Bio-diversity
New Act to provide greater protection for wildlife
-The Star- PETALING JAYA: The proposal to repeal the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and replace it with a new act for greater protection of wildlife will presented to the Cabinet for approval today.
Natural Resources and Environ-ment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said once it was approved, the Wildlife Conservation Bill would be tabled in Parliament.
“The proposed act has taken feedback and recommendations from relevant parties in the Government and non-governmental organisations, into consideration,” he said in a statement after the launch of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) research gallery in Kepong yesterday.
He said under the Bill, the penalties provided for crimes have been increased by between 10 to 30 times besides mandatory jail sentences for serious offences.
The new act, he said would also provide better enforcement on wildlife derivatives to prevent them from being used for traditional medicine.
“Under the existing Act, protection is limited to mammalians, reptiles, birds and insects while the new act will also provide protection to amphibians (frogs), arachnids (spiders) and gastropods (snails).
“It will also provide wider powers on new activities such as circuses and exhibition of wildlife,” he said.
He added that the new act would also cover the issue of invasive alien species which contribute to the extinction of local wildlife. The existing act was last amended in 1998.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Book extols beauty of endangered Sg Pulai
-The Star-
JOHOR BARU: Do you know how many species of crabs, seagrasses, seaweeds, starfishes and marine snails are found at the Sungai Pulai estuary?
Have you seen seahorses, pipefishes, dugong feeding trails and a myriad of quirky-looking creatures in natural surroundings without getting wet?
Timely publication: This handbook is available at RM29 and the proceeds will be channelled towards Sungai Pulai conservation efforts.If not, Sungai Pulai is the place for you.
Located in south-western Johor, Sungai Pulai’s ecosystem is in unison with the extensive mangrove forests, seagrass beds, mudflats, rocky shores and coral reefs of the area that giving space for a great diversity species.
SOS Files: A Journey to Sungai Pulai is a new handbook published by Save Our Seahorses to share what is known about the flora and fauna at Sungai Pulai.
The 156-page book is user-friendly, has clear descriptions on species identification and contains special notes on species habitats, feeding habits and ecological importance.
It was published in the hope that the natural beauty of Sungai Pulai will be preserved through public appreciation and political will at a time when the area is going through rapid degradation due to uncontrolled development.
The co-authors are Choo Chee Kuang, Serina Rahman and Khor Hui Min.
It is priced at RM29 and all proceeds will be channelled to Sungai Pulai conservation projects.
To get a copy, send email to saveourseahorses@yahoo.com
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Malaysia to launch long-delayed biofuel mandate in 2011
(Reuters) – Malaysia has asked petroleum companies to bear the extra cost of selling diesel blended with palm oil from June next year to kickstart sales of the green fuel after a four-year delay.
The world’s No.2 palm oil producer has struggled to implement a mandate to push the blended fuel and support the palm industry first introduced in 2007 as the government was reluctant to subsidise biofuel blends to match diesel prices at the pump.
Commodities minister Bernard Dompok said on Wednesday that the green fuel, a blend of five percent palm and 95 percent diesel petroleum, will be introduced in stages in the central states on the mainland.
“The (biofuels mandate implementation) will support palm oil prices and will enable planters especially the smallholders to reap economic benefits,” Dompok said in a statement.
Eventually, the mandate will be extended to other Malaysian state and will take up half a million tonnes of the Southeast Asian country’s total annual crude palm oil production but no timeframe was given.
Traders said the announcement briefly supported Malaysian crude palm oil futures KPOc3 before market players turned their focus to lower crude oil and soyoil markets.
“The government has been flip-flopping over this issue. It gives a good support base for the market but it remains to be seen if it will actually be implemented,” a trader with a local brokerage said.
Dompok said the government will bear the cost of developing six petroleum depots with blending facilities at a cost of 43.1 million ringgit ($13 million).
Petroleum companies including state oil firm Petronas [PETR.UL] as well as oil majors like Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) (SLRS.KL), Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) and Caltex (CTX.AX) will have to subsidise palm-based biofuel blends at the pump, he said.
Petroleum diesel retails at 1.70 ringgit ($0.498) a litre, a price that is regulated by the government and among the lowest in Asia. Any increase in petroleum prices is politically sensitive.
Local biofuel manufacturers say blending 5 percent palm biofuel into diesel increased prices by 0.02 to 0.06 Malaysian ringgit a litre over petroleum diesel.
Dompok said Malaysia has approved 56 licenses for biofuel production, for total capacity of 6.8 million tonnes.
In 2009, Malaysia produced 227,457 tonnes of palm based biofuels that garnered export earnings of 604 million ringgit ($182 million). ($1=3.318 Malaysian Ringgit)
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Sabah, S’wak unwilling to send their orang utan to KL
-The Star- KUCHING: Sarawak and Sabah are not willing to relocate their orang utan to a new sanctuary for the primate in Kuala Lumpur.
Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said both states wanted their orang utan to stay where they were and, therefore, the government now had to look for orang utans from a small island in Perak.
He said the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) had allocated about 200 acres in Kepong to set up the new eco-tourism attraction that was similar to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre here and the Sepilok orang utan sanctuary in Sandakan.
“We are going to transfer some of the orang utan from the island in Perak since the population has increased and exceeded the island’s caring capacity, which makes it difficult for the primates to get enough food,” he said opening SK Siburan Baru Parent-Teacher Association’s annual general meeting here Sunday.
Dawos said the species in Perak, the Borneon orang utan (Pongo pygmaeus), was similar to that in Sarawak and Sabah.
He was not certain when the project would start.
However, he said the government would not go back on its plan because an orang utan sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur would be a big success as it would leave a lasting impression on visitors in line with the government’s intention to make eco-tourism a more prominent sector.
“I cannot ascertain when we can make it a reality. But this is a directive from the Prime Minister, which is why we must do it,” he said.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Malaysian PM wants orangutans to attract eco-tourists to mainland
-digitaljournal .com-
“I cannot ascertain when we can make it a reality. But this is a directive from the Prime Minister, which is why we must do it.”
Orangutan on Borneo. Photograph taken during a visit of the Semenggoh Wildlife Center.
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Star support: Maya backing WWF Malaysia’s efforts at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya yesterday.“Climate change is considered to be one of the biggest threats facing nature and humanity today,” said Maya.
“We must explore using alternative, green energy sources to help mitigate climate change and preserve the planet for the future generation,” said the actress, who also supported the Earth Hour campaign.
“Malaysia is blessed with a rich natural heritage and we should channel our efforts into conserving our natural treasures,” she said.
WWF-Malaysia’s Borneo Pro-gramme chief technical officer Dr Rahimatsah Amat said Maya’s support was crucial to promoting green energy.
“It says a lot about the level of concern when you have celebrities coming out to sign this petition,” she said.
The petition was launched by a coalition of local non-governmental organisations in Sabah last year.
Green SURF is a coalition of five prominent NGOs – Land Em-powerment Animals and People, Partners of Community Organi-sations, Sabah Environmental Protection Association, the Malay-sian Nature Society’s Sabah branch and WWF-Malaysia.
“Malaysia is at a crossroad and decisions we make now will forever have an impact on Sabah and the nation’s natural treasures in this state, said Dr Rahimatsah.
“Let us make the right choices for climate change and become a world class model of green energy,” she said.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Pilot project to re-green Sarawak
-The Star-
MIRI: Watersheds, rivers and forests degraded by human activities in the state are to be “re-greened” and “nursed” back to their natural state via a serious, integrated and comprehensive effort.
The state government, realising the urgent need to restore these depleted natural eco assets, has roped in the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), the Sarawak Forestry Corporation and the local native communities to jointly “repair” the natural environment through a series of “integrated water and forest conservation” projects.
The pioneer project began in Ulu Merario in Bario, adjacent to the Sarawak-Kalimantan border, some 400km inland from here. It was launched on Monday by Bakelalan state assemblyman Nelson Balang Rining.
Balang told The Star that the project involved the Ulu Merario River and its surrounding forests as well as the upper reaches that serve as a watershed from where many river tributaries channel water to villages and farmlands for human consumption and irrigation.
“This is the first time that we have embarked on such an integrated conservation project,” he said. “Before this, river protection projects were usually carried out separately from forests rehabilitation. We will replant trees in the forests near the river and clean up the river and shore up the quality of the water by rearing fish.”
Balang said, if successful, the Ulu Merario River project would serve as a model for the rehabilitation of other similar areas in the Bario highlands and the Bakelalan constituency.
He noted that some 40 years ago Ulu Merario was known for its big trees and crystal-clear rivers.
“However, since the original settlements in Bario Asal were relocated to the present Bario settlements by the British during the Malaysia-Indonesia confrontation (1962 to 1965), the environment has deteriorated to what it is today,” said Balang. “It is now even difficult to get any firewood from the forests.
“We want to replant the area with fast-growing trees and other plants. The local communities will be roped in to help replant these trees, maintain them and ensure they are protected,” headded.
Balang said the Ulu Merario River fed four other river tributaries, supplying water to dozens of settlements and longhouses.
The river runs through the Pulong Tau National Park as well, and is also the source of water that powers the turbines in micro-dams for the production of electricity for the minority Kelabits and Lun Bawangs.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Turtles Face ‘Eggs-tinction’, Warns WWF-Malaysia
(Bernama) — The leatherback turtle is shying away from Malaysian shores because its eggs have become a gastronomical delight among connoisseurs in Terengganu.
Unless urgent action is taken, the prevalence and tradition of turtle egg consumption amongst locals will contribute to the eventual extinction of the turtles, according to a study by World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia).
For starters, 91 per cent of turtle eggs are sourced from Pasar Payang in Kuala Terengganu.
According to the study, ‘Marine Turtle Egg Consumption and Trade in Malaysia’, consumption was catching up as turtle eggs were widely sold at markets in Terengganu.
WWF-Malaysia has disclosed that 422,000 eggs were traded in Terengganu in 2007 — exceeding double the number of green turtle nestings in the state.
“One of the contributing factors to the disappearance of the leatherback turtle from our shores is egg consumption,” said WWF-Malaysia executive director/chief executive officer Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma in a statement Wednesday.
“A change in attitude and behaviour is needed to turn the tide, if we want to ensure the survival of the turtles,” he said.
Dr Sharma said WWF-Malaysia was advocating for an amendment to the Federal Constitution which would allow the government to impose a national ban on consumption and commercial sale of turtle eggs.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Work Together To Address Environmental Issues, Says Kurup
(Bernama) — There is a need for coordinated global efforts to address environmental issues, says Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tan Sri Joseph Kurup.
“The world is witnessing an unprecedented loss and changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services, which brings direct impact on human well being and sustainable development. The future development of all countries will be impaired if these losses are not reversed,” he said in his speech at the International Union of Forest Research Organization (IUFRO) 2010 Conference here on Monday.
There is a need to respect the sovereignty of nations but yet the needs of the global community must be accommodated, and therefore is a need to work together as one community and not as single nations working in isolation, he said.
With an increasing concern that the present decline in global biodiversity and ecosystem services is projected to increase, there is “an urgent need for us to move into a proactive mode and not be held back by our present reactive style of policy-making,” he said.
He added that the recent Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Bali noted that the 2010 Biodiversity Targets set by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in April 2002 to significantly reduce biodiversity loss will not be met.
He said a mechanism should be set up to help countries especially developing countries to strengthen their capacities with adequate scientific knowledge to guide policy-makers.
As for Malaysia, he said the country as a host of rich diversity of flora and fauna plays a key role on issues related to biodiversity with its active and constructive participation in related international treaties.
Domestically, it has strived to emphasize the sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services for economic and social development, he said.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Let’s save our tigers
-The Sun Daily-
MAYBANK recently donated RM1 million in support of the National Tiger Conservation
Action Plan which aims to double the population of Malayan tigers from 500 to about 1,000 in the nation’s Central Forest Spine by 2020.
“Since our inception 50 years ago, the tiger which is both the pride of Malaysia and our national heritage has been a prominent symbol of Maybank’s strength,” said Maybank chairman Tan Sri Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor.
“Thus it is fitting that we mark our golden jubilee celebration this year by taking a firm stand in tiger conservation,” he said at the launch of Maybank’s official two-year partnership with the Malaysian Conservation Alliance of Tigers (Mycat) which is spearheading the conservation effort.
“Maybank is honoured to contribute towards the scientific research of tiger ecology, leading to a deeper understanding of ways to address the plight of tigers not only in Malaysia, but also worldwide,” he said.
Mycat is an alliance of four non-governmental organisations – the Malaysian Nature Society, WWF Malaysia, Traffic Southeast Asia and Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia Programme.
Maybank’s donation will go towards supporting Mycat in implementing the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan 2008-2020 – specifically research that aims to enhance the sustainability of the population of tigers and their preys by securing a safe dispersal “tiger corridor” at Sungai Yu, an area that connects Greater Taman Negara and the Main Range.
Currently, the expansion of oil palm plantations along a highway immediately to the west of the park has created a forest “bottleneck” that threatens the natural habitat of tiger and prey.
“Conservation of endangered species like the tiger is both expensive and arduous. Our investments in efforts and funds need to be based on sound knowledge from scientific research and to be adapted according to the dynamics of the tiger’s response to threats and prescribed conservation efforts,” said Mycat programme manager Dr Kae Kawanishi.
Kawanishi who had led the first ecological study of tigers in Taman Negara from 1998 to 2001 said Mycat’s role is to support current law enforcement efforts by collecting information to reduce the poaching of tigers for business or consumption purposes.
“Our outreach programme held at hotspots across the country has to date reached approximately 12,000 people and the partnership with Maybank will hopefully open up access to millions of its customer base, not only in Malaysia, but also Asia,” she said.
“It is sad to note that for some people, a dead tiger has higher value than a living tiger. The future of tigers is not to be predicted, but to be created.”
Taman Negara, covering over 4,343sq km of primary forest and spanning Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, is the largest protected area in Peninsular Malaysia and the most important conservation area for Malayan tigers.
For more information log on to: www.malayantiger.net/mycat-activities
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