IzanJay-Environmental Articles/News Collection

Friday, December 14, 2012

Natural disasters 'a challenge for maritime bodies'

14 December 2012| last updated at 12:30AM

KUALA LUMPUR: Natural disasters and man-made accidents pose even greater challenges to maritime enforcement agencies, as do organised crime, a forum was told.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency director-general Admiral Datuk Mohd Amdan Kurish said the inability to predict accurately natural hazards, like tsunami and typhoons, despite advancements in meteorological technology, had led to devastating results.

"All we can do is minimise casualties with improved coordination and cooperation in crisis management and search and rescue following the destructive forces of nature or after man-made disasters like oil spills and accidents."

Additionally, Amdan added that deliberate and irresponsible dumping of chemical pollutants, heavy metals, sewage and other toxic waste into oceans also posed a pollution threat.

"On the other hand, the lack of sufficient cohesion and adequate governance had led to exploitation by mariners to commit crimes like piracy, armed robbery, hijacking, terrorism, vice and the trafficking of drugs, arms, humans and other contrabands.

"What affects the world, affects us. Therefore, we need to be smarter about the way we work together to combat transnational crime," he said at the opening of the "Gulf of Thailand Commanders Forum: Initiative to Strengthen Maritime Law Enforcement Interoperability" at the Shangri-La hotel, here, yesterday.

Amdan added the need to safeguard the freedom and safety of navigation was all the more compelling as it had profound social, political and economic impacts on countries.

Meanwhile, United States embassy deputy chief of mission Lee McClenny called on stakeholders to collectively counter the maritime threats from environmental degradation and illegal fishing and the smuggling of humans, wildlife and contraband.

"The threats include the nightmare scenario where nuclear, biological or chemical weapons or commodities are conveyed. We have to plan, train and be prepared."

McClenny added that during emergencies, there would be no time for evacuation drills or exercises.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

'Natural disasters, man-made accidents pose even greater challenges'

13 December 2012| last updated at 05:56PM

By Adrian David

KUALA LUMPUR: Natural disasters and man-made accidents pose even greater challenges to maritime enforcement agencies, as do organised crime, a forum was told.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency director-general Admiral Datuk Mohd Amdan Kurish said the inability to predict accurately natural hazards like tsunami and typhoons, despite advancements in meteorological technology, has led to devastating results.

“All we can do is minimise casualties with improved coordination and cooperation in crisis management, search and rescue following the destructive forces of nature or after man-made disasters like oil spills and accidents,” he said.

Additionally, Amdan added the deliberate and irresponsible dumping of chemical pollutants, heavy metals, sewage and other toxic waste into oceans posed threats to pollution.

“On the other hand, the lack of sufficient cohesion and adequate governance had led to exploitation by mariners to commit crimes like piracy, armed robbery, hijacking, terrorism, vice and the trafficking of drugs, arms, humans and other contrabands.

“What affects the world, affects us. Therefore, we need to be smarter about the way we work together to combat transnational crime,” he said at the opening of the ‘Gulf of Thailand Commanders Forum: Initiative to Strengthen Maritime Law Enforcement Interoperability’ at the Shangri-La Hotel, yesterday.

Amdan added the need to safeguard the freedom and safety of navigation was all the more compelling as it had profound social, political and economic impacts on countries.

Meanwhile, United States embassy deputy chief of mission Lee McClenny called on stakeholders to collectively counter the maritime threats from environmental degradation, illegal fishing to smuggling of humans, wildlife and contraband.

“The threats include the nightmare scenario where nuclear, biological or chemical weapons or commodities are conveyed. We have to plan, train and be prepared,” he said.

McClenny added that during emergencies there would be no time for evacuation drills or exercises, let alone having to deal with criminals or screen suspicious passengers and cargo manifests.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Natural disasters pose challenges to maritime enforcement agencies

12 December 2012| last updated at 07:08PM

By adrian david

KUALA LUMPUR: Natural disasters and man-made accidents pose even greater challenges to maritime enforcement agencies, as do organised crime, a forum was told.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency director-general Admiral Datuk Mohd Amdan Kurish said that the inability to predict accurately natural hazards like tsunamis and typhoons, despite advancements in meteorological technology, led to devastating results.

Additionally, Amdan added the delibrate and irresponsible dumping of chemical pollutants, heavy metals, sewage and other toxic waste into oceans posed threats to pollution.

“On the other hand, the lack of sufficient cohesion and adequate governance had led to exploitation by mariners to commit crime like piracy, armed robbery, hijacking, terrorism, vice and the trafficking of drugs, arms, humans and other contrabands via ships.

“What affects the world, affects us. Therefore, we need to be smarter about the way we work together to strengthen the legal and law enforcement to combat transnational crime,” he said at the opening of the ‘Gulf of Thailand Commanders Forum: Initiative to Strengthen Maritime Law Enforcement Interoperability’ at the Shangri-La Hotel, yesterday.

Amdan added the need to safeguard the freedom and safety of navigation was, thus, all the more compelling as it had profound social, political and economic impacts on countries.

“The threats include the nightmare scenario where nuclear, biological or chemical weapons or commodities are conveyed. Therefore, we have to plan, train and be prepared,” he said.

McClenny added that during emergencies there would be no time for evacuation drills or exercises, let alone having to deal with criminals or screen suspicious passengers and cargo manifests.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Bercham dumpsite to close next year

Source : NST, 8/12/11

RESIDENTS living near the Bercham dumpsite can literally heave a sigh of relief once the garbage dump is closed next year.

A modern landfill, set to be built over a 226.6ha plot in Papan town, seven kilometres from here, will become the city's main garbage disposal site beginning February next year.

Mayor Datuk Roshidi Hashim said the new facility would allow the overburdened Bercham dumpsite to be finally closed.

"Once the Papan landfill begins operation in March next year, rubbish will not be sent to the Bercham dumpsite. The old site, which has been a source of complaints for years due to its stench and pollution, will be gradually shut down," said Roshidi, after chairing the city council's monthly full board meeting.

Roshidi added that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project has been completed and construction is expected to begin early next year.

"The construction project will be managed by Selekta Spektra Sdn Bhd, which was appointed by the state government."

He added that the new plant would address problems faced at the Bercham dumpsite, such as pollution due to untreated waste flowing into the Kinta river.

"Among the measures taken include separating waste into organic and inorganic matter for recycling, proper waste treatment, and extraction of harmful methane gasses.

"We will also be installing a geo-textile lining in the plant to prevent toxic waste from leaching underground,” he said.
He pointed out that the facility was expected to be on par with the landfills in Bukit Tagar, Selangor, Mambok, Sarawak and Cambodia.

“The Papan plant will be built to comply with Level 4 sanitary landfill specifications, which include leachate treatment facilities,” he said, adding that Level 4 landfills could be used for all types of waste, including household, commercial, industrial and street cleaning waste, dewatered sludge from sewage treatment plants, and drainage waste.
“It does not treat hazardous, toxic or hospital waste,” he said.
Roshidi said the Papan plant would treat waste from Ipoh, Perak Tengah, Kampar and Batu Gajah districts.

“Local authorities in nearby districts will work will also take responsibility with the Ipoh City Council in maintaining the plant.”in the plant's maintenance," he added.
The Bercham dumpsite, which has been operating since 1990, has been the main dumping ground in the city and was also able to accept non-toxic industrial waste from factories in the Kinta Valley.

The Bercham dumpsite was opened in 1990.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Malaysia jumps to 25 in environmental index

By LAVANYA LINGAN | news@nst.com.my

FROM 54 in 2010: Comprehensive act allows citizens to act as eyes and ears of ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: A YALE-COLUMBIA ranking has given Malaysia a big jump in terms of environmental management in its 2012 Environmental Performance Index.

The country is now placed in the 25th position, a huge leap from its 54th recorded in 2010.

This came as the nation introduced a more comprehensive Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 2012 which allows the ordinary man on the street to be part of the environmental watch group and report cases ranging from open burning to toxic waste disposal.

Whistleblowers are also given incentives by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry if they come forward to report environment breaches.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said the lack of enforcement officers had restricted the ministry from getting enough evidence to prosecute environmental offenders.

"We need everyone's cooperation. We have limited officers, so, we appeal to the public to come forward and become the ministry's eyes and ears," he said after launching the National Environment Week at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa here yesterday.

"Action will be promptly taken as we are serious about acting against activities which damage the environment."

Amendments to the act also provide anonymity and protection to whistleblowers.

The Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 2012 was gazetted on Aug 16 and is expected to be fully enforced by Jan 2 next year.

The amendments to the original Environmental Quality Act 1974 now provide the director-general power to issue stop-work orders on projects that damage the environment, which was previously solely under the minister's purview.

For a better enforcement mechanism, officers in the environment department also have the power to arrest those who commit environmental offences and hand them over to a police station.

Fines for environmental offences were also increased from RM100,000 to a whopping half a million ringgit.

"Overall, the amendment of the act focuses on strengthening the management of the Environment Impact Assessment.

"It also provides for a more proactive enforcement mechanism so that the development projects do not harm the quality of the environment and the health of the people."

Present at the launch was Douglas' deputy, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, ministry secretary-general Datuk Zoal Azha Yusof and other senior officials.

Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas (front, left) and his deputy, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (front, right), taking part in a calisthenics programme at the launch of the National Environment Week in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa. Pic by Nik Hariff Hassan