Supply of vegetables hit by Malaysia floods

Ng Lian Cheong, Channel NewsAsia 28 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE: The supply of some types of vegetables in Malaysia has been affected by the continuing floods in the country.

This has, in turn, caused the supply of these products to Singapore to fall by about 20 per cent. To stabilise the market, importers are bringing in about 20 per cent more vegetables from the south of China.

"The Kuala Lumpur market is bigger, so the demand is higher and some vegetables have gone there,” said Mr Vincent Lee, a treasurer at Singapore Fruits and Vegetables. The supply to Singapore markets has fallen by about 20 per cent. The price has gone up by about 20 cents per kilogramme."

The floods have also affected other services. The only express bus service that travels from Singapore to the Eastern Coast of Peninsula Malaysia said it had to cancel its daily trips from Dec 27 to Dec 29.

With Kelantan one of the more severely hit areas, one logistics company that delivers construction materials and food told Channel NewsAsia it also halted operations.

- CNA/ec

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$18m green makeover well under way in Yuhua

Yeo Sam Jo, The Straits Times AsiaOne 29 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE - The $18 million project to transform Yuhua in Jurong into Singapore's first "green" neighbourhood is well under way.

Among the initiatives rolled out thus far are a new bicycle parking system, a vertical green wall and LED lighting in carparks.

Under the Housing Board's Greenprint scheme announced in 2012, 38 blocks in the estate will be equipped with energy- and water-saving solutions.

So far, LED street lighting has been installed at all three open-air carparks and their driveways in the estate. It is estimated that this will reduce energy consumption by at least half.

New double-tiered bicycle racks have also been installed at the void decks of 28 blocks.

Known as a dual bicycle rack system, the frames allow for twice the number of bicycles to be parked in the same space.

Block 223 in Jurong East Street 21 has also received a green makeover - literally.

Its walls are now covered in plant creepers, which, besides enhancing the estate's greenery, are expected to reduce the building's surface temperature by up to 5 deg C.

Also afoot are works to install solar panels on the roofs of 29 blocks, as well as elevator energy-regeneration systems in 18 blocks.

The lift systems can shave off about 20 per cent in energy consumption, while the solar panels will be used to power common areas such as lifts, as well as corridor and staircase lighting.

Work has similarly begun on building a pneumatic waste conveyance system.

This automated method uses vacuum-type underground pipes to gather household refuse, hence reducing the manpower needed for waste collection.
These green initiatives, to be completed next year, are expected to save up to $144,000 annually, said the HDB.

Residents in Yuhua are getting on the green bandwagon with their own activities.

Through the HDB's Greenprint Fund, which supports the testing of green ideas, they have started three hobby farming zones, as well as two community "parklets" - landscaped corners at void decks where residents can rest and interact.

Research engineer Lin Min, 26, who lives in Block 231, said he feels lucky to live in Yuhua and likes the new bicycle racks.

"I grew up here and it's cool to see the estate having a fresher look, and with greener technology," he said.

"The novelty appeals to me, and it feels good to do something for the environment."

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Malaysia: Third wave of floods may hit east coast states, Johor

New Straits Times 29 Dec 14;

KUANTAN: Folks in Johor and along the east coast have been urged to brace themselves for a third wave of floods expected to strike the peninsula from today until Wednesday.

Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad yesterday called on the people in his state to be prepared, to ensure that aid and rescue missions could be carried out in an orderly manner.

“Two important things to focus on in times of floods are the efforts of the relevant agencies in saving lives and the delivery of basic needs, such as food and drinks, to victims.

“I urge people to evacuate when they are instructed to do so, even when the situation has not reached a dangerous level,” he said at the Pahang police headquarters here.

Tengku Abdullah was speaking after a briefing by State Secretary Datuk Seri Muhammad Safian Ismail, who is also Pahang disaster committee chairman.

Four deaths have been reported in the state so far, with one each in Lipis, Jerantut, Temerloh and Sungai Lembing in Kuantan.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Meteorological Department commercial and corporate services director Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said heavy rain was expected over the southern part of Terengganu, eastern Pahang and Johor in the coming days.

He said folks in Johor, especially, would have to brace themselves for the worst, given that they had yet to experience floods as severe as those in the east coast states. However, he said, Kelantan could look forward to a much-needed reprieve.

“We are expecting a lot more monsoon rain over the east coast and the coasts of Sabah and Sarawak, which may last for a few days, and less rain in Kelantan.”

Floods: Pahang prepares for third wave
The Star 28 Dec 14;

KUANTAN: The people in Pahang have been told to be prepared to face the third wave of floods expected to strike from Monday until Wednesday.

Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad, said being prepared was vital to ensure that aid and rescue mission could be carried out in an orderly manner.

"Two very important things to focus in times of floods are efforts of the relevant agencies in saving lives and delivery of basic needs such as food and drinks to victims.

"I urge the rakyat to evacuate immediately when they are instructed to eventhough it has not reached a dangerous situation. This is to prevent any untoward incidents," he said after attending a briefing at the Pahang Contingent Police Headquarters here.

So far four deaths had been reported in Pahang, each in Lipis, Jerantut, Temerloh and Sungai Lembing in Kuantan.

Tengku Abdullah said, Pekan, Maran, Kuantan and Rompin were still in critical situation.

"I am very satisfied with the work carried out by the agencies so far and after this, efforts should be focused on the districts which are still critical," he said. - Bernama

Floods: New school term postponed, to start on Jan 11, Jan 12: Muhyiddin
SAMEER AHMED SHAIKH New Straits Times 29 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The new school term has been postponed for a week due to the flood situation, says Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The scheduled school term will now take effect on Jan 11 for Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor while for the rest of the states, the school term will resume on Jan 12.

Muhyiddin said the decision was reached after looking at the flood situation and understanding the difficulties faced by teachers and students should the school term resumed as previously planned

He added, as of Dec 28, there are 340 schools in 7 states affected by floods either used as temporary relief centres or they were inundated.

Muhyiddin also said if the flood situation improves, schools are urged to use the period of postponement to organise gotong-royong to ensure an optimum learning environment.

Malaysian government under fire for flood response
More than 120,000 people forced to flee homes as rescuers battle to reach inundated parts of north-east of country
Agence France-Presse theguardian.com 27 Dec 14;

Rescue teams struggled on Saturday to reach inundated areas of north-east Malaysia as victims accused the government of being slow to provide assistance after the country’s worst flooding in decades.

Malaysians have vented their anger at the prime minister, Najib Razak, after the release of photos which went viral on social media showing him playing golf with the US president, Barack Obama, during the storms.

The number of people forced to flee their homes climbed past 120,000 with weather forecasters warning of no respite for the north-eastern states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

The under-fire Najib was expected to arrive in Kelantan on Saturday to lead the national flood response after cutting short his holiday in Hawaii, his aide Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad said.

The government has allocated about $14m to manage relief centres.

The deputy prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, admitted rescuers were facing challenges with power outages and roads being washed away by the floods.

“I admit the situation is challenging to the rescue workers and we are trying our best to make sure that the food arrives to the victims depending on the flood situation,” he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.

Military helicopters and trucks were seen in Kota Bharu area, which is near the border with southern Thailand, but rescue efforts were being hampered by fast rising waters and strong currents while roads to hard-hit areas were impassable.

“The severity and scale of the floods had taken the authorities completely by surprise as it was worse than anticipated, overwhelming all disaster management plans and preparations,” Lim Kit Siang, veteran opposition MP with the Democratic Action party said in a statement on Saturday.

Kelantan, one of the worst-affected areas, is led by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic party (PAS) and is one of the poorest states in the country.

From the air, parts of the state capital Kota Bharu resembled a vast, muddy lake, with row after row of rooftops peeking out of the murky waters.

Tempers were frayed among people sheltering at a crowded relief centre just outside Kota Bharu, with fears the situation would worsen as it continued to rain in surrounding areas.

“I am angry with them [the government]. We don’t care about their politics. We just want the government to do what they should do and help us,” Farhana Suhada, 23, who works for a courier service, said.

Holding on tightly to her six-month-old baby, she said: “For breakfast I had three biscuits and tea. There’s not enough water and no food at all for my baby. I had to buy my own milk.”

Suhada was forced to abandon her home four days ago after flood waters rose quickly almost to neck level.

“I have lost everything, including huge damage to my house and my car and motorcycle,” said Suhada, who was among 200 people seeking refuge in a two-storey school.

Many flood victims were seen lying on the floor while children ran around.

Nur Fatin Nurnabilah, 13, said it was her first experience of floods and she was afraid for her family’s future.

“I am scared and I miss my home,” she said. I am scared because I can’t swim. And we lost everything we had.”

2-week closure for East-West link
New Straits Times 29 Dec 14;

IPOH: The East-West Highway, which has been impassable since Wednesday, will remain closed to traffic for up to two weeks, said state Public Works Department director Datuk Dr Safry Kamal Ahmad.

He said the department had to extend the closure because of more landslides along the highway.

“There were four landslides, at Km69, Km79, Km87 and Km90,” he said, adding that three of the landslides were in Perak, while the Km90 site, the worst of the four, occurred in Kelantan.

Safry said the department had initially sought to reopen the highway for between three and seven days.

He said 23 roads in the state had been closed to traffic, mostly in Perak Tengah and Hulu Perak districts.

Motorists can call the department at 1800-88-3377 for more information on road closures.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 28 Dec 14

Morning Walk At Venus Drive (27 Dec 2014)
from Beetles@SG BLOG

2014 - Looking Back...
from Butterflies of Singapore

Pasir Ris Park (28 December 2014)
from Psychedelic Nature

Strait to the city
from The annotated budak

Leopard cats in the news: illegal wildlife trade
from Through the Eyes of the Leopard Cat

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Foreign worker volunteers clean up East Coast Park

Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia 28 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE: Over 300 foreign workers from the construction industry spent part of their rest day to help clean a 7-kilometre stretch of East Coast Park on Sunday morning (Dec 28). The initiative, which started at 8am, was organised by their employer GATES PCM Construction.

The company said the workers, who participated in the clean-up, did so voluntarily. They come from countries such as India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.

The initiative is part of the firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. Last year, the company brought some of its workers to help out at an old age home. For its CSR initiative this year, it got every foreign worker on its payroll involved.

Its CEO M Krishna said: "Last year's effort was warmly welcomed, when we involved a fraction of our foreign employees. Therefore, I felt this year, I should give all my foreign employees an opportunity to give back to the country that has given them a better life."

Sivanessan s/o Kitnasamy, director of GATES PCM Construction, said: "A lot of them are quite veterans in terms of their work in Singapore...(as long as) about 12 to 14 years. So these guys have a little bit of sense of belonging to Singapore and this is one of the ways they can display that."

One employee, Kaleeswaran Vdaiyar, said: "I don't mind taking a half day (of my rest day to clean the East Coast Park), because I like Singapore, and I want to help clean the park. I like to do social service."

One park user was grateful for the clean-up. Katherine Ee said: "Feel thankful, feel very thankful. Since I know that they are doing on (a) volunteer basis, I think if I jog past them, I will appreciate it, say thank you..."


- CNA/ir

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Malaysia: Flood situation in Johor improving

Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

JOHOR BARU: The number of flood victims in Johor continue to decline with only 439 victims still being sheltered at 10 relief centres as at 4 pm.

At noon, the number stood at 1,096 victims at 14 centres in six districts in the state.

The Johor National Security Council (NSC) said there are still 10 flood relief centres in operation while five centres have been closed.

There are 182 victims from 37 families currently being sheltered at three relief centres in Kluang, which is the hardest hit district, while in Segamat, two centres are still in operation housing 19 victims from four families. In Batu Pahat, two centres remained open with 94 victims from 31 families.

In Kota Tinggi, one centre is currently operating to house 72 victims from 20 families while in Kulaijaya, 54 victims from 14 families are currently seeking shelter at one centre. In Muar, one centre is in operation, housing 18 victims from six families.

160,000 evacuees to date
The Star 28 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: The number of flood evacuees rose by more than 40,000 to over 160,000 as the floods worsened due to bad weather.

Rescue and relief efforts intensified as Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, Johor, Perlis and Selangor recorded a rise in the number of evacuees yesterday.

The floods have killed eight people, including an 18-month-old child, two cousins and a husband and wife.

Kelantan was the worst-hit state, with the number of victims displaced nearly doubling to 81,925 from 45,467 on Friday.

They are part of 160,921 victims nationwide seeking shelter as at 3pm yesterday, up from 120,341 on Friday.

In Pahang, the number of evacuees stood at 35,564, Terengganu at 35,246, Perak at 6,730, Johor at 1,096, Perlis at 195, Selangor at 85 and Negri Sembilan at 80.

There is no sign yet that the situation will improve, with the Meteorological Department issuing an alert to warn of the possibility of monsoon rains occurring from tomorrow to Wednesday.

States affected by the alert are Perlis, Kedah, north Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Sabah (Kudat and Sandakan) and Sarawak (Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah and Betong).

In Kelantan, Welfare Depart­ment director Nik Omar Nik Abdul Rahman said the victims were being sheltered at 254 evacuation centres.

More food items and relief supplies have begun arriving by air to Kelantan at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, including donations by ordinary Malaysians and non-governmental organisations.

Airport manager Ramzi Ahmad said the airport remained open although some areas nearby were already flooded, including parts of Jalan Sabak, Jalan Pengkalan Chepa and Jalan Tok Guru.

Two previous floods recorded more victims
The Star 28 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: The current floods that have hit many states are some of the worst in Malaysia, but there had been two incidents in the past decade that saw bigger numbers of victims.

A 2013 statement by the National Security Council (NSC) on its website stated that flooding at the end of 2010 triggered the evacuation of 230,000 residents.

Heavy rain in Kelantan, Johor and Kedah that year also damaged 45,000ha of rice fields.

NSC said 140,000 people were evacuated when a typhoon that landed over the Philippines and Vietnam led to heavy rain from December 2006 to January 2007.

The 2006 floods affected a number of states that included Pahang, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

The worst ever flood to hit Kelantan was in January 1926.

It was referred to as the “red flood” (bah merah) as the water, which inundated almost all parts of the state, was reddish in colour, a departure from the usual milk tea or brown-coloured water.

The reddish tint was caused by the many landslides following 10 days of non-stop heavy rain.

The current flood situation, meanwhile, has yet to show signs of abating with the Meteorological Department issuing 38 severe weather alerts since Dec 18.

Fifteen were categorised as “red” alerts, 15 as “orange” alerts and eight as “yellow” alerts.

With the exception of Putrajaya, alerts have been issued in all states and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

A yellow alert involves a possibility of a monsoonal surge within the next 24 to 48 hours, while an orange alert is for moderate to heavy monsoon rains from a low-pressure system or tropical depression with sustained wind speeds of 50kph to 60kph, or when there are strong winds of between 50kph and 60kph for more than two hours.

A red alert is for moderate to heavy widespread monsoon rain accompanied by wind speeds of 60kph or more with moderate to heavy rain for over two hours.

Red alerts hint at the strong possibility of flooding that is accompanied by swift currents.

East West Highway cut off due to landslides
HARIZ New Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

IPOH: The East West Highway in Gerik, near here, is still cut off at its KM63 due to a landslide on Tuesday evening, while a part of the highway at its KM83 (Jeli-bound) is also closed due to a landslide.

Three roads in Perak Tengah - Jalan Selat - Teluk Sena, Jalan Bota Kanan - Teluk Intan and Jalan Parit - Siputih, are also closed to all vehicles as they are inundated by flood water of between four and five-metre depth.

A state National Security Council spokesman said Jalan Sungai Korok - Cangkat Banjar (Parit) in Perak Tengah; Jalan Telok Bakong - Kampung Gajah; and Mile 38 of the Alor Pongsu - Bukit Merah road in Kerian are only accessible by heavy vehicles.

Meanwhile, another road in Kerian, which connects Bagan Serai and Selama (at KM17), and Jalan Lintang - Pekan Lintang in Sungai Siput had been declared as risky for light vehicles.

The main road at Felda Lapang Nenering (KM8.5) in Pengkalan Hulu was also affected by a landslide, but still accessible with only one lane.

Road users who wish to travel in Perak can check on accessible roads by contacting the state Public Works Department hotline at 1800-88-33-77.

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Malaysia: Sibu achieves first-ever zero-styrofoam target

Raymond Tan The Borneo Post 28 Dec 14;

Styrofoam containers can leach out toxic dioxin into warm food or drink, posing health threats to the gastrointestinal tracts and kidneys and even more dangerously, the toxin is carcinogenic in nature.

SIBU has marked a milestone in environmental preservation by becoming the first town in Sarawak to ban polystyrene – or more known as styrofoam – takeaway containers.

Effective Jan 1 this year, styrofoam meal boxes which eateries have been using for three decades, have all but vanished from food stalls, coffeeshops and restaurants across town – to be replaced by bio-degradable paper boxes.

The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) have been working with local food operators for nearly two years towards achieving this zero-styrofoam target; and their indefatigable ‘greening’ efforts have earned them the reputation as being the most successful among other councils in the state in such endeavour.

For years, it has been working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to raise awareness among the townsfolk of the benefits of composting or making natural enzymes from organic food waste which in turn, could flourish home gardens.

The townsfolk have also been encouraged to reduce the use of plastic bags, practise the 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle) and segregation of refuse to cut down landfill waste, recycle e-waste, as well as to continue observing the annual Earth Hour in March and Love Earth Day in April.

The council held dialogues with food operators in implementing the ban against styrofoam containers, apart from introducing it on a trial basis during last year’s Borneo Cultural Festival and other major food fests and also bringing the idea to schools, kindergartens and social organisations as well as educating the public through the media and forums.

The announcement on the ban came in July last year – which SMC felt was the right time for the implementation.
The then-deputy chairman Daniel Ngieng pointed out that the council was determined to enforce the ban, stressing that it would deal firmly against those defying the regulation.

He reminded food operators: “The ban will be a clause under the licence of all eateries. There will be two warnings for offenders – come the third offence, their licence will be revoked.”

Sibu food operators now have turned to using paper takeaway packs.

Kudos for move

When the ban came into effect on Jan 1 this year, it earned praises from environmental conservation groups, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia.

Its head of conservation for Sarawak, Dr Henry Chan, lauded SMC’s move in supporting the Local Agenda 21 slated for sustainable development.

“We’re pleased that Sibu is taking this initiative – the first in Sarawak. It is not only benefitting the community, but is also a noble act towards environmental conservation. Banning polystyrene is how society can play its communal role for the environment,” he said.

Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos also gave his support for the initiative, adding that styrofoam packaging should not be used at all because it could adversely affect people’s health and the environmentin view of it being a by-product of petroleum containing hydrocarbon.

Dawos, a former state environmental advisor, pointed out that styrofoam containers could leach out toxic dioxin into warm food or drink, posing health threats to the gastrointestinal tracts and kidneys and even more dangerously, the toxin was carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in nature.

“Polystyrene packaging is also environmentally-unfriendly because it takes (five) centuries to biodegrade. It’s is even more poisonous than plastic bags because when hot, it (styrofoam) releases dioxin more quickly.”

Adding on, Dawos said most developed cities around the world had already banned such packaging.

Meanwhile SMC secretary Hii Chang Kee said the council was determined to work with the people to ensure the success of the ban.

“Our long-term objective is to create a friendly environment for future generations.

“According to our contractors, lots of drain blockages are caused by styrofoam containers being thrown into them. These containers also collect water and in turn, become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.”

The SMC has reasons to worry about the accumulation of waste in their Kemuyang landfill, noting that nearly 30 per cent of the dump are plastic materials inluding polystyrenes, as well as paper products and paper boards.

Chain reaction

The participation of food operators and members of the public in the polystyrene-ban movement has been encouraging.

Food operators had already switched to using paper takeaway boxes one month before implementation of the ban, as a way to acclimatise their customers to the change.

One economy rice stall owner at Tuanku Osman Road said he started using paper containers on Dec 1, charging them at 20 sen apiece.

“Surprisingly, public response was encouraging. If you want to save costs, (you should) bring your own (non-polystyrene) containers.”

So far, he hasn’t received any negative feedback.

It seems that SMC’s effort in banning styrofoam packaging has sparked a chain reaction.

On Oct 2 this year, neighbouring town Sarikei took the bold step in launching their ‘Say No to Polystyrene For Packaging of Food’ campaign in response to concerns over the health hazards and negative environmental effects caused by polystyrene.

Sarikei District Council (SDC) chairman Chan Phan Chan said: “For the good of the community and the environment, we discourage the use of polystyrene materials. As the authority entrusted with overseeing the operation of local eateries, SDC is duty-bound to ensure that food operators would strictly comply with food safety regulations.”

The SDC now requires all food operators to use bio-degradable materials for takeaway packs.

Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) followed suit. On Oct 18, it launched a similar drive against the use of polystyrene for food packaging.

SRDC deputy chairman Oliver Kuo said notices were sent to food and drinks operators a month in advance, adding that they were allowed to use up the remaining polystyrene packs.

“By 2015, there will be no more polystyrene meal boxes in Sibu Jaya as well as in Selangau.”

Kuo said just like SMC, SRDC had also identified styrofoam packs as the main cause for blocked drains.

SRDC’s jurisdiction covers the outer parts of Sibu, including the villages along the west bank of Sungai Bidut, the new township of Sibu Jaya and the hinterland town of Selangau.

It appears that with implementation of the ban by both councils, the prohibition against the use of polystyrene food packaging in Sibu is total.

Dr Henry Chan hopes that other town councils and local governments across the state would emulate SMC’s effort in replacing polystyrene packaging with alternative ones made from recycled paper and bio-degradable products, as well as encouraging customers to bring their own food containers.


A beach along an island in the Pacific, miles away from human habitation, is littered with polystyrene and plastic waste that have been washed ashore.

Wake-up call

THE use of polystyrene or styrofoam meal packs is still frustratingly extensive in Sarawak because only three local councils have enforced the ban against them. This means over 90 per cent of the population across the state are still using polystyrene packaging.

If you are one of them, think of the consequence on you and the adverse impact you are building for your children:

=You’re adding polystyrene waste to your home space for the next 500 years because that is how long it takes for it to compose.

=You are adding to the 46,000 pieces of floating plastic per square mile in the ocean when the items you throw away flow to the sea. The latest figure in PLOS ONE journal shows that an estimated five trillion pieces of plastic, including polystyrene items weighing altogether over 250,000 tonnes, are floating around the world’s oceans. They will stay there for the next 500 years, unless they are mistakenly consumed by sea creatures, which will eventually kill them.

=You are adding to the 30 per cent of non-biodegradable waste in the landfill.

=You are eating poison because polystyrene contains toxic substances, styrene and benzene. You face the risk of getting cancer and suffering from neurotoxins. Hot food and liquids cause styrofoam to break down. Styrene, then, enters your bloodstream and tissues.

The accumulation of the residues in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves causes acute or chronic functional impairment of the nervous system. You will suffer from depression, headache, fatigue, weakness as well as effects on kidney function and blood.

You are also drinking poison if you drink tea with lemon, coffee with dairy cream, fruit juices, alcoholic beverages, oily hot soup and wine from styrofoam cups and bowls. These drinks, especially red wine, instantly dissolves styrene monomer.

You are spoiling your health if you heat Vitamin A-rich food like tomatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes in polystyrene containers. In packaged food with the addition of heat (including that induced via microwave), Vitamin A will decompose and produce m-xylene, toluene and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene.

You are polluting Earth because polystyrene manufacturing is the fifth largest creator of hazardous waste due to its large power consumption that creates greenhouse gas effect. Polystyrene’s environmental impacts are also the second highest, behind aluminium.

You are contributing to global warming because polystyrene manufacturing process causes ozone depletion, which poses 1,000 times greater effect on global warming than carbon dioxide.

You are putting your health in danger and depleting the environment if you burn polystyrene waste in your garden. Burning releases carbon monoxide and styrene monomer.

A Green Action Plan: The four simple steps

Banning polystyrene food packets is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the array of green solutions to address global plastic pollution. Nevertheless, taking the first positive step means that half the battle is already won.

Use reusable cups at work instead of foam cups.

When shopping for groceries, select items that are unwrapped, or wrapped in non-polystyrene materials such as vegetables, eggs and meat.

Ask local restaurants and food suppliers to use a more environmentally friendly form of food packaging or takeaway packs. In Sibu, most food operators are using paper meal boxes.

Report to the SMC, SRDC and SDC should you encounter food operators in these areas serving you food in polystyrene packs.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 27 Dec 14

Civet roadkill recovery – small actions can save the lives of wildlife
from Life of a common palm civet in Singapore

Birdwatching in Bidadari - Raptors spotted (December 2014)
from Rojak Librarian

Cave Nectar Bats taking nectar from banana flowers
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Hornbills move into suburban Singapore
from Bird Ecology Study Group

The False Curry Leaf Tree, a bird magnet
from Singapore Bird Group

Unidentified Non-Flying Objects, Common Sights & Watery Forests
from Winging It

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Malaysia: Dept defers report on Forest City

SIM BAK HENG New Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

JOHOR BARU: THE Department of Environment (DOE) has deferred its decision on the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) report on the controversial Forest City project following recommendations by a panel of experts to minimise impact on the Straits of Johor.

The recommendations would be incorporated into the DEIA, and its implementation would be monitored by government agencies.

The experts, from various departments, such as the Marine Department, the Drainage and Irrigation Department and the Johor Baru Tengah Municipal Council, together with academicians, attended a meeting on Tuesday to evaluate the Forest City DEIA report.

It is learnt that some of the experts had given their recommendations on mitigation and rectification measures and shared the same interest of preventing the straits from further damage.

“The matter has not been finalised. There are procedural matters that need to be ironed out. However, a decision will be made soon,” said a panel expert who attended the meeting. Based on anecdotal evidence, another expert said the DEIA report was likely to be accepted after the recommendations from the experts had been included.

“The announcement is a matter of time. When it is hard to reverse a decision, the only way is to minimise its impact, and this is the least we can do. If the ultimate goal is to reject the report, it doesn’t make sense to go through such a lengthy process to incorporate the recommendations.

“The DOE may just say no immediately,” added the expert.

The project’s estimated cost is RM600 billion.

The project, an ambitious endeavour involving four reclaimed islands, generated controversy because of the massive work involved, environmental issues and concerns raised by Singapore.

The DEIA report had to be revised following a diplomatic note from Singapore, which had asked for details on the project and its impact on the Straits of Johor as the project was near the border.

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Malaysia evacuates 120,000 as floods spread to Johor

PM Najib cuts short US holiday to oversee relief operations
Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR - Nearly 120,000 Malaysians have been forced out of their homes in the worst flooding in decades, a disaster that has forced Prime Minister Najib Razak to cut short a holiday in the United States.

Kuala Lumpur has also cancelled its annual New Year celebration, in a mark of respect for the record number of evacuees, with several state governments following suit.

At least five people have been killed by the rising waters, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

As of 3pm yesterday, 118,896 people had been moved to flood relief centres, mostly in the northern states of Kelantan (45,467), Pahang (35,736), Terengganu (31,001) and Perak (6,119).

Johor became the latest state to be affected, with 214 displaced in the towns of Kluang and Muar yesterday. Flood waters in the southern state were still rising in the afternoon, a National Security Council spokesman was reported by Bernama news agency as saying.

Datuk Seri Najib will touch down in hardest-hit Kelantan today, according to a government statement. He deemed it necessary to "personally oversee the response", following reports that the situation had worsened.

"I am deeply concerned by the floods. I feel for the people who have lost their homes, and the families who have lost loved ones," he said in the statement yesterday, adding that he would chair disaster relief meetings to seek new measures once he returned from the US.

The Prime Minister had come under criticism after photos of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii surfaced earlier this week while tens of thousands, including in his home state of Pahang, were being forced out of their muddy homes.

But Mr Najib said he has been in "constant contact with" relief teams "who have assured me that they are doing everything they can to help those who have been affected".

"But I want to see the situation for myself and be with the people," he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been in charge of relief operations in Mr Najib's absence and ordered more assets to be deployed yesterday, after describing the floods as worse than anticipated. "We are using seven helicopters... these may not be enough," he was quoted by Bernama as saying in Kelantan.

International Trade and Investment Minister Mustapa Mohamed also admitted that government relief efforts needed to be improved, as distribution of aid in his home state of Kelantan was hindered by waterlogged roads.

Although year-end flooding is common in the north-east due to the monsoon season, rainfall in the past week has been excessive, and the damage has been exacerbated by deforestation that activists say is among the worst in the world.

In a rare piece of positive news, however, around 100 tourists stranded in the national forest reserve Taman Negara have been rescued and taken to a relief centre, reported AFP.

Flash floods have also hit Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas in the Klang Valley.

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/malaysia-evacuates-120000-floods-spread-johor-20141227#sthash.CHH3aAmq.dpuf


No respite for east coast states
New Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no let up in the harsh weather conditions, as the next round of heavy rain is expected to hit the east coast states, as well as Perak, Sabah, Sarawak and Johor tomorrow.

Meteorological Department National Weather Centre senior meteorological officer Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the new phase could last about a week.

“If the next phase is made up of continuous rainfall, there is a possibility that the floods might get even worse in the east coast states, as well as Perak.

“There is a high chance Johor might also be flooded this time around, especially in the eastern and central parts. Sabah and Sarawak will also experience very heavy rain and flooding too,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Hisham said Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negri Sembilan would experience heavy rain spillover.

However, Hisham added that Kelantan and Terengganu were experiencing very little rain that had allowed water to recede but water flow had been hindered by high tides.

He said twice-daily high tides at 11am, and between 8pm and 9pm, have seen the tides coming in at 1.5m in Kelantan, above 2m in Terengganu and 3m in Pahang had caused a reverse flow.

“When a high tide occurs, the sea level will rise, not allowing water from the rivers to flow back into the sea, creating a reverse situation.”

Blame it on the moon, too
The Star 27 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: The massive flooding of Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast states is not just due to extremely heavy rainfall – the moon has something to do with it as well.

According to the Malaysia Meteorological Department (MMD), the gravitational pull of the moon can lead to higher than normal high tides, more so when it is at its closest to the earth, a position also known as perigee.

The moon was at perigee at Dec 24 at 16:44 GMT (or 12.44am on Christmas Day here), where it was as close as 364,791km from Earth, appearing as a super moon, or a larger than usual moon, even to the most casual of observers.

The gravitational pull of the moon can generate extreme high tides at this position.

MMD spokesman Dr Mohd Hisham Anip said that it was understood that continuous strong winds brought lots of moisture and created dense clouds in our region.

“The wind came from the western Pacific and China, and we haven’t understood how this year differs from previous years,” Dr Mohd Hisham said yesterday.

He said more studies needed to be conducted on the effects of high tide when augmented by the new moon and perigee.

“The good news is that the peak of the high tide is over, which was on Dec 23 and 24,” he said.

“All we know is the high tide is coming and it is higher than usual,” he said, adding that extremely heavy or prolonged rain that coincides with higher than usual tides is usually a recipe for flooding as the river mouth is effectively “blocked” by a wall of water.

MMD said further episodes of high tide is expected to come again on Monday, and this would probably affect Pahang, Johor and Sarawak.

The not so good news is that the rainy season is expected to end only by the middle or end of February.

Dr Mohd Hisham also revealed that in a “normal” month, rainfall averages between 500mm to 600mm in a month for the east coast.

“But areas such as Kuala Krai in Kelantan, Kuantan in Pahang and Gong Badak in Terengganu received more than 1,000mm of rainfall this month.”

Rail service to east coast halted
The Star 27 Dec 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) has stopped its rail service to the east coast as its coaches are submerged in the floods that had hit the region.

Three hundred bridge tracks, 10 train stations and 19 coaches are affected by the floods, either submerged entirely or partially by waters up to 3m high, according to the rail company.

“This is the worst flood the company has seen since 1969,” said KTMB chairman Datuk Nawawi Ahmad.

“We are sad to say we have stopped our east coast operations since Monday and the situation is expected to last till the end of next month,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Eight intercity and express trains have been cancelled from the Chegar Perah station in Pahang to Tumpat in Kelantan.

With 800 staff members of KTMB affected, Nawawi said the company wanted to send food and basic necessities to them but, without a single landing pad for helicopters, they can only airdrop the items.

“In the east coast, train services are an important form of transportation for the people, especially when roads can’t be used.

“Train stations used to be shelters for flood victims, too, but this time, we are heavily affected as well,” said Nawawi, who estimated losses of about “a few million ringgit” for the company.

“We have to see where the waters recede. There is a possibility of more train losses in this disaster,” he added.

KTMB sent out a team of volunteers to bring aid to the victims yesterday and a flood operation centre has been set up to monitor train operations and other flood-related matters.

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Malaysia: A green heartache

KIRANA ASTER New Straits Times 27 Dec 14;

It’s been another year of goals that have fallen frustratingly short in conservation, writes Kirana Aster

AS 2014 comes to an end, conservationists in the country are taking stock of the successes and failures in addressing environmental issues. From plant life to iconic animals and habitats, the “business as usual” approach towards our natural heritage continue to provide challenges for those working in the frontlines of conservation.

HABITATS IN PERIL

With increasing threats to biodiverse sites, the past year hasn’t seen new areas gazetted as protected. Surin Suksuwan, a natural resources management specialist, says that several significant conservation areas have yet to be provided the protection status despite many years of advocacy by NGOs.

Among the unprotected areas of special concern are Gunung Kanthan, a limestone hill in the Kinta Valley, the Ulu Muda forests and the seagrass bed of Pulau Merambong, off the southern coast of Johor, which are currently under serious threat from quarrying, logging and coastal development.

Says Surin: “The limestone hill Kanthan is home to rare endemic species such as the Kanthan Cave trapdoor spider (Liphistius kanthan), which is designated as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) “red list”. The limestone hill also harbours at least three new species of plants which were recently discovered by scientists from FRIM (Forest Research Institute Malaysia), namely Meiogyne kanthanensis, Gymnostachyum kanthanense and Vatica kanthanense.

“Botanists also suspect that the critically-endangered Paraboea vulpina of the African violet family had become extinct on Gunung Kanthan due to quarrying in the northern portion of the mountain for the production of cement. Currently, none of the hills in Perak have been gazetted for protection although conservation of the State’s limestone hills has been incorporated into the Ipoh local draft plan 2020 and the Perak structure plan 2020.”

On the coastal front, the seagrass bed at Pulau Merambong is the biggest such ecosystem (about 40ha in size) in the country, and together with the mangroves of nearby Sungai Pulai (a Ramsar wetlands site), are important nursery grounds for many commercially important fishes. Several rare and endangered species including the spotted seahorse, Hippocampus kuda, and the dugong, are dependent on seagrass for their survival.

The fragile ecosystem of the seagrass bed can’t tolerate the siltation and pollution caused by coastal development in the area which includes the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and the Tanjung Bin powerplant.

This year, villagers strongly objected to the proposed Forest City project at the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) hearing. The controversial project will see four man-made islands built in the waters in Tanjung Kupang between southwest Johor and northwest of Singapore. The project lacked details on the impact on sea life, and will likely lead to flash floods in the area and loss of livelihood.

While we can’t ignore the bleak outlook, Surin says that recent announcements made by the new Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri Adenan Satem, offers a ray of hope for many who have long despaired over the state of natural resources management in Sarawak.

The new chief minister has made positive statements about gazetting more national parks, in addition to his strong remarks about tackling illegal logging and corruption in the State. He plans to establish another 20 protected areas in Sarawak but has yet to provide further details.

Sabah also delivered some positive news this year, says Surin. “In a historic event at Batu Puteh along the Kinabatangan River, Sabah kick-started the first officially sanctioned removal of oil palms that had allegedly been illegally planted in violation of riparian reserve laws. A special task force is being set up to reclaim river banks illegally cultivated by planters, and the State’s Tourism, Culture and Environment assistant minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming has promised that there’ll be more to come in a move that will help mitigate human-elephant conflict.”

PROTECTING NATIVE PLANTS

Data undertaken by FRIM in recent years (FRIM is stock-taking over 8,000 species in the plant kingdom) points to a grim outcome: Many of our native plants are on the decline.

Through the ongoing project Safeguarding the Plant Diversity of Peninsular Malaysia (initiated in 2005), plants are documented in detail along with their conservation status.

Based on the assessment, 97 species (10 per cent) were listed as “critically endangered”, of which 33 were plants threatened with extinction, while 133 (13.6 per cent) were classified as “endangered”, 148 (15.2 per cent) as “vulnerable” and 29 (three per cent) as “rare”.

Dr Lillian Chua, Senior Research Officer, Forest Biodiversity Division, FRIM, says that the stock-taking is dynamic, with the latest update held several months ago. “So far FRIM has covered only 16 per cent of Peninsular Malaysia’s flora which is estimated at 8,500 vascular plant species. We expect more species to end up in the Malaysia Red List but because of the increase in number of species being assessed, the percentage of threatened species is expected to reduce slightly.”

In the peninsula, many populations of dipterocarps are on the decline mainly due to changes in land use and harvesting. These threats have changed in form and severity over time. Pristine and semi-pristine lowland forests are now mainly confined to protected areas in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, State parks, permanent reserved forests and other areas within the Totally Protected Areas network.

Says Chua: “Land is a State matter and mainstreaming biological diversity into land use planning is in its infancy, both at the Federal and State levels. But the level of awareness is growing and there have been more proactive measures taken by stakeholders since the reports were published. Primary stakeholders such as Forest Department Peninsular Malaysia and the State forest departments are using the list as guidance document to help improve sustainable management practices, particularly in relation to forest certification.”

However, she says that if conservation measures aren’t stepped up, species such as Hopea bracteata var. penangiana (Dipterocarpaceae; merawan ungu) and Hopea subalata (Dipterocarpaceae; merawan kanching) which are listed as critically endangered in the Malaysia Red List will be the first to disappear.

“We can’t afford to lose more plants such as the Shorea kuantanensis (Dipterocarpaceae, meranti dammar hitam) whose habitat has been turned into an oil palm plantation.”

Despite no fewer than 230 plant species on the verge of extinction in Peninsular Malaysia, Chua nevertheless remains positive about conservation efforts to prevent more species from disappearing forever.

“The level of awareness is increasing fast and there are greater initiatives at the policy ranks to mainstream biodiversity considerations into national and State planning.”

ICONIC AND FADING

In September this year, a statement by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (Mycat) provided another blow to wildlife conservation — the Malayan Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) is on the edge of extinction.

New estimates in 2014 by experts put the remaining population of wild Malayan Tigers at 250-340, less than the previous estimate of 500.

This indicates that the Malayan tigers meet the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’ criteria for a “critically endangered” listing. It has been classified as “endangered” since 2008 and the target for the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan for Malaysia to double the population of wild tigers by 2020 is unachievable in this timeframe.

The Malayan tiger is believed to be most threatened by the illegal wildlife trade with tiger parts in high demand as traditional medicine. Intense poaching has reduced the tiger population over the last few decades. Other contributing factors include defragmentation of their habitats and a decline in tiger prey, especially sambar deer.

Among immediate efforts to reverse this situation include the setting up of tiger patrol units in the Belum-Temengor, Taman Negara and Endau-Rompin tiger priority areas, undertaking a comprehensive national tiger survey in the peninsula’s remaining forest landscape and strengthening existing forest and tiger conservation mechanisms.

Already declared “functionally extinct” in Malaysia, the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) will be the first mammal species to become extinct in Malaysia if breeding programmes are unsuccessful.

Their population has dramatically declined over the years due to loss of fertile lowlands for human occupation and relentless hunting of the species whose horns are used in traditional Chinese medicine. According to Datuk Dr John Payne, executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) who was speaking at a talk organised by Mindset — The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus in Kuala Lumpur recently, the low rhino population is a result of chronic hunting, and rare mating. Thus, it’s just a matter of time before death rate exceeds birth rate and extinction occurs. “It’s a miracle that this rhino isn’t already extinct. There may now be as few as three remaining Sumatran rhinos in Malaysia, two females and one male, all in a fenced, managed facility in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah.”

He says leaving them alone in the wild and hoping for natural recovery doesn’t work. Establishment of national parks, guard forces, wildlife corridors, public awareness and habitat management can’t achieve that. Captive breeding might be the last hope for the survival of the species.

Says Payne: “Bora’s priority is to produce lots of baby rhinos as soon as possible. Species on the edge of extinction need the following measures to be taken: Increase birth rates, and ring remaining rhinos into fenced-managed facilities and privately-owned land to manage them.”

With the development of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques in recent decades, the best and possibly only way is to produce embryos in a lab. Indonesia is now in a better position to take the lead where this is concerned.

Payne has no doubts that Malaysia would be keen to collaborate if invited. He concludes: “Bora advocates for the establishment of a lab, either in Malaysia or Indonesia, in which Sumatran rhino embryos can be produced with an international team of cutting-edge experts conducting the necessary procedures. Imagine what an Indonesia-Malaysia based collaboration could do: The first critically endangered wildlife species to be rescued from the edge of extinction through international collaboration in the species’ home countries.”

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Best of our wild blogs: 26 Dec 14

December RUMbles
from Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative

Wild Crocodile Eats Fish
from Go Wildlife Now!

Brahminy Kite chases Great Egret for frog
from Go Wildlife Now

First visit to Tuas Merawang
from Peiyan.Photography

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