan Han Straits Times 19 Jul 16; and AsiaOne

Large numbers of dead fish were found near Lim Chu Kang jetty yesterday morning, washed up on the shore or afloat at sea.

Fish farmers attributed the deaths to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the waters of the West Johor Strait, along which about 50 fish farms are located.

The chief executive of The Fish Farmer, Mr Malcolm Ong, 52, told The Straits Times: "According to my monitoring system, dissolved oxygen levels in my farm have been decreasing since July 8.

"There was a marginal increase on July 12 but after that, it came down again and has remained low since. We have been prepared and our staff are on 24-hour standby."

Mr Ong, who did not lose any fish beyond the normal losses, suggested that low oxygen levels could be an effect of the conditions of the waters near Lim Chu Kang.

"As we are not near an open coast, water is slow moving such that dissolved oxygen levels deplete more quickly," he said.

Fish Farmers Association of Singapore president Timothy Ng said such occurrences are frequent in the Lim Chu Kang area. He said: "Unless the environment improves in terms of water flow, this will recur from time to time and I'm not sure how it can be stopped."

Farms tend to install aerators that churn the water and ensure there is sufficient supply of dissolved oxygen when levels are low, although these are not always sufficient to prevent deaths.

However, none of the farms contacted by Mr Ng or The Straits Times suffered serious losses.

Dissolved oxygen levels can also differ from farm to farm, said Mr Ong, who monitors the levels and uses pumps and aerators to mitigate any negative impact on his farm. His farm has had several baby fish deaths this past week, a normal occurrence when dissolved oxygen levels are low.

According to Mr Ong, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) sent out an automated alert last Friday about the possibility of low dissolved oxygen levels, and asked farmers to be vigilant. AVA did not respond to queries by press time.

Both Mr Ng and Mr Ong ruled out the possibility of a plankton bloom as a reason for the low levels of dissolved oxygen.

In February last year, a plankton bloom, which gobbles up oxygen in the water, killed an estimated 500 to 600 tonnes of fish, affecting 55 out of 63 fish farms along the East Johor Strait.

Farms in the Lim Chu Kang area were also severely affected by a plankton bloom in March last year, with one of the farms losing all 35 tonnes of its fish.

Large numbers of dead fish near Lim Chu Kang jetty
Straits Times 19 Jul 16;

Large numbers of dead fish were found near Lim Chu Kang jetty yesterday morning, washed up on the shore or afloat at sea. There are about 50 fish farms along this stretch of water on the West Johor Strait. The fish farmers have ruled out a plankton bloom. In February last year, a plankton bloom killed an estimated 500 to 600 tonnes of fish along the East Johor Strait.

Scores of dead fish found at Lim Chu Kang jetty
Sanjay Nair and Lim Yaohui Straits Times 18 Jul 16;

SINGAPORE - Scores of dead fish were spotted at Lim Chu Kang jetty on Monday (July 18) morning.

When The Straits Times visited the scene, the fish were seen either floating belly-up on the water or washed up along with water bottles and other rubbish along the shore.

Dead fish at Lim Chu Kang jetty

A pungent smell emanated from the area, as well as from several black plastic bags at a rubbish bin nearby.


A boat belonging to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) was docked at the jetty, while a "kelong"-like structure was combing through the water for checks.


An AVA boat at Lim Chu Kang jetty on July 18, 2016. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI


Dead fish were also discovered by The Straits Times at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Monday, but in smaller numbers than at Lim Chu Kang.

The Straits Times has contacted AVA for more information.

This is not the first time that mass fish deaths have happened at a park or reservoir here. Last July, hundreds of dead fish were seen in a stream in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, believed to be due to the hot and dry weather.


Related posts
Dead fishes at West Johor Strait, 17-18 Jul 2016 on wild shores of singapore

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Malaysia: Johor govt to review need for Phase 2 of Rapid’s raw water project

The Star 18 Jul 16;

KOTA TINGGI: The first phase of the Raw Water Supply Project for Rapid (PAMER), which officially began operations on Monday, is more than adequate to supply water to the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC), says Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Therefore, he said, the state government would relook at whether to proceed with the second phase of the project.

“Based on its current capacity, we don’t see the need to continue with the second phase, but we’ll look into it and maybe, if there is a need, it will just involve the dam expansion,” Mohamed Khaled told reporters after officially launching PAMER’s first phase operations at Seluyut Dam in Kota tinggi on Monday.

The RM1bil project, which began in 2014, has a capacity of 260 million litres per day (MLD) of water with 230 MLD to PIC and the rest to Sungai Lebam Dam for public use.

In its initial plan, PAMER comprises two phases with the first phase to be undertaken by the state government and the second phase to be built by other parties.

The second phase is expected to involve additional facilities to supply another 260 MLD for PIPC’s future users.

PAMER is one of the PIC’s six components in the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC).

Mohamed Khaled also said the state government was happy the project was completed and operating as scheduled.

“It is the first completed facility in the PIC and the project is part of our assurance that Kota Tinggi and Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) will not face water problems,” said Mohamed Khaled.

Meanwhile, Petronas executive vice-president and chief executive officer for downstream Md Arif Mahmood said PAMER had, in principle, been supplying water to Sungai Lebam since March.

“It will start supplying water to PIC in the fourth quarter of this year,” he said in a speech. - Bernama


Raw water facility in Johor's PIC starts operations
ZAZALI MUSA The Star 18 Jul 16;

KOTA TINGGI: The first facility in the multi-billion ringgit Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) Rapid Raw Water project (Pamer) had started operations as scheduled.

Petronas executive vice-president and chief executive officer downstream Mohd Arif Mahmood (pic) said Pamer would provide a total of 260 million litres per day (mld) of raw water.

He said apart from supplying the PIC, 30 mld of raw water would also be channelled to the Sungai Lebam reservoir to supplement the state's existing water supply.

The Pamer project involves the development of several main structures, namely the Seluyut dam and a water impound reservoir with a 73 million cubic metre capacity.

Others are an intake pump station at Sungai Sedeli Besar, a booster pump station at Sungai Seluyut, a terminal reservoir at Bukit Panjang and 90km of large water pipelines connecting these all together and to the PIC.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin opened the Seluyut dam located along Jalan Kota Tinggi near Felda Pasak.

Also present at the event were Petronas president and group chief executive officer Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin and senior vice president and CEO of Refinery and Petrochemical Corp Sen Bhd Dr Colin Wong Hee Huing.


Pengerang Integrated Complex's Raw Water Project Begins Operations
Bernama 18 Jul 16;

(Bernama) -- PETRONAS reached another important milestone in the development of the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) with Projek Air Mentah RAPID (PAMER) commencing operations today, the first facility within the PIC to run as scheduled.

PAMER is one of six associated facilities which will support the complex s overall development, slated to achieve successful start-up in the first quarter of 2019. It has commenced raw water supply from the Seluyut dam to Johor State s Sungai Lebam reservoir since March 2016 and will start supplying to the PIC project in Pengerang, here by Q4 this year.

PAMER will provide a total of 260 million litres per day (mld) of raw water. Apart from supplying the PIC, 30 mld of raw water is being channelled to the Sungai Lebam reservoir to supplement the state s existing water supply to the public in and around Pengerang, said PETRONAS Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Downstream, Encik Md Arif Mahmood.

This is part of PETRONAS corporate social investment (CSI) commitment to give back and contribute towards the betterment of the people and communities where we operate, he added.

Aside from the early supply of raw water to the Sungai Lebam reservoir, PETRONAS in November 2015 advanced the construction of the PAMER pipelines and allowed Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) to direct raw water from Sungai Papan to Sungai Lebam reservoir to help ease water woes in and around Pengerang.

Md Arif also congratulated the PAMER team for adhering to PETRONAS strict health, safety and environment (HSE) standards throughout the project.

This endeavour recorded 2.5 million of working hours without injury since it started in 2014. The team must be congratulated for this remarkable achievement, expressed Encik Md Arif.

A ceremony to commemorate the project completion was held today at the PAMER project site, attended by Johor Menteri Besar Dato Mohamed Khaled Nordin. Also present were Johor State Secretary Dato Haji Ismail Karim; Johor State Executive Council for Public Works, Rural and Regional, Datuk Ir Hasni Haji Mohammad; and Kota Tinggi District Officer Haji Mohd Noorazam Dato Haji Osman.

PETRONAS President and Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, and PETRONAS Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of PETRONAS Refinery and Petrochemical Corporation Sdn Bhd (PRPC), Ir Dr Colin Wong Hee Huing were also at the event.

The PAMER project involved the development of several main infrastructures, namely the Seluyut dam and water impounding reservoir with 73 million cubic metre storage capacity; an intake pump station at Sungai Sedili Besar; a booster pumping station at Sungai Seluyut; a terminal reservoir at Bukit Panjang; and 90 kilometres of large water pipelines connecting all these infrastructures and to the PIC.

The procurement, construction and commissioning (PCC) of PAMER was carried out by Konsortium Asia Baru - PPC JV (KAP) comprising Asia Baru Construction Sdn Bhd and Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd. -- BERNAMA

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Malaysia: Penang airport floods stall 12 flights

CRYSTAL CHIAM SHIYING, CAVINA LIM, and JOLYNN FRANCIS
The Star 19 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: A total of 12 flights were rescheduled at the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas after the terminal was flooded during a five-hour downpour which began at about 2.30pm.

The downpour caused the arrival hall to be flooded with water levels reaching 0.3m at about 5pm before subsiding about an hour later.

Airport senior manager Mohd Arif Jaafar said 10 incoming and two outgoing flights were affected from about 4pm onwards.

Among the affected flights were incoming AirAsia flights from Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur (two), Saigon and Johor Baru.

Also delayed were a Firefly flight from Kota Baru and three Malindo flights from Malacca, Subang and Kuala Lumpur.

There was also traffic jam at the arrival area of the airport as water was seen overflowing at the roundabout near the terminal.

Contractor Ong Lay Hong, 53, who was at the airport to pick up his son, who was arriving back from Beijing, said he was at the airport at 4.15pm and the water level was already rising.

“The water was flowing from inside the arrival hall to the waiting area for taxis,” he said.

Travellers, among them American tourist Trisha Goulding, 29, were seen lugging their heavy luggage through the water at the arrival hall.

“It is very inconvenient to drag my luggage through this flood water,” she said.

The flooding has happened for the umpteenth time at the airport since the RM250mil expansion project was completed at the end of 2012 and despite various measures taken over the years to reduce the flooding woes.

Based on newspaper reports, the airport had been hit by flash floods, sometimes up to twice a year.

Heavy rainfall also resulted in flooding in several areas on the island including Permatang Damar Laut, Teluk Bahang and Batu Ferringhi.

Teluk Bahang residents said it was one of the worst flash floods in recent years, with about 300 houses affected by the rising waters.

Teluk Bahang Village Development and Security Com­mittee chairman Zainudin Yusoff, 54, said the area worst hit in Teluk Bahang was Kampung Nelayan, which is near a river.

He said that it had rained for about 20 hours since 9.15pm on Sunday and that the condition worsened yesterday due to high tide.

South-west district officer Ederis Mat Din said about 30 people from 10 families had been evacuated yesterday.

But it is learnt that they returned to their homes once flood waters subsided.

He also confirmed there was no death reported at press time yesterday.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said heavy rainfall was recorded up to 190mm in the Teluk Bahang Dam and high tide had caused the Sungai Teluk Awak’s bank to burst.

The Meteorological Department here recorded a total rainfall of 164mm as of 8pm at the Bayan Lepas station yesterday, with the highest rainfall reading at 69.2mm at 5pm.


Heavy rains cause floods inside Penang airport
The Star 18 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: Tourists were seen lugging their heavy bags through a flooded Penang International Airport after a heavy downpour caused water to seep into the arrival hall in Bayan Lepas.

However, flights in and out of the airport remained open.

American Trisha Goulding, 29, said it was inconvenient to trudge around her luggage in flood waters.

"We had to circle in the air for awhile before landing," she said.

A Tourism Malaysia staff said it started flooding around 5pm.

"The waters were less than 0.3 meters in here but rose quite high in the waiting area outside," she said when interviewed at the scene.


14 flights rescheduled at Penang airport after storm
JOLYNN FRANCIS The Star 18 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: A total of 14 flights had to be rescheduled on Monday after heavy rains lashed the Penang International Airport (PIA) in Bayan Lepas.

Airport senior manager Mohd Arif Jaafar said the 10 incoming and four outgoing flights were affected since 4pm.

The airport’s arrival hall were flooded causing passengers to lug their suitcases through the waters.

Among the affected flights were AirAsia flights from Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur (two), Saigon and Johor Baru.

Also delayed was a Firefly flight from Kota Baru and three Malindo Air flights from Malacca, Subang and Kuala Lumpur.

The departure flights affected were Malaysia Airlines flights to Kuala Lumpur and AirAsia flights to Singapore.


One of worst floods hit Penang's Teluk Bahang
The Star 18 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: Teluk Bahang came under knee-deep of water after a continuous downpour from 1pm Monday in one of the worst floodings in years.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said lightning storms and strong winds were reported.

“Flood waters rose up to 0.3 meters.

“The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) are already in the area to provide assistance and clean up after the flood recedes,” he said.

Bernama reports that Teluk Bahang area was been hit by one of the worst flash floods in years due to the heavy rains.

The water level in some areas had reached above the knee and some cars had been stuck in the flood.

Locals expressed their worries as some areas had never experienced such a bad flash flood before.

One of the locals met who lived near the Teluk Awak river, Iskandar Hassan, 43, said that the water had risen quite fast and many vehicals had been stranded and water had entered several houses.

"If the rain continues, I am afraid that this will continue to happen throughout the rainy season," he said.

Teluk Bahang assemblyman Datuk Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah when contacted by Bernama said his main worry was that the flash flood was being triggered by the hill clearings.

Chow when contacted said that heavy rainfall up to 190mm had been recorded in Teluk Bahang Dam and high tide had caused the Teluk Awak river to overflow its banks.

The flooded areas are along Jalan Hassan Abas and the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) personnel had been sent to the flooded locations to assist the people.

Chow also said that so far the flood had been recorded at 12 inches in certain places and might be higher in some other places as heavy rain was expected to last till late evening.

Flash flood in Teluk Bahang due to poor drainage, says Hilmi
The Star 19 Jul 16;

BALIK PULAU: The flash flood which hit Teluk Bahang on Monday was due to the poor drainage system at Sungai Teluk Bahang, said Balik Pulau MP Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya.

Dr Hilmi, who is also Deputy Health Minister, said he would request for state and Federal allocations to build a bridge at Sungai Teluk Bahang to replace the two blocked water channels, which caused spillage to the village.

He said this to reporters after visiting the temporary flood shelter at the Penang City Council community hall near here on Monday night.

Several low lying areas in Penang, including Bayan Lepas, Batu Maung, Relau, Teluk Bahang and Penang International Airport were hit by flash floods following continuous heavy rains since noon.

He said five families were placed at the community hall while the rest stayed at their homes for fear of losing their valuables.

Over 300 families in Kampung Nelayan, Kampung Teluk Awak and Kampung Mukim 1 in Teluk Bahang were affected by the floods. – Bernama

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Can we feed the world without cutting forests? It can be done, says U.N.

Magdalena Mis, Thomson Reuters Foundation Yahoo News 18 Jul 16;

ROME, July 18 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Agriculture is the biggest driver of deforestation globally fuelled by a growing demand for food, yet it is possible to feed the world without cutting forests, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday.

Most forest loss occurs in the world's tropical regions, which lost 7 million hectares of forest a year between 2000 and 2010, while gaining 6 million hectares per year in agricultural land, FAO said in a report.

Some countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America have managed to change this pattern by improving land rights, boosting agricultural production and protecting forests, FAO said.

"There has always been the thinking that in order to produce more food to feed the growing population you need to clear more land for agriculture," said Eva Muller, director of the Forestry Policy and Resources Division at FAO.

"(But) it is possible (to produce more food without cutting forests)," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview.

The United Nations estimates that by 2050 the world will need to feed a population of more than 9 billion, up from 7.4 billion today. Yet 80 percent of arable land is already in use globally.

Chile, Vietnam, Gambia and Ghana were among more than 20 countries that in the past two decades improved their food security by increasing agricultural production, while maintaining or increasing forest cover, FAO said.

One of the key factors, Muller said, was investment in agriculture to boost production.

"The investment in agriculture was mainly to increase agriculture productivity through intensification rather than in clearing new land for agriculture," she said.

Better land planning and improved land rights, which contribute to better protection of forests, and improved coordination between forest and agriculture policies, were also important, she said.

"Secure and clear land tenure is key because if people have the right to land they will treat the land differently than if they don't," Muller said.

Forests are important for agriculture because they protect soil against erosion, conserve water and reduce flood risk, FAO said.

"In the past agriculture was focused on producing food, and forestry was focusing on something else, they were never talking to each other so sometimes their policies ended up being even contradictive," Muller said.

"If you're really looking at sustainable development, and this is what everybody wants, we need the forests because they are essential for regulating water flows, storing carbon and preserving soils," Muller said.

"Without forests you will not have those benefits any more and that will in a longer term create even more problems."

(Reporting by Magdalena Mis, editing by Alex Whiting; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)


Bridging the gap between forestry and agriculture to improve food security
FAO calls for better coordination between the two sectors towards sustainable farming systems and forest management
FAO 19 Jul 16;

Agro-forestry farmers are tending to the crops in Kigoma, Tanzania. Forests are an integral part of the national agriculture policy with the aim of protecting arable land from erosion and increasing agricultural production.
18 July 2016, Rome - While agriculture remains the most significant driver of global deforestation, there is an urgent need to promote more positive interactions between agriculture and forestry to build sustainable agricultural systems and improve food security. This is the key message of the FAO's flagship publication The State of the World's Forests (SOFO), presented today at the opening of the 23d Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO).

Forests play a major role in sustainable agricultural development through a host of channels, including the water cycle, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, natural pest control, influencing local climates and providing habitat protection for pollinators and other species.

"The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as the Paris Agreement on climate change, recognizes that we can no longer look at food security and the management of natural resources separately," said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva in his opening remarks to the Committee on Forestry."Both agreements call for a coherent and integrated approach to sustainability across all agricultural sectors and food systems. Forests and forestry have key roles to play in this regard".

"The key message from SOFO is clear: it is not necessary to cut down forests to produce more food," he added.

Agriculture accounts for the lion's share of the conversion of forests. According to today's report, in the tropics and subtropics large-scale commercial agriculture and local subsistence agriculture are responsible for about 40 percent and 33 percent of forest conversion, respectively, and the remaining 27 percent of deforestation happens due to urban growth, infrastructure expansion and mining.

On the flip side of the coin, the report stresses that forests serve many vital ecological functions that benefit agriculture and boost food production.

"Food security can be achieved through agricultural intensification and other measures such as social protection, rather than through expansion of agricultural areas at the expense of forests," said Eva Müller, Director of FAO's Forestry Policy and Resources Division. "What we need is better cross-sectoral coordination of policies on agriculture, forestry, food and land use, better land use planning, effective legal frameworks, and stronger involvement of local communities and smallholders."

She added: "Governments should provide local communities not only with secure land tenure but also with secure forest tenure rights. A farmer knows best how to manage his or her own resources but often lacks legal instruments to do so."

Improving food security while halting deforestation

Well-managed forests have tremendous potential to promote food security. Besides their vital ecological contributions, forests contribute to rural livelihoods and poverty alleviation through income generated by engaging in the production of forest goods and environmental services. About 2.4 billion people rely on woodfuel for cooking and water sterilization. And forest foods provide protein, minerals and vitamins to rural diets and can also serve as safety nets in periods of food scarcity.

According to SOFO, since 1990, over 20 countries succeeded in improving national levels of food security while at the same time maintaining or increasing forest cover - demonstrating that it is not necessary to cut down forests to produce more food. Twelve of these countries increased forest cover by over 10 percent: Algeria, Chile, China, the Dominican Republic, the Gambia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, Viet Nam.

Their successes all relied on a similar set of tools: effective legal frameworks, secure land tenure, measures to regulate land-use change, policy incentives for sustainable agriculture and forestry, adequate funding, and clear definition of roles and responsibilities of governments and local communities.

Successful case studies

The report cites case studies from seven countries - Chile, Costa Rica, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Tunisia and Viet Nam - that illustrate the opportunities for improving food security while increasing or maintaining forest cover. Six of these countries achieved positive change in the period 1990-2015 in two food-security indicators - the prevalence of undernourishment and the number of undernourished people - as well as increases in forest area. The Gambia, the only low-income country among the seven, succeeded in achieving the first goal of halving the proportion of hungry people within the same period.

Viet Nam, for example, has implemented a successful land reform to provide secure land tenure as a way of encouraging long-term investment. This process was accompanied by a shift from state forestry to multi-stakeholder forestry with the active participation of local communities including a forest land allocation programme and forest protection contracts with local households. The land reform was also coupled with policy instruments to increase agricultural productivity, including land tax exemptions, soft loans, export promotion, price guarantees, support for mechanization and reductions in postharvest losses.

In Costa Rica, deforestation reached its peak in the 1980s, mainly due to the conversion of forest cover to pastures. The country has since reversed this trend largely due to the forest law, which now prohibits changes in land use from natural forest, and its system of Payments for Environmental Services (PES), which provides farmers with incentives to plant trees, and supports forest conservation. As a result, forest cover has increased to nearly 54 percent of the country's land area in 2015.

In Tunisia national development plans recognize the beneficial role of forests in protecting land against erosion and desertification. Agricultural production has increased through intensification that makes better use of existing agricultural land through irrigation, fertilizers, mechanization, improved seeds and better farming practice. Incentives for establishing forest plantations in the country include free seedlings and compensation for the loss of agricultural income.

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Best of our wild blogs: 16-18 Jul 16

Predawn trip to Shores of East Coast
Offshore Singapore

New Species of Crab Discovered at Pulau Hantu
Hantu Blog

Happy World Snake Day!
Herpetological Society of Singapore

Night Walk At Punggol (15 July 2016)
Beetles@SG BLOG

Larval Host Plant for Butterflies: Mango
Butterflies of Singapore

Squaretail Mullet (Ellochelon vaigiensis) @ Tanah Merah
Monday Morgue

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Fish farms near Pulau Ubin raided for dealing in duty-unpaid cigarettes

Today Online 17 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE — Five people have been arrested for dealing in contraband cigarettes using fish farms off Pulau Ubin.

The arrests came after customs officials intercepted a lorry in Bukit Batok Street 21 on Wednesday (July 13) and found 15,960 packs of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden inside styrofoam boxes.

The 56-year old driver was arrested, and investigations revealed that the cigarettes had been smuggled into Singapore through a fish farm near Pulau Ubin.

A boat registered to the fish farm had carried the cigarettes, which were then loaded onto the lorry at Changi Creek. The boat and the lorry have been seized.

The Police Coast Guard and Singapore Customs identified the fish farm believed to be involved and raided it on Thursday. Two other fish farms were also raided.

The raids turned up another 2,088 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes, and following a two-day operation, four more people were arrested: A 51-year-old man, two men aged 32 and a woman aged 50.

According to a press release from Singapore Customs and the Singapore Police Force, the duty and Goods and Service Tax (GST) on the haul of 18,048 cigarette packets exceeded S$140,000 and S$14,000 respectively. Further investigations are ongoing.

Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing in duty-unpaid goods can result in fines of up to 40 times the duty and GST evaded, and/or a jail sentence of up to six years.

Authorities seize 18,000 duty-unpaid cigarette packets; 5 arrested
Channel NewsAsia 17 Jul 16;

SINGAPORE: Four men and a woman were arrested in a two-day joint operation on Wednesday (Jul 13) by Singapore Customs and the Police Coast Guard (PCG) for dealing with duty-unpaid cigarettes, said a joint news release.

A total of 18,048 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized in the operation. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) involved exceeded S$154,000.

On Wednesday afternoon, Singapore Customs officers intercepted a lorry in Bukit Batok Street 21 and found 15,960 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes stored in styrofoam boxes in the lorry.

The 56-year-old male lorry driver was arrested and the lorry was seized.

Investigations by Singapore Customs revealed that the boxes of duty-unpaid cigarettes had been loaded onto the lorry at Changi Creek from a boat registered to a coastal fish farm in the waters off Pulau Ubin.

Upon receiving this information, PCG’s intelligence and Loyang region officers immediately worked together to identify the fish farm believed to be involved in this illegal transaction.

In the early hours of the Thursday morning, PCG and Singapore Customs mounted a joint raid at the identified fish farm. Two other fish farms were also raided after further investigations by PCG investigators.

This follow-up and subsequent interviews by PCG and Singapore Customs officers led to the recovery of 2,088 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes packed in styrofoam boxes and the seizure of a boat.

One man aged 51, two men aged 32, and one woman aged 50, were arrested at the fish farms. Investigations are ongoing.

Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act.

Offenders will be severely dealt with. They can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, and/or jailed for up to six years.

The minimum court fine for first-time and repeat offenders of tobacco-related offences is $2,000 and $4,000 respectively. Repeat offenders who are caught with more than 2kg of tobacco products will also face mandatory jail sentences.

- CNA/mn

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Singapore to supply additional potable water to Johor after urgent request made

Today Online 17 Jul 16;

SINGAPORE — Singapore is providing Johor with an additional six million gallons of treated water per day after Johor’s water regulatory body made an urgent request.

This additional supply started on Sunday (July 17) and will continue for three days, Singapore’s PUB said in a statement. Currently, the Republic already provides 15 to 16 million gallons of treated water per day regularly for Johor.

According to the PUB, Johor requires the additional six million gallons of water per day to stabilise its supply system in Johor Baru, which has been affected by pollution in the Johor River.

“Service to PUB’s customers in Singapore will not be affected in any way as we are able to increase local production at short notice,” said the national water agency.

Last month, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said Singapore’s water supply was adequate even though it started supplying more potable water to Johor at the request of the Malaysian state’s water regulatory body.

He also said the Government had asked the Malaysian authorities to look at other ways to top up Linggiu Reservoir, which PUB operates and from which both Singapore and Johor draw water.

Under the 1962 Water Agreement with Malaysia, the PUB is entitled to draw 250 million gallons of raw water per day from the Johor River. In turn, PUB is obliged to sell 5 million gallons of treated water per day to Johor.

In practice, however, the PUB has been regularly providing Johor with three times this, up to 16 million gallons on a daily basis, said the water agency. The terms of the Water Agreement end in 2061.


Singapore supplies additional potable water to Johor on urgent request: PUB
Channel NewsAsia 17 Jul 16;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has begun supplying Johor additional potable water following an urgent request by Badan Kawalselia Air Johor (BAKAJ), said PUB in a media statement released on Sunday (Jul 17).

PUB said Johor BAKAJ requested for an additional supply of 6 million gallons of treated water per day for the next three days. The statement added that the water is needed to stabilise its own supply system in Johor Bahru after the shutdown on Wednesday due to pollution in the Johor River.

"PUB has readily acceded to this urgent request and commenced additional supply of treated water to Johor since 17 July 12am. This additional supply will continue for the next three days."

PUB added that customers in Singapore will not be affected in any way as it is able to increase local production at short notice.

The statement added: "PUB Singapore is entitled to draw 250mgd of raw water from the Johor River under the 1962 Water Agreement with Malaysia. This right is guaranteed by the 1965 Separation Agreement and expires in 2061. The 1962 Water Agreement also obliges PUB to sell 5mgd of treated water to Johor. In practice though, PUB has been regularly providing Johor with three times this, up to 16mgd on a daily basis."

This latest request for 6mgd is on top of the regular 15-16mgd we provide Johor every day, said PUB.

- CNA/mn

Johor makes 'urgent request' for additional treated water from Singapore
CAROLYN KHEW The Star 18 Jul 16;

SINGAPORE: Malaysia has started receiving an additional six million gallons of treated water per day from Singapore.

This comes after Johor's water regulatory body Badan Kawalselia Air Johor (Bakaj) made an "urgent request" on Saturday to national water agency PUB, asking for an additional supply of treated water.

"Bakaj requires this water to stabilise its own supply system in Johor Baru after a shutdown on Wednesday due to pollution in the Johor River," said PUB in a statement Sunday.

The agency added that it started supplying the additional amount of water yesterday and the arrangement will carry on until Tuesday.

The extra amount of treated water is being supplied by the PUB-operated Johor River Waterworks.

The latest arrangement, however, will not affect Singapore's own water supply as the agency is able to increase its own local production at short notice, said PUB.

This means getting more water from desalination plants here, as well as reservoirs, to ensure that Singapore's water needs are met.

Last week, The Star reported that effluents discharged from a palm oil mill have been identified as the main source of high ammonia content in the Johor River.

The pollution caused operations of three water treatment plants in Johor to stop, affecting some 600,000 users in the southern parts of Johor.

PUB is entitled to draw 250 million gallons of raw water daily from the Johor River under the 1962 Water Agreement with Malaysia, which expires in 2061.

In exchange, Singapore is obliged to sell five million gallons of treated water to Johor each day.

However, PUB has been regularly providing Johor with up to 16 million gallons of water on a daily basis. The new addition of six million gallons of water daily comes on top of this.

This is not the first time that Johor has asked Singapore to supply more water. There have been previous instances where Singapore had to supply additional water to Johor due to "urgent operational needs", said PUB.

Last month, Bakaj also requested that PUB provide an additional six million gallons of water per day for a month, following dry weather that severely affected water levels in Johor's Sungai Layang dam. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network


MB: No need to publicly argue with GLC over pollution of Sungai Johor
ZAZALI MUSA The Star 20 Jul 16;

KOTA TINGGI: The state government will not publicly spar with a government-linked company over the recent detection of high ammonia content in Sungai Johor while awaiting further test results.

Mentri Besar Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin said there was no need to argue publicly with the GLC-owned palm oil mill in Ulu Remis near Kluang which had been identified as having caused the pollution in Sungai Johor earlier this month.

“A closure notice has already been issued to the palm oil mill and we are awaiting the test results from the Department of Environment (DOE),” Mohamed Khaled said when asked to comment on the statement by the company that its in-house laboratory tests did not find any trace of effluents from the palm oil mill.

Mohamed Khaled spoke to reporters at a ceremony to mark the completion of the Seluyut Dam project near here which cost more than RM1bil.

The project supplies raw water to the multi-billion ringgit Petronas Pengerang Integrated Complex located about 90km from the dam area.

Mohamed Khaled said the palm oil mill had been given a stop-work order for 60 days from July 14 by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

The notice was served after DOE found that effluents from the mill were the main cause of high ammonia content in Sungai Johor.

The pollution was detected in the river on July 12, causing a major water disruption in three southern districts for three days until July 14.

It forced the shutdown of three water treatment plants, namely Semangar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong, which affected some 600,000 users.

The water treatment plants serve domestic, commercial and industrial users in Skudai, Kulai, Bukit Batu, Iskandar Puteri, Tanjung Bin power station and Port of Tanjung Pelepas.

On Singapore having supplied treated water to Johor during the three-day disruption, Mohamed Khaled said it was a normal procedure as agreed between the two sides.

“The same thing happened during the recent drought where we received treated water from the republic. It reflects the good bilateral relationship between Johor and Singapore.”

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Malaysia: State to meet owners of industries operating along Sg Johor

NELSON BENJAMIN The Star 15 Jul 16;

JOHOR BARU: All factory and mill owners operating along Sg Johor and Sg Sayong will be called in for a special meeting following the ammonia spill which caused a major water disruption affecting hundreds of thousands of consumers.

Johor Heath and Environment committee chairman Datuk Ayob Rahmat said that the meeting would be held as soon as possible and attended by personnel from the Environment Department and other agencies.

“Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Muhamad Khaled Nordin is concerned about this incident and has directed a meeting to ensure our waterways are free from pollution.

“This is the second time this has happened in the area this year,” he said, adding that previously it was due to an oil spill from an illegal factory which was burning tyres in Kulaijaya in April.

Ayob added that he expects to meet with at least 60 millers, factory operators and industries operating along a 26km stretch of Sg Johor.

He added that all these operators had complied with the regulations before obtaining an operating licence but they did not seem to maintain their equipment properly.

“Everyone needs to play their part. In the latest case, I have been informed that the effluent pond at an oil palm mill was not properly maintained causing the leakage,” he said.

On Tuesday, high levels of ammonia believed to be from a oil palm mill was discovered in Sg Johor prompting the shutting down of three water treatment plants.

It affected users in Skudai, Kulai, Bukit Batu, Tanjung Bin power plant, Iskandar Puteri and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas.

Syarikat Air Johor Holdings Sdn Bhd has mobilised tankers to supply water to public places such as hospitals, dialysis centres, places of worships and community halls.

Ayob also stressed that everyone should play their part in conserving the state’s water resources including the public who should stop throwing rubbish into the state’s waterways.


Johor to identify industries perating along all rivers
The Star 20 Jul 16;

JOHOR BARU: The state government will soon carry out an aerial mapping exercise to identify industry players operating along all rivers following the ammonia pollution that caused a major water disruption in Sungai Johor.

“This is needed to prevent similar incidents of pollution especially in rivers supplying raw water to consumers,” said State Secretary Datuk Ismail Karim.

He said the state has instructed the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) to conduct investigations and plan the aerial mapping to identify industries currently operating along all rivers, including Sungai Johor.

This is the second time waste has been emitted from an oil palm mill in the state.

The first incident occurred in Felda Taib Andak, Kulai in 2015 where an illegal factory processing waste and old tyres caused water pollution, said Ismail when met at an open house hosted by Johor Village Heads Association at Kompleks Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat here.

He also said the oil palm mill belonging to a government-linked company in Ulu Remis here has been served a 60-day notice of closure starting from July 15 pending cleaning up works

Ismail added that the notice of closure was issued by the Department of Environment under Section 31 of the Environment Quality Act 1974, adding that investigation papers would be opened under Section 16.

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Malaysia: Johor seeking an end to water woes

ZAZALI MUSA The Star 18 Jul 16;

JOHOR BARU: The state authorities should start going to the water catchment areas to monitor activities carried out there and stop those that are polluting major rivers and disruption water supply.

President of Green Earth Society Johor P. Sivakumar said that concerted efforts, including strict enforcement, were needed from the authorities to ensure major water disruption would not happen again in Johor.

He said in April 2015, almost 500,000 users in three southern districts of Johor, were left high and dry following a huge oil slick in Sungai Johor.

“Now, a high level of ammonia content in Sungai Johor has affected some 600,000 consumers in southern parts of Johor and they were left without water for three days,” Sivakumar said when contacted on Friday.

The oil spill has been identified as diesel-based and was from tyre burning activity at a factory in Felda Taib Andak in Kulai.

In the latest case, a high content of ammonia was detected by the authorities on June 12, from the effluents discharged by a palm oil mill in Ulu Remis near Kluang into Sungai Johor.

Raw water from Sungai Johor was supplied to the Semangar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatments plants which supplied water to users in the three districts in southern Johor.

“Enforcement must be lacking as otherwise this latest episode of another major water disruption would not have happened again in just 15 months,’’ he said.

Sivakumar said apart from Sungai Johor, which was the main source of water supply in south Johor including for the multi-billion ringgit petroleum complex in Pengerang, other rivers which were in need of immediate attention were Sungai Kapal and Sungai Santi.

He said the big question now was how the government could assure the people they can provide clean water to south Johor in the future if the rivers were polluted.

Johor Malaysian Nature Society chairman Vincent Chow said the government had not much choice now but to start relocating existing industries along river banks further inland.

“Approving factories near the river banks and areas closer to water catchment areas by the authorities is already wrong and the people are paying the price for it,’’ he said.

Chow said the authorities would start blaming the industries for polluting the rivers but the industries on the other hand said they had complied with the regulations.

Johor Health and Environment committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said all factory and mill operators along Sungai Johor and Sungai Sayong would be called in for a special meeting following the ammonia spill.

There are about 60 millers, factory operators and industries operating along a 26km stretch of Sungai Johor.

“The operators had complied with the regulations before obtaining an operating licence but they do not seem to be maintaining their equipment properly,” he said.

Read more!

Malaysia: Whale carcass washes up on Malacca beach

ROSHIDI ABU SAMAH New Straits Times 17 Jul 16;

MALACCA: A carcass believed to be that of a beached whale calf was found at Pantai Puteri here yesterday.

The carcass, measuring about two metres, was found by a Civil Defence Department (JPAM) personnel around 1am.

JPAM personnel Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, 61, said the carcass was found by his colleague, who was on duty at a nearby lookout tower.


He said his colleague initially thought that the large object was a wooden stump washed in by the waves.

"Upon further inspection, he realised that the object was a dead whale calf," he said when met at the beach yesterday.

Ridzuan said there were visible injuries on the whale, believed to have been inflicted by a ship's propeller.

It is learnt that the carcass would be collected by SWM Environment Sdn Bhd workers for disposal.

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Malaysia: Get prepared for a wet, wet season

The Star 17 Jul 16;

PETALING JAYA: The wet and rainy season is here. According to the Malaysian Meteorological Depart­ment, many areas in the peninsula will be hit by scattered rain from now until next month.

An average monthly rainfall of between 100mm and 250mm is expected and may see further increase in September.

In Sarawak, the department is predicting “higher than normal” rainfall of between 200mm and 250mm for this month, especially in Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman and Sibu. Other areas in the state will experience normal average rainfall.

The department said that many parts of Sabah would receive normal rainfall during the same period.

Currently, Malaysia is experiencing the south-west monsoon which is expected to last until mid-September. La Nina’s effects are likely to be felt around September, with an active hurricane expected in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, and these might affect many parts of Sabah.

The La Nina phenomenon is coming at the tail end of the strongest El Nino in 20 years, which brought scorching heat and dry days earlier in the year.

The latest data from a United States climate agency showed that there was a 75% chance of La Nina occurring between October and December.

The National Disaster Manage­ment Agency has been tasked to coordinate disaster preparedness and flood mitigation plans for La Nina.

Bad weather halts flight departures, arrivals at KLIA, KLIA2
HARIZ MOHD New Straits Times 18 Jul 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Stormy skies over the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and klia2 saw delays in departures and arrivals of several flights last night.

Malaysia Airports Bhd in a statement said the delays affected Malaysia Airlines, Tiger Airways, JetStar and Air Asia flights from 7pm upwards.

"Malaysia Airports would like to inform that there have been some delays of arrival and departure of flights from 7pm this evening affecting Malaysia Airlines, Tiger Airways, JetStar and Air Asia due to bad weather over KLIA and klia2.

"Based on the information we received from Air Traffic Control, the bad weather had also affected Singapore."

The statement posted on MAHB's official Facebook page after midnight today stated that flight movements at both airports had resumed as normal as weather conditions had improved.

It said passengers have been advised to check with the respective airlines to confirm their flight schedules.


Heavy shower, thunderstorms in KL nothing to do with La Nina
The Star 14 Jul 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: The heavy shower and thunderstorms which hit the federal capital Wednesday had nothing to do with the La Nina phenomenon but the country is still experiencing the south-west monsoon.

Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Madius Tangau said the south-west monsoon phase, where the atmosphere was drier had started since the third week of May and was expected to continue until September.

Thus, he said, the current hot and dry weather resulted in the country having less rain compared to the other seasons.

“But, heavy rain and thunderstorms are still expected to occur because of the presence of the squall line, that is, a line of thunderstorm cloud moving from the sea towards land.

“This phenomenon can occur during dawn especially in the coastal areas in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, west Johor, west Sabah and Sarawak,” he said Wednesday.

Yesterday afternoon, the federal capital was hit by thunderstorms which resulted in flash floods in several locations and uprooted trees that damaged more than 10 vehicles. – Bernama

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