Garbage FLOOD, caused by human !!

Greek officials protest garbage flood from Bulgaria

Fri Nov 2, 1:11 PM ET

SALONIKA (AFP) - Officials and ecologists in northern Greece were in an uproar after garbage from neighbouring Bulgaria flooded into protected wetlands following heavy rains, a local activist said Friday.

"Most of the discarded plastic containers have Bulgarian labels," said Stavros Daglis, head of the Ecological Action Group in the city of Drama.

In a letter sent Monday to the Bulgarian consul in the city of Salonika, the mayor of Kato Nevrokopi said "massive" quantities of waste from households and industry were swept into the Nestos River on October 22 and 23.

"This is the fourth time this has happened ... and we just completed a costly cleanup from waste coming from your country last year," Mayor Vassilis Yiannopoulos wrote.

"Obviously the garbage was swept from disorganised (Bulgarian) landfills after the heavy rains that fell recently," he said.

The Nestos River delta and adjoining lagoons, which extend over a 21,930-hectare (54,190-acre) area, are protected wetlands.

"We cannot have the Nestos turning into a garbage dump every time it rains," Drama prefect Costas Evmoiridis told the regional Makedonia daily.

Mexico's Flood !!

Hundreds of thousands flee Mexico floods

By ANTONIO VILLEGAS, Associated Press Writer 44 minutes ago

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico - Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans fled a flooded region of the Gulf coast Friday, jumping from rooftops into rescue helicopters, scrambling into boats or swimming out through murky brown water. President Felipe Calderon called the flooding in Tabasco state one of Mexico's worst recent natural disasters, and pledged to rebuild.

A week of heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, drowning at least 80 percent of the oil-rich state. Much of the state capital, Villahermosa, looked like New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, with water reaching to second-story rooftops and desperate people awaiting rescue.

At least one death was reported and nearly all services, including drinking water and public transportation, were shut down. The flood affected more than 900,000 people in the state of 2 million — their homes flooded, damaged or cut off by high water.

A 10-inch natural gas pipeline sprang a leak after flooding apparently washed away soil underneath it, but it was unclear if other facilities operated by the state-run Petroleos Mexicanos were damaged or if oil production was affected.

Workers tried to protect Villahermosa's famous Olmec statues by placing sandbag collars around their enormous stone heads, and built sandbag walls to hold back the Grijalva River in the state capital.

But the water rose quickly, surprising residents used to annual floods and forcing soldiers to evacuate the historic city center. The dikes failed Thursday night, and water swamped the capital's bus station and open-air market.

Rain gave way to sunshine Friday, but tens of thousands of people were still stranded on rooftops or in the upper floors of their homes. Rescue workers used tractors, helicopters, jet skis and boats to ferry people to safety, while others swam through water infested by poisonous snakes to reach higher ground.

Calderon met with state officials and flew over the affected areas. The extent of the flooding was clear from the sky — Tabasco state seemed like an inland sea with only rooftops and treetops protruding from the water.

"This is not just the worst natural catastrophe in the state's history but, I would venture to say, one of the worst in the recent history of the country," Calderon said Friday during an emergency meeting with state officials in Villahermosa.

The president ordered the armed forces and federal police to maintain order and prevent looting, and asked residents to remain calm. He canceled a trip to Panama, Colombia and Peru.

"Once we have passed the critical stage ... we are going to reconstruct Tabasco, whatever it takes," Calderon said.

Mexicans rallied around the disaster, with people across the country contributing money and supplies. Television stations dedicated entire newscasts to the flooding and morning shows switched from yoga and home improvement to calls for aid. Friday was the Day of the Dead holiday, but banks opened to accept donations for flood victims.

Food and clean drinking water were extremely scarce in Tabasco state, and federal Deputy Health Secretary Mauricio Hernandez warned that there could be outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

"With so many people packed together there is a chance that infectious diseases could spread," he said.

Officials tested for 600 suspected cases of cholera, but none was positive, he said. The waterborne sickness, which can be fatal, has not been reported in Mexico for at least six years.

The government also sent 20,000 Hepatitis A vaccinations and were giving booster shots to children to prevent outbreaks, Hernandez said.

Medical care was difficult, however, because at least 50 of the state's hospitals and medical centers were flooded.

Hotels, parking garages and other dry structures were converted into temporary shelters for those forced from their homes.

Guadalupe de la Cruz, a receptionist at the Hotel Calinda Viva Villahermosa, said the hotel's meeting rooms were being used as shelters for employees' families. She said the 240-room hotel was completely booked, mostly by people who had fled their homes.

Many people were headed to nearby cities unaffected by the floods. Highways that weren't covered with water were packed with residents fleeing in cars and on foot. The exodus appeared to be orderly with no reports of violence.

Villahermosa resident Mauricio Hernandez, 27, who is not related to the federal official, paid a taxi to go to Cardenas, 30 miles away. From there, he planned to hop a bus to the port city of Coatzacoalcos.

"We are leaving because we cannot live like this," he said. "We don't have any water, and the shelters are full. Where are we going to go?"

State officials sent 50 buses to a museum in the capital where hundreds of people gathered.

"We wanted to stay in the city but it is no longer possible," said Jorge Rodriguez, 43. "We have lost everything."

"Malaysia rise up !!"

Country profile: Malaysia

Malaysia boasts one of south-east Asia's most vibrant economies, the fruit of decades of industrial growth and political stability.

Its multi-ethnic, multi-religious society encompasses a majority Muslim population in most of its states and an economically-powerful Chinese community.

Consisting of two regions separated by some 640 miles of the South China Sea, Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories.

It is one of the region's key tourist destinations, offering excellent beaches and brilliant scenery. Dense rainforests in the eastern states of Sarawak and Sabah, on the island of Borneo, are a refuge for wildlife and tribal traditions.

Malaysia made the transformation from a farm-based economy

Ethnic Malays comprise some 60% of the population. Chinese constitute around 26%; Indians and indigenous peoples make up the rest. The communities coexist in relative harmony, although there is little racial interaction.

Although since 1971 Malays have benefited from positive discrimination in business, education and the civil service, ethnic Chinese continue to hold economic power and are the wealthiest community. The Malays remain the dominant group in politics while the Indians are among the poorest.

Malaysia's economic prospects remain healthy, although it faces fierce competition from its neighbours, and from China and India.

Free trade talks were opened with the US, but the US has said it will not be able to conclude a deal in 2007 as the two sides failed to meet a deadline to secure a deal before President George W Bush's fast-track trade authority expired in June.

The country is among the world's biggest producers of computer disk drives, palm oil, rubber and timber. It has a state-owned car maker, Proton, and tourism has considerable room for expansion.

But it also faces serious challenges - politically, in the form of sustaining stability in the face of religious differences and the ethnic wealth gap, and, environmentally, in preserving its valuable forests.

Malaysia's human rights record has come in for international criticism. Internal security laws allow suspects to be detained without charge or trial.

Tidak ada kesedaran punca lambakan komputer lama

Oleh Afiq Hanifmafiq@hmetro.com.my
MEMANG menjadi sifat manusia, sentiasa inginkan barang baru untuk dilengkapkan tidak ketinggalan produk berasaskan komputer apalagi ia berubah mengikut perkembangan semasa dan gaya dunia.Apabila bercakap mengenai komputer, tidak ramai individu yang menghiraukan komponennya termasuk monitor dan unit pemprosesan pusat (CPU) apabila ia menjangkau usia tertentu menyebabkannya terus dibuang jika diganti dengan produk baru.Sebaik memiliki model baru, pengguna hanya mencampakkan komputer lama ke dalam tong sampah depan rumah atau mengumpulkannya dalam ruang simpanan barang tanpa memikirkan berpuluh-puluh komponen yang boleh dikitar semula.Kebanyakan rakyat Malaysia menukar komputer tiga hingga lima tahun. Jika terdapat satu komputer dalam satu keluarga seramai lima orang, jumlahnya ialah 5.4 juta!
Bayangkan jumlah itu dilonggok begitu saja di tempat pembuangan sampah? ia pasti merugikan apatah lagi masih terdapat komponen yang boleh dikeluarkan untuk digunakan sebaik mungkin.
Tambahan pula, pencemaran alam sekitar pasti berlaku kerana terdapat bahan toksik terkandung dalam komputer boleh meresap ke tanah sehingga mengganggu punca air yang diminum setiap hari jika tidak dikawal.Tiub aliran katod dalam monitor memiliki toksid mengandungi plumbum, raksa dan kadmium (logam seperti timah yang lembut dan berwarna perak).Di California, tiub diisytiharkan sebagai bahan berbahaya yang menjadikan pembuangannya menjadi lebih sukar kerana ia kini tidak lagi dibenarkan ditanam.Sikap malas menjadi punca utama mengapa komputer tidak dikitar semula apatah lagi ganjaran yang terhasil apabila menukarkan komputer lama tidak menguntungkan.Mentaliti seperti ini harus dikikis memandangkan sikap sebegini menyumbang sebahagian pembaziran bahan mentah yang menimbun setiap hari di pusat pelupusan sampah.Jika diperhati dengan teliti, bahan terkandung pasti menghasilkan banyak barangan terpakai atau baru yang mempunyai nilai sekurang-kurangnya mengurangkan pencemaran alam berleluasa kini.Contoh komponen yang boleh dikitar semula:* Plumbum pada tiub sinar katod dan pateri* Arsenik pada tiub sinar katod lama* Selenium pada papan litar sebagai pembekal tenaga* Perencat nyala polibrominan pada selongsong plastik, kabel dan papan litar* Stibium trioksida* Cadmium pada papan litar dan semikonduktor* Kromium pada keluli sebagai pencegah hakisan* Kobalt pada keluli bagi struktur dan kemagnetan dan raksa pada suis serta pembalutBahan seperti ini akan terbuang begitu saja malah mencemarkan alam sekitar dengan prosesnya menghasilkan sisa toksik berbahaya kepada nyawa manusia.Sesungguhnya bahan berbahaya daripada pembuangan komputer berlaku melalui penyerapan logam berat ke dalam air bawah tanah dan pengeluaran asap yang beracun ke udara.Program Alam Sekitar Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) menganggarkan sejumlah 50 juta tan bahan komponen komputer dibuang setiap tahun.Ia satu jumlah yang menakutkan apatah lagi pencemaran mampu menyebabkan pelbagai penyakit seperti kanser jika tidak ditangani dengan bijak oleh manusia.Kajian juga menunjukkan sejumlah 300 juta PC bakal bertaburan menjadi bahan buangan menjelang 2010 akibat kekurangan ruang untuk melupuskan bahan pepejal itu.Usaha dilakukan bukan tertumpu kepada individu saja, organisasi besar harus mengambil langkah proaktif mengitar semula komputer pada kuantiti banyak.Enam tahun lalu, Hewlett Packard (HP) sendiri melaksanakan program kitar semula membabitkan produk PC dan elektronik lain yang mengandungi bahan kimia toksid di kilangnya, Roseville.Program kitar semula HP satu daripada usaha untuk mengatasi berjuta produk elektronik yang tersimpan di gudang atau stor disebabkan tidak dapat dibuang begitu saja tanpa mengikut prosedur ditetapkan.HP akan mengenal pasti PC yang masih boleh dipakai dan kemudian dibaiki untuk dijual semula manakala PC tidak boleh dibaiki akan diambil alat gantinya sebelum ia dimusnahkan sepenuhnya.Besi pada PC akan dihancurkan dan plastik dikecil termasuk debunya sekali akan dileburkan untuk menjadi tenaga. Setiap komponen PC akan dihantar ke bahagian yang dapat diguna semula bagi memastikan tiada yang akan ditanam.Sementara itu, syarikat swasta juga tidak ketinggalan mewujudkan peluang kepada orang ramai untuk mengitar semula PC atau laptop mereka bagi diguna pakai golongan yang inginkan harga murah.Antara syarikat bertanggungjawab mengitar semula PC dan komputer terpakai termasuk Apex Computer Services Sdn Bhd yang beroperasi sejak 2004. Pengarah Urusannya, Hafiz Hashemi Johaini, berkata syarikatnya mempunyai tanggungjawab sosial yang perlu dilakukan agar kempen kitar semula berjaya selain menyelamatkan alam sekitar daripada tercemar.“Produk komputer tidak seharusnya dibuang begitu saja, ia mampu diguna pakai untuk kegunaan orang yang memerlukan seperti golongan yang berpendapatan rendah,” katanya.Menurutnya, golongan seperti pelajar institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) dan ibu bapa yang kurang mampu membelikan PC untuk anak mereka boleh manfaat hasil daripada barangan yang dianggap tidak berguna itu.“Tak perlu buang. Apa salahnya jual saja untuk dikitar semula bagi manfaat lain, malah kita mampu mendapat hasil daripada komputer terpakai,” katanya.“Perniagaan saya dapat membantu usaha kerajaan menerusi program kitar semula. Daripada komputer lama dan rosak dibuang dan dilupuskan begitu saja, lebih baik dijual. Kami akan baiki dan jual semula dengan harga murah,” katanya.Katanya, komputer terpakai akan dibaik pulih dan jika ada komponen yang tidak boleh digunakan lagi akan dikitar semula untuk menjadi bahan berguna lain.Tambahnya, pihak swasta seperti sektor perbankan contoh terbaik organisasi yang melupuskan komputer lama secara sistematik.“Mereka (pihak bank) memberikan kerjasama baik dalam mengitar semula komputer terpakai. Kesedaran seperti itu perlu ditingkatkan,” kata Hafiz.Monitor yang tidak mahu digunakan lagi pula boleh dijadikan diskaun untuk mendapatkan model baru di kedai Apex di Gombak, Shah Alam, Kajang dan Melaka.“Kami menawarkan servis pelupusan, penjualan komputer serta laptop terpakai pada harga rendah dan membeli PC lama dengan harga berpatutan,” katanya yang juga mempunyai kilang pelupusan di Bukit Kemuning, Shah Alam.Baru-baru ini Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar menimbang mewujudkan memberi insentif bagi mengatasi masalah sisa buangan elektronik atau e-waste melalui mekanisme yang dirangka.Timbalan Menterinya, Datuk S Sothinathan, berkata soal pemberian insentif dibincangkan pada mesyuarat kementerian tiga bulan lalu bagi mewujudkan kesedaran mengenai pentingnya mengatasi buangan elektronik yang memberi kesan buruk ke atas alam sekitar.Menurutnya, telefon bimbit dan bateri terpakai, peralatan komputer serta bahan lain adalah buangan terjadual yang jika tidak dilupus dengan sempurna boleh mencemarkan alam sekitar, terutama kepada tanah dan sistem air bawah tanah.Pada 2005, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd dengan kerjasama Persatuan Industri Komputer dan Multimedia Malaysia (Pikom) melaksanakan kempen kitar semula.Hasil sepanjang enam bulan itu menyaksikan sebanyak 1,424 barangan komputer yang terdiri daripada 443 monitor, 378 unit pemerosesan pusat (CPU), 555 pencetak dan 48 aksesori termasuk tetikus, papan kekunci dan cakera keras dikutip oleh 36 pusat kitar semula Alam Flora.Kelebihan kitar semula komputer lama mampu mendatangkan hasil walaupun tidak lumayan, sekurang-kurangnya ia dapat membantu golongan lain lebih memerlukan.Adakah kita mahu planet dan bumi Malaysia tercemar hanya kerana sikap tidak mengambil berat dan tak kisah terus menjadi musuh yang menyebabkan kehancuran diri kita sendiri?

"Behind Pollution"

Water Service 'behind pollution'

The service was blamed for a major fish kill

The Water Service in Northern Ireland has caused more than 1,500 pollution incidents in the five years to 2005 - almost one a day.

The figures were revealed under the Freedom of Information Act following a request from BBC Radio Foyle.

The incidents of pollution include a major fish kill on the River Roe near Limavady last July.

However, Jack McFarland, regional manager with the Water Service, said most incidents were of a minor nature.

He said the Water Service was third highest when it came to pollution, with industry second and farming at the top of the list.

"These are figures we are not very proud of," he told the BBC.

"We have hundreds of pumping stations, hundreds of sewerage works. Not everything works exactly to plan, as we would wish. We do have failures and we are not proud of them.

"But in fairness they are not causing any great degree of pollution; it is manageable."

A new water company will be formed in April

The Department of Regional Development confirmed that the Water Service caused 1,527 pollution incidents between 2000 and 2005.

These included waterways being polluted with raw sewage.

The Church Brae Burn near Derry was found to be "grey with fungus" and "septic" for six weeks last summer.

Mr McFarland said in the north-west area over the last five years there were 291 incidents, with only one of those deemed high, 5-6% deemed medium and the others low.

"The impact on the environment from our activities has been very low," he said.

"The quality of our infrastructure in some areas would probably be the major cause.

"Most of our sewerage depends a lot on pumping stations. We have power failures... but they don't last for long.

"But it's long enough for a sump to build up and maybe start to overflow - that in itself will create an incident. We do have pump failure and of course there are times when we do get things wrong ourselves."

Currently the Water Service is not prosecuted over such incidents, but Mr McFarland said Crown immunity would cease after it becomes Northern Ireland Water Ltd in April.

Menanti Olimpik 2008

Oleh AZLINARIAH ABDULLAH (Yang melawat Beijing, China, baru-baru ini)
DAPAT difahami kegembiraan China semasa ia diumumkan berjaya menjadi tuan rumah kepada penganjuran Sukan Olimpik 2008.
Pengumuman yang dibuat oleh Presiden Jawatankuasa Olimpik Antarabangsa (IOC), Juan Antonio Samaranch di Moscow pada 14 Julai 2001 itu segera disambut dengan sorakan, nyanyian dan pesta oleh sebahagian besar penduduk China.
China sebenarnya telah lama mengidamkan untuk diberikan tugas sebegitu, menjadi tuan rumah Sukan Olimpik memandangkan ia percaya kepada keupayaannya sendiri.
Turut berusaha memenangi hati anggota IOC bersama-sama Beijing untuk penganjuran Olimpik 2008 ialah Toronto (Kanada), Paris (Perancis), Istanbul (Turki) dan Osaka (Jepun). China pernah tewas dua undi kepada Sydney bagi penganjuran Sukan Olimpik 2000.
Menganjurkan sukan sebegitu hebat seperti Olimpik tentulah memberi makna yang besar dari segi martabat, ekonomi dan prestij, apalagi buat China yang mempunyai 1.2 bilion penduduk dan sering dikritik kerana rekod hitam hak asasinya.
Kita di Malaysia sendiri sudah merasai betapa kesan positif yang dibawa oleh Sukan Komanwel 1998 dari segi pembinaan bangsa dan negara.
China yang kini menerima pelaburan asing terbesar di dunia diramalkan lambat- laun akan menjadi kuasa besar ekonomi. Olimpik 2008 pasti akan menjadi pemangkin untuk mencapai matlamat berkenaan.
Dalam pada itu, di kalangan negara Asia, China belum pernah menjadi tuan rumah bagi Olimpik moden sejak ia diperkenalkan pada 1896. Sejarahnya, Olimpik dua kali diadakan di Asia, di Tokyo pada 1964 dan Seoul pada tahun 1998. Kini, peristiwa meraikan kegembiraan mendapat hak penganjuran Sukan Olimpik 2008 itu telah lama berlalu. Malahan, tuan rumah kepada sukan Olimpik 2012 telah pun diketahui, diserahkan kepada London.
Tinggal kurang daripada setahun sahaja lagi dari sekarang, China akan menunjukkan kepada dunia bahawa ia benar-benar boleh menganjurkan sukan paling berprestij di dunia itu. Kesediaan Beijing dapat dilihat dari segi fizikal, semangat dan teruja warga-warga di negara tersebut.
Berkesempatan melawat Beijing baru-baru ini, penulis dapat melihat bahawa ibu kota negara China, yang dulunya dikenali sebagai Peking itu benar-benar komited untuk memberikan ‘sesuatu’ kepada dunia semasa penganjuran itu nanti.
Sukan Olimpik 2008 bertemakan Satu Dunia, Satu Impian (One World, One Dream) akan diadakan di Beijing bermula 8 Ogos 2008.
‘‘Sebelum ini, pihak kerajaan berjanji bahawa semasa Sukan Olimpik 2008, di Beijing nanti tidak akan dilitupi asap atau kesesakan lalu lintas.
‘‘Usaha ke arah itu telah dilakukan,’’ kata Liu Qi, Setiausaha Parti Komunis Beijing, seperti yang dipetik oleh majalah bulanan dwibahasa, Beijing Time.
Kata beliau, yang juga merupakan Datuk Bandar Beijing, pembinaan lebih banyak jalan, laluan kereta api bawah tanah merupakan antara persiapan untuk mengatasi masalah kesesakan sekali gus persediaan menghadapi temasya itu.
Beijing juga kelihatannya memulakan langkah dengan baik dalam usaha memperbaiki kualiti udara sejak beberapa tahun lalu dan situasi itu bertambah baik dari semasa ke semasa.
Dalam hal ini, Zhou Rong dari Institut Alam Sekitar dan Pencemaran berkata, dengan jumlah pemilik kereta terus bertambah di bandar raya yang mempunyai 15 juta penduduk, beberapa langkah lain juga perlu diambil untuk memperbaiki kualiti udara. Bilangan penduduk sejumlah 15 juta orang menjadikan Beijing sebagai tempat kedua terpadat di China selepas bandar raya Shanghai.
Tambahnya, sebanyak 9,000 kawasan pembinaan Beijing diarahkan oleh kerajaan agar menutup kawasan-kawasan berpasir dan berdebu bagi mengelak ia mencemari ruang udara.
‘‘Pada masa sama, syarikat pembinaan yang mempunyai kadar pencemaran alam sekitar paling tinggi seperti kilang besi Beijing Shougang telah dipindahkan daripada bandar raya itu.
“Semuanya adalah menjadi sebahagian persediaan Beijing menganjurkan Sukan Olimpik,’’ katanya seperti dipetik dalam temu bual siaran langsung program Dialogue di China Central Television Corporation (CCTV) baru-baru ini.
China akan menyambut hampir 500,000 pelawat asing dan sejuta penduduk tempatan sewaktu berlangsungnya temasya itu, menurut anggaran kerajaan.
Sementara itu, dalam Newsweek bagi edaran bertarikh 13 Ogos, majalah mingguan itu turut menyiarkan betapa kerajaan China berhabis untuk program menghijaukan bandar raya Beijing demi Olimpik 2008.
Laporan oleh Melinda Liu itu menyebut bahawa sebanyak 12 bilion yuan diperuntukkan untuk mengindahkan kawasan perumahan, taman dan perbandaran, tidak ketinggalan memberi ‘sinar terang’ kepada lampu-lampu serta meletakkan pokok-pokok.
Dan, semasa di Beijing baru-baru ini, dapat dilihat bahawa ibu kota China itu seolah-olah bertukar wajah.
Keadaan persekitarannya bersih. Pokok-pokok dibiarkan tumbuh tinggi memberi teduh tetapi dijaga daun-daunnya agar tidak menjadi longgokan sampah.
Tidak kelihatan sampah sarap atau pemandangan mencacatkan imej terdapat di tempat-tempat tumpuan pelancong seperti Dataran Tiananmen, Tembok Besar China, Summer Palace dan Forbidden City.
Di kalangan warganya pula, mereka kelihatan lebih berdisiplin di mana penulis tidak terserempak dengan adegan ‘tipikal’ penduduk China iaitu meludah merata-rata tempat.
Pendek kata, panorama Beijing kelihatan indah, menarik dan harmoni, tidak ketinggalan meriah di sana sini dengan logo Olimpik – lima bulatan warna biru, hitam, kuning, hijau dan merah.
Turut menggambarkan keterujaan Beijing mengalu-alukan Olimpik 2008 ialah betapa kempen pemasarannya begitu rancak sekali.
Dapat dilihat di mana-mana – daripada kedai biasa sehingga di hotel-hotel, tempat tumpuan pelancongan, cenderahati memaparkan maskot Olimpik 2008– Bei Bei, Jing Jing, Huan Huan, Ying Ying dan Ni Ni dijual kepada umum.
Cenderahati seperti rangkaian kunci, kemeja T, topi dan pin laris dijual dan mendapat permintaan tinggi.
Logiknya pula, pemasaran untuk barangan Olimpik 2008 itu bakal meraih untung berjuta-juta dolar.
Laporan sebelum ini memetik IOC sebagai menjangkakan Beijing mampu mengatasi rekod keuntungan yang dicatatkan oleh Los Angeles ketika menjadi tuan rumah Sukan Olimpik 1984 iaitu AS$220 (RM831.6 juta).
Dalam pada itu, tinjauan ke stadium utama, dikenali sebagai National Stadium di Beichen Road mendapati, kerja-kerja pembinaan masih dijalankan dan tidak dibuka kepada awam.
Stadium itu nanti berupaya menempatkan seramai 90,000 pengunjung.
Di kalangan warganya sendiri, James Wang Li, seorang pemandu pelancong, mengakui sangat teruja menantikan Olimpik 2008.
‘‘Pelancong yang saya bawa rata-rata bertanya pandangan saya mengenainya. Jawab saya, Beijing ternanti-nanti dan sangat gembira menunggu detik itu.’’

Keselamatan Alam Sekitar

TINDAKAN kerajaan mengumumkan perubahan mengetatkan kadar hukuman ke atas kesalahan pencemaran toksik dan meletakkan pengawalan yang ketat di pintu-pintu sempadan Malaysia adalah satu pendekatan yang mencerminkan keprihatinan kerajaan dalam usaha menghadapi ancaman keselamatan bentuk baru.
Terma ‘masalah alam dan sekitar’ dahulunya sering kali dirujuk kepada masalah-masalah pencemaran, pembuangan sampah, pencemaran sungai dan sebagainya.
Namun kita tidak sedar bahawa terma ‘alam dan sekitar’ ini adalah konsep yang merangkumi manusia, alam sekeliling dan aktiviti ketamadunan.
Terma ini secara langsung membawa kepada penjelasan bahawa konsep keselamatan alam sekitar merangkumi melindungi manusia dan alam yang didiami daripada ancaman dan bahaya.
Dengan perkataan lain, konsep keselamatan alam sekitar tidak lagi tertumpu kepada isu-isu pencemaran tetapi juga ia turut merangkumi bencana alam, kepupusan sumber, penebangan hutan secara tidak terkawal, kestabilan ekonomi, jenayah rentasi sempadan, pemberontakan, penyakit dan sebagainya.
Malah di negara maju seperti Amerika Syarikat dan Jepun, isu-isu ini telah diutamakan sebagai elemen dalam keselamatan negara.
Bencana alam yang mampu meragut kestabilan ekonomi, tamadun dan nyawa, kepupusan sumber yang mampu membawa kepada pencetusan konflik antara negara, kegiatan jenayah merentasi sempadan yang menggugat keselamatan dan kedaulatan sesebuah negara merupakan contoh kemampuan isu-isu ini menggugat kestabilan dan keselamatan negara yang dikategorikan sebagai isu bukan tradisional.
Realitinya keperihatinan kerajaan terhadap masalah alam sekitar bukanlah pendekatan yang sia-sia, sebaliknya kita perlu sedar ia adalah pendekatan yang sama sepertimana yang telah diambil oleh negara-negara maju terhadap isu-isu bukan tradisional.
Dengan kata lain, Malaysia pada ketika ini telah mula mengorak langkah memperkukuhkan konsep keselamatan negara seiring dengan pendekatan negara-negara maju dalam soal keselamatan dan kedaulatan negara.
Tindakan kerajaan yang mengetatkan kawalan di pintu-pintu sempadan negara adalah usaha untuk mengatasi cabang-cabang isu bukan tradisional seperti jenayah merentasi sempadan, pencerobohan, pendatang tanpa izin, penyeludupan, dadah, penyakit, jenayah awam dan sebagainya.
Usaha ini bagi memastikan keselamatan dan kedaulatan rakyat dan negara dapat dikekalkan dan diperkukuhkan.
Pencemaran
Teguran Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yang menyentuh mengenai masalah pencemaran alam sekitar di Malaysia melambangkan keprihatinan kerajaan terhadap isu-isu alam sekitar yang semakin lama dilihat akan menggugat keselamatan rakyat dan negara.
Kita dapat lihat dengan jelas pendedahan-pendedahan oleh media massa terhadap isu-isu keselamatan alam sekitar yang pada ketika ini telah menjadi sebagai cabaran besar kepada negara.
Apa yang menyedihkan ialah keprihatinan kerajaan dan pendedahan-pendedahan yang dibuat oleh media massa terhadap isu alam sekitar tidak dijadikan sebagai teladan dan pengajaran, sedangkan isu-isu ini yang menggugat keselamatan rakyat dan negara.
Di negara-negara maju, masalah alam sekitar merupakan salah satu komponen keselamatan negara dan ia bukan lagi dianggap sebagai isu keselamatan ‘remeh- temeh’.
Sebaliknya isu-isu ini dilihat sebagai masalah yang mampu mengancam kestabilan, keselamatan dan kedaulatan negara. Konsep keselamatan alam sekitar sebenarnya merupakan konsep yang berkembang seiring dengan perkembangan ancaman-ancaman terhadap sesebuah negara.
Ketika era Perang Dingin (1945-1991) masalah alam sekitar merupakan ‘topik’ yang tidak mendapat perhatian masyarakat dunia.
Namun keruntuhan persaingan kuasa Kesatuan Soviet dan Amerika Syarikat pada tahun 1991, dunia global mula memperkembangkan konsep keselamatan negara yang mana ia turut melibatkan ancaman-ancaman bukan tradisional.
Tamatnya persaingan kuasa di peringkat antarabangsa telah mempengaruhi negara dunia termasuk Malaysia untuk melihat dan menilai semula konsep keselamatan negara.
Justeru, masalah-masalah alam sekitar seperti pencemaran, penyakit (AIDS, JE, SARS, dan lain-lain), penebangan hutan, ekonomi, jerebu, bencana alam, kekurangan sumber, perebutan sumber dan sebagainya telah dilihat mampu mengancam keselamatan negara. Bagaimana isu-isu ini mampu menggugat keselamatan negara?
Sebagai contoh masalah sumber air yang pernah dianggap sebagai isu ‘remeh-temeh’ terbukti mampu membawa sesebuah negara ke kancah peperangan.
Perebutan sumber air Sungai Tigris dan Eupharates pernah membawa Iraq, Turki dan Syria menghadapi konflik. Sungai Nil yang merupakan nadi bagi Timur Tengah dan Afrika pernah mencetuskan konflik antara Mesir, Habsyah dan Sudan.
Manakala di Malaysia, isu air yang melibatkan Kuala Lumpur-Singapura pernah membawa kedua-dua negara ke kancah ketegangan dan risiko konflik antara negara.
Masalah jerebu yang melanda Asia Tenggara pada tahun 1997, 2003 dan 2006 yang berpunca daripada aktiviti pembakaran terbuka di wilayah Indonesia telah menjadi isu yang menggugat keselamatan negara serantau khususnya Malaysia yang terpaksa menanggung kos dan kerugian yang besar bagi menghadapi masalah alam sekitar iaitu jerebu.
Ia jelas memperlihatkan kedaulatan dan keselamatan negara tercabar dengan ancaman isu-isu bukan tradisional.
Malah isu-isu ini sekiranya tidak ditangani, ia akan mencabar kedaulatan dan meletakkan negara dalam risiko menghadapi ancaman keselamatan.
Perluasan konsep ancaman keselamatan negara yang melibatkan isu-isu bukan tradisional telah meletakkan Malaysia di landasan kestabilan dan jaminan keselamatan.
Isu-isu bukan tradisional ini perlu diperjelaskan dan disebarkan kepada rakyat dengan secara meluas sebagai elemen yang mampu mengganggu gugat keselamatan negara.
– MOHAMAD FAISOL KELING,
Fakulti Pengajian Antarabangsa,
Universiti Utara Malaysia.

To Nature's Rescue

Tuesday October 23, 2007

By TAN CHENG LI
chengli@thestar.com.my
Malaysians from various walks of life share their ideas on saving the world.
WHAT would you do if you were in the seat of power, with clout to influence the state of our environment? What would you do if you were the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment? We posed this question to Malaysians and here are their replies:

“If I were the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, I would ...”

“... walk more and follow our drains (or should I say rivers). There is nothing like being close to the ground to understand what needs to be done. I would also increase the price of fossil fuels and tax all petroleum-based industries (which includes plastics). This tax would be channelled to a special fund to support environment programmes nationwide.” – Dr Reza Azmi, conservation planner and founder of Wild Asia

The Tanjung Piai park in Johor shelters a lush mangrove forest. We need more such protected areas. –Pic by CHOU K.S.
“... take the lead role to ensure basic environmentalknowledge is passed on to every child. Children must be taught basic things such as the three Rs so that it becomes second nature to them. Schools must be made environmentally-friendly. They can be places where children will learn to love our planet and be responsible for it. It is at this age that they will love animals and want to protect them. I would work with the Education Minister to develop learning tools and project-based activities to keep children interested in what this planet offers us, what are its threats and how each individual, young or old, can play a role in keeping it healthy. There would be loads more that can be done.” – Lara Ariffin, producer

“... pass the death penalty for people who poach the Sumatran rhinoceros and Malayan tiger, ensure that no more forest is converted into urban areas or agricultural land, fight for more budget to improve the environment and safeguard it from further deterioration.” – Julia Ng, programme officer, Traffic South-East Asia

“... enforce rigorously the many laws which are in place, to make a difference. A trinity of anti-pollution laws combined with environmental education and strict enforcement, will ensure that society appreciates and upkeeps a pristine environment. These laws need to control hill-cutting, illegal logging, waste dumping and throwing of plastic bags out of car windows. They must also reward recycling and reuse as efficient means to avoid energy wastage which contributes to global warming. Only when the last tree is dead will we realise that money cannot be eaten.” – Dr Richard Cropp, chemical engineer

“... I’d first and foremost send my entire staff for training on basic compassion for animals. I’d fly down experts from Animals Asia Foundation (AAF), who are respected worldwide for their outstanding work in animal rescue and education, to train all my staff on the ethical treatment of animals. And, it can’t hurt for municipal council officers to attend these classes too. I’d also protect our wildlife in our rainforest, not in zoos and tourists resorts where wildlife like the orang utan is made to cycle and perform kick-boxing. You cannot create a society mature enough to recycle and use less plastic unless you deal with their hearts first. And a healthy heart comes firstly from treating those who are helpless, like this country’s animals, with care and respect.” – Shoba Mano, animal rights activist

To enjoy swimming among fishes in the sea, we must stem all marine pollution. –Pic by ANTHONY TAN / The Star"... I’d start a year-long ‘Community for Clean Air and Clean Water’ campaign whereby each community, neighbourhood, village, school or Felda scheme is given cash to commit to one thing to ensure clean air and/or clean water – complete with measurable outcomes. On top of that, the community which best achieves its goals will win a prize and be used as a model to be replicated elsewhere." – Wong Siew Lyn, writer

“... push for Environmental Education to be an official part of the school curriculum – if not as a subject by itself, then as a module or section of the Science subject. It’s good to start them young. I would also keep an eye on existing green lungs and parks to make sure they don’t get bulldozed for development, and try to set up new ones, where possible. I would also review the Environmental Impact Assessment procedures to raise the bar to make sure EIA consultants are doing a proper job and developers do not start work on a project before the EIA has been officially approved. All stakeholders and other relevant parties should be notified of a project development and invited to comment on the EIA report.” – Khor Hui Min, copywriter

“... commute by bus, train and LRT once a week, to see how bad the public transportation is and how it can be improved. I would also encourage other agencies to create more car-free zones in the city and build more cycling lanes. Not only will this lessen traffic congestion, it will lead to cleaner air and less global warming.” – Dennis Quah, college student

“... provide justifications to the Economic Planning Unit, Public Services Department and Treasury to provide more staff and resources to the Conservation and Environmental Management Division. This is the main agency co-ordinating biodiversity conservation but it has only a handful of officers. Although water and air quality are important matters and deserve attention, biodiversity conservation is a much-neglected area.
“There are overlaps between the functions of the Forestry Department, and the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan). Forestry staff mainly enforce laws against illegal logging and pay little attention to poaching of wildlife and non-timber plants. Officers from both departments patrol the forest for different purposes. Therefore, resources are not optimised. I would instruct them to conduct joint patrols but, ultimately, I would merge the two, as is done in Sarawak.
“I would also work with the Housing and Local Government Ministry to ensure that every local council has environment and biodiversity officers. This will ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into planning and management at the local level, in the hope that projects that are detrimental to the environment are rejected early on. I would also meet the Mentri Besar and Chief Minister of every state so that Perhilitan is included in state planning committees. So far, it is usually not consulted when projects are discussed but is blamed when human-wildlife conflict occurs.” – Surin Suksuwan, conservationist

“... make flash floods a thing of the past. I would ensure that the Drainage and Irrigation Department enforces laws on stormwater management in urban areas, development sites and cleared lands. Very often, it is the water runoffs from these places that silt up our rivers and make them shallow, thus causing flash floods.” – Colin Dass, lawyer

“... make financial institutions play a bigger role in environmental conservation, and not just in terms of supporting green campaigns or wildlife research. Conservation concerns should be integrated into how banks operate. For instance, banks should scrutinise the environmental risks and liabilities, as well as social impact, of development projects before financing such schemes.” – Ridwan Mohamad, surveyor

Even as we organise tree-planting campaigns, we are clearing more forests. – Pic by MUSTAFA AHMAD / The Star“... amend the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 urgently, to embrace current needs, in light of the levels and sophistication of crimes against wildlife. It has been 35 years since this Act came into force, and amendments are long overdue. Wildlife criminals escape with minute fines compared to the contraband value of the wildlife they profit from. I would push for a new Act to address the need for greater penalties, including mandatory imprisonment, and to seal existing loopholes. It should no longer be possible for wildlife criminals to escape prosecution and punishment because of a legal inadequacy. And I would ensure that the new Act is enforced on the ground, and stretches to actual wildlife protection beyond mere paper protection.” – Loretta Ann Soosayraj, co-ordinator, Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers

“... create a comprehensive and representative protected area system for the country, by requiring all states to set aside protected areas under a single system that enables on-the-ground management, and supported by the required expertise and funding. To achieve this goal, the ministry needs to firmly place the environmental agenda within the portfolio of every public sector agency. I would put a paper to cabinet to, once and for all, set up this protected area system through a single inter-agency umbrella body, possibly under the ministry itself. I would then commit resources to making this happen within five years.” – Anthony Sebastian, president, Malaysian Nature Society

“... ensure that the ministry lives up to its role as custodian of the environment. I would apply my Five Action Plans to make the ministry more effective, responsible and accountable. First, I would review the institutional set-up of the ministry to determine the responsibilities of various departments, and decide whether solid waste management comes under my purview or that of the Housing and Local Government Minister.
Second, I would review the capabilities of my staff and give them training, to ensure that they are competent.
Third, I would set up a technical advisory working group of my officers, specialists, academicians and professionals, to guide the ministry. We would meet regularly to foster greater public-private consultation. I would formulate policies only after consultation with them. It would be premature for me to implement ad-hoc policies and actions that could be counter-productive. Take for instance, the call by many to ban plastic bags. To me, it is the disposal of plastic bags that is damaging the environment, not the bags themselves. If citizens dispose of the bags carefully and insist on better landfill management to recover and recycle the bags, then perhaps we would not have a problem.
Fourth, I would set up an information centre to document all environmental problems and issues, so that we can learn from past mistakes. It will also be a resource centre for the public to enhance their environmental knowledge.
Fifth, I would set up an Environmental Crime Scene Investigation Department. Many environmental problems would be avoidable if detected early. It is the lack of diligence and monitoring that usually leads to environmental disasters.” – Ng Han Kok, mechanical engineer

-Everyone should have awareness like those people above-Earth Smile We Happy

RIO TINTO CONDUCTS EIA

Wednesday September 26, 2007

KUCHING: Rio Tinto Aluminium has appointed Chemsain Konsultant Sdn Bhd and URS Australia Pty Ltd to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the proposed US$2bil (RM6.9bil) aluminium smelter in Bintulu.
The EIA, which is expected to take 15 months to complete, will include studies on air quality, noise, flora and fauna, land use and social impact.
Waste management, transport, surface water and groundwater impacts would also be included in the study, Rio Tinto general manager (smelter project development) Matt Liddy said in a statement.
The proposed smelter, to be known as Sarawak Aluminium Co (Salco), is a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd.
Liddy said the EIA was the first step towards ensuring all aspects of the environment were taken into account.
“Respect for the environment is a fundamental part of Salco’s approach and the study will ensure a smelter operation that uses world-class environmental management practices.
“We take these responsibilities seriously and environmental protection will be an integral part of the management of the smelter during construction and in operations,” he said.
The EIA outcome would be used to optimise the design of the smelter and to prepare environmental management plans for Salco’s construction and operation, he added.

Sarawak To Host Meeting On Environs

Friday October 12, 2007

KUCHING: An international conference on natural resources and environmental management, to be held here next month, is expected to attract 400 local and foreign participants.
Organising chairman Dr James Dawos Mamit said the latest findings on current environmental issues would be presented at the conference themed “Clean and Safe Environment”.
“Now we can use constructed wetlands for ecological sanitation but we still lack experience in this area,” he said.
The Nov 27-29 conference is organised by the state Environment and Public Health Ministry, Natural Resources and Environment Board, Institut Kimia Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

Laporan EIA dikaji semula

KETATKAN UNDANG-UNDANG ALAM SEKITAR

TAJUK utama akhbar dan disusuli berita utama yang bertajuk ‘10 tahun baru bertindak’ hanyalah dua daripada beratus berita kegiatan jenayah alam sekitar yang didedahkan media sekian lama.

Hasilnya? Tidak pasti. Tujuan media mendedahkan isu-isu itu bukan untuk mencari salah atau mempunyai ‘agenda’ tetapi adalah untuk membuka mata semua pihak atas kegiatan itu.

Memetik kata-kata Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak semalam: “Kalau media melaporkan sesuatu, mereka hanya memainkan tugas untuk memperjuangkan kepentingan orang ramai.”

Kegiatan tersebut jika tidak diambil peduli akan menjadi barah dan akhirnya boleh mengancam nyawa, kesihatan manusia dan alam sekitar yang kita kongsi ini.

Semua pihak, baik Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS), atau pihak-pihak berkuasa tempatan harus memastikan alam sekitar ini adalah agenda utama yang perlu diberi perhatian.

Sisa-sisa toksik, aluminium dan logam berbahaya yang dibuang tanpa pengawalan akan menyebabkan sistem ekologi terganggu. Ia berkait dengan sistem-sistem lain yang akhirnya mewujudkan ‘barah’ kepada keseluruhan sistem alam.

Jika ini berlaku, secanggih mana sekalipun rawatannya tidak akan berguna.

Sebenarnya, pihak-pihak tidak bertanggungjawab membuang sisa-sisa toksik ini tidak ambil peduli atas apa yang berlaku di sekeliling mereka, asalkan dapat mengaut keuntungan yang banyak.

Orang seperti inilah yang perlu dihukum sekeras-kerasnya atas jenayah alam sekitar.

Sudah banyak gesaan dibuat agar undang-undang lebih keras atas jenayah ini digubal.

Jika Kementerian Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi baru-baru ini mencadangkan pesalah pencemar sistem bekalan air dikenakan hukuman mati, tidak keterlaluan, jika Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar patut mengikuti langkah sama.

Telah tiba masanya, kita tidak lagi hanya bersorak dan mengambil tindakan semasa isu itu panas dan selepas itu semua pihak lupa. Isu pelupusan sisa aluminium sekarang adalah isu yang akan terus didedahkan. Tapi sampai bila?

Kita khuatir, jika berita ini didedahkan terlalu kerap ia tidak akan lagi menjadi nilai berita. Jika itu berlaku, tiada siapa lagi yang akan peduli.

Oleh itu, satu sistem pengawalan, pemantauan dan penguatkuasaan kemas dan mantap dapat dilaksanakan oleh JAS mahupun pihak lain agar sistem ekologi dan biodiversiti kita terpelihara.

Lebih penting daripada itu, ‘manusia-manusia’ yang melaksanakan tanggungjawab itu harus amanah, ikhlas, bersih dan dedikasi bagi menjamin sistem tersebut terlaksana.

Jika tidak ia akan menjadi sia-sia – seperti apa yang berlaku sekarang.

Alam sekitar: Pakar Indonesia ikuti kursus di Malaysia

JAKARTA 24 Jun - Pemerintah Indonesia akan menghantar sekumpulan hakim, pendakwa raya dan pegawai kanan polis untuk menjalani kursus penguatkuasaan undang-undang alam sekitar di Malaysia mulai bulan depan.
Pembantu kepada Menteri Negara Alam Sekitar Indonesia, Effendi Sumardja berkata, langkah penghantaran adalah sebagai proses pembelajaran dalam usaha mempertingkatkan undang-undang alam sekitar di Indonesia.
Beliau berkata, pemerintah Indonesia memilih Malaysia kerana Malaysia tegas dalam soal pelaksanaan undang-undang alam sekitar sehingga mereka yang melakukan kesalahan tidak pernah terlepas daripada dihukum. ''Ini kerana dalam setiap kes, pihak berkuasa Malaysia menyertakan bukti cukup kukuh sehingga mereka yang melakukan kesalahan itu tidak mampu berdolak-dalih.''
Effendi berkata, di kalangan negara ASEAN, Indonesia dianggap paling lemah dalam bertindak terhadap mereka yang mencemarkan alam sekitar.
''Akibatnya gejala itu terus berlaku sehingga mengganggu negara ASEAN seperti peristiwa pembakaran hutan yang mengakibatkan jerebu,'' katanya.
''Sudah tiba masanya, kita benar-benar tegas dalam soal ini kerana walaupun kita mahu pembangunan tetapi ini tidak bermakna kita harus merosakkan alam sekitar sehingga menjejaskan kehidupan rakyat,'' katanya. - Utusan

Pelaporan alam sekitar syarikat belum memuaskan

KONSEP pelaporan alam sekitar mula diberikan perhatian di Rio de Janeiro ketika Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) menganjurkan Persidangan Alam Sekitar dan Pembangunan tahun 1992. Persidangan yang mendapat julukan `Rio Earth Summit' mengesyorkan agar pelaporan dibuat setiap tahun bagi memantau kesan industri ke atas alam sekitar. Ia mendapat sambutan baik seluruh dunia dan banyak syarikat melaksanakannya termasuk segelintir di Malaysia.
Pelaporan ini menuntut industri melaporkan kesan-kesan aktiviti syarikat ke atas alam sekitar dan langkah-langkah yang diambil untuk mengatasinya. Berdasarkan amalan industri, pelaporan ini turut dimuatkan di dalam laporan tahunan syarikat seperti yang dilakukan oleh Golden Hope Plantation Bhd. (Golden Hope). Tetapi ada juga yang mengambil inisiatif untuk menerbitkan pelaporan khas alam sekitar seperti Shell Malaysia.
Status pelaporan di Malaysia
Malaysia ketika ini tidak mewajibkan syarikat-syarikat membuat pelaporan alam sekitar dan setakat ini, tiada tumpuan dibuat ke arah pelaporan komprehensif. Berdasarkan kajian ``Keadaan Laporan Alam Sekitar Korporat di Malaysia'' yang dijalankan oleh ACCA, apa yang boleh dikaitkan dengan penggubalan undang-undang alam sekitar ialah Akta Keselamatan dan Kesihatan di tempat kerja (Occupational Safety and Health - OSH), syarat-syarat penyenaraian BSKL dan Standard Perakaunan Malaysia (Malaysian Accounting Standard - MAS).
OSH meliputi soal keselamatan, kesihatan dan kebajikan pekerja-pekerja semasa di tempat kerja. Di bawah akta tersebut, Peraturan Kecil 17 menghendaki syarikat mendedahkan maklumat yang berkaitan dengan soal keselamatan peribadi dan ini termasuklah sebarang situasi yang melibatkan pekerja dan alam sekitar. Peraturan Kecil 22, Pengawalan Pencemaran Utama Industri juga turut menghendaki syarikat-syarikat pembuatan memaklumkan kepada masyarakat perkara-perkara yang berkaitan dengan ciri-ciri dan keadaan kemalangan yang besar meliputi kesan-kesan yang bakal timbul ke atas populasi dan juga alam sekitar.
Bursa Malaysia telah meminda syarat penyenaraian syarikat seperti termaktub di bawah Bab 9 - Pendedahan Maklumat Berterusan dan Bab 15 - Makluman Tadbir Urus Korporat. Menurut pindaan ini, walaupun syarat penyenaraian tidak menghendaki sebarang makluman alam sekitar secara terperinci, tetapi senarai ini memerlukan laporan umum untuk sebarang potensi ataupun faktor yang boleh mempengaruhi prestasi kewangan sesebuah syarikat. Ini berlainan sekali dengan Akta Syarikat 1965 yang hanya menyediakan panduan pengendalian syarikat dan tidak menuntut sebarang pelaporan alam sekitar.
MASB yang menjadi mekanisme pengawalan peraturan dan amalan perakaunan di Malaysia menggariskan dengan jelas akan keperluan pelaporan alam sekitar. Perenggan 10 MASB 1 merujuk kepada `pelaporan alam sekitar dan penyataan nilai tambahan'. Fasal ini menggalakkan syarikat melaporkan maklumat tambahan sekiranya pihak pengurusan yakin bahawa maklumat itu akan membantu pengguna membuat keputusan yang bercirikan ekonomi. Selain itu, MASB 20 merujuk kepada peraturan perakaunan dan keterbukaan maklumat yang mengambil kira soal liabiliti kontigen.
Walaupun ia tidak menyatakan secara jelas apakah jenis liabiliti yang harus dimaklumkan, namun peraturan ini menyenaraikan risiko-risiko seperti tanah yang tercemar, kos penyelenggaraan pelantar minyak dan kos memasang alat penapis asap untuk mengawal pencemaran daripada operasi syarikat.
Sambutan syarikat terhadap pelaporan
Malaysia masih lagi mengkaji keperluan mewajibkan pelaporan alam sekitar di kalangan masyarakat industri. Namun begitu, beberapa syarikat telah mula mengorak langkah memasukkan pelaporan dalam laporan tahunan syarikat.
Kajian ACCA menunjukkan bahawa jumlah syarikat yang membuat pelaporan telah meningkat daripada 25 kepada 40 buah sepanjang tahun 1999 - 2001. Jumlah ini mewakili 7.7 peratus daripada jumlah syarikat yang tersenarai di Papan Utama Bursa Malaysia.
Sektor industri merekodkan bilangan tertinggi pelaporan iaitu sebanyak 23 peratus, diikuti sektor perladangan 18 - 19 peratus, dan sektor barangan pengguna 15 - 19 peratus. Tiada pelaporan dibuat oleh syarikat daripada sektor perlombongan, teknologi dan perhotelan.
Separuh daripada syarikat yang membuat pelaporan tersenarai dalam 100 buah syarikat paling terkemuka di Malaysia. Bagaimanapun, pelaporan alam sekitar hanya menjadi sebahagian elemen laporan tahunan syarikat.
Dalam tahun 1999 contohnya, lebih 95 peratus daripada syarikat yang melapor telah mengehadkan pelaporan alam sekitar hanya kepada satu muka surat sahaja. Tahun 2001 menyaksikan lebih 40 peratus yang melapor memuatkan lebih daripada satu muka surat untuk maklumat alam sekitar. Secara umumnya, peningkatan ini boleh dilihat sebagai perkembangan positif yang mendedahkan kesan perindustrian kepada alam sekitar.
Terdapat juga sebilangan syarikat yang memperuntukkan segmen berasingan untuk pelaporan alam sekitar dan angka ini meningkat kepada 8 dalam tahun 2001 daripada hanya 3 syarikat dalam tahun 1999.
Secara keseluruhan, syarikat-syarikat yang melapor kebanyakannya tertumpu kepada aspek pengurusan dan pencapaian alam sekitar. Isu-isu seperti teknologi mesra ekologi, pengurusan alam sekitar, latihan, penyelidikan dan pembangunan mendapat perhatian dalam laporan yang disediakan. Hanya sebuah syarikat, iaitu Shell memberi tumpuan terhadap pembangunan mapan iaitu meminimumkan impak alam sekitar.
Terdapat dua faktor yang menggalakkan syarikat-syarikat ini membuat pelaporan alam sekitar. Pertamanya, tadbir urus korporat dan keduanya perkembangan teknologi komunikasi dan informasi (ICT).
Peningkatan mutu tadbir urus korporat mampu mengukuhkan lagi hubungan syarikat dengan pemegang-pemegang amanah harta. Pelaporan alam sekitar juga boleh menarik dan mengekalkan warga kerja yang berbakat dan berkualiti.
Perkembangan ICT memudahkan pelaporan kerana ia membantu usaha pengumpulan, menganalisis dan menerbitkan maklumat yang berkaitan dengan alam sekitar, sama ada dalam bentuk media cetak ataupun elektronik. Antara syarikat-syarikat yang menggunakan laman web sebagai alat penyebaran pelaporan ialah Golden Hope, Puncak Niaga Bhd. dan Tenaga Nasional Bhd.
Walaupun kedua faktor ini cukup besar untuk menggesa syarikat menyediakan pelaporan alam sekitar, namun hanya segelintir sahaja yang kelihatan bersungguh. Sememangnya, hakikat hanya 7.7 peratus daripada keseluruhan syarikat tersenarai di Papan Utama Bursa Malaysia menyediakan pelaporan amat menyedihkan. Kelembapan syarikat untuk memberi reaksi positif terhadap pelaporan sebahagiannya berpunca daripada ketiadaan perundangan yang mewajibkan pelaporan ke atas syarikat. Selain itu, pelaporan alam sekitar merupakan fenomena baru di mana perkembangannya masih lagi terhad.
* Artikel ini disediakan dengan kerjasama Persatuan Akauntan Bertauliah (ACCA).

Kajian EIA tentukan projek insinerator

CYBERJAYA 11 April - Kedudukan projek insinerator pertama Malaysia di Broga, Semenyih, kini bergantung pada laporan hasil Penilaian Kesan Alam Sekitar (EIA), kata Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting hari ini.
``DOE (Jabatan Alam Sekitar) mesti puas hati mengikuti semua peraturan, undang-undang alam sekitar, kemudian keputusan, hasil siasatan EIA akan menentukan sama ada projek itu boleh dilaksanakan atau tidak,'' kata beliau.
``Kerajaan akan melulusan projek RM1.5 bilion itu dengan syarat EIA dipatuhi dengan ketat,'' katanya kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan Pusat Kemasyarakatan Rumah Bijak Cyberia bernilai RM5 juta dan penyerahan kunci kepada 10 pembeli unit kondominium, di situ.
Ong diminta mengulas tentang bantahan baru penduduk Broga dan kawasan berhampiran yang menyerahkan petisyen mengandungi 1,077 tandatangan ke ibu pejabat JAS di Putrajaya semalam melahirkan kebimbangan mereka berhubung kawasan longgokan sampah di kawasan tadahan air.
Tahun lalu, penduduk berkenaan membuat aduan polis mengenai cadangan membina insinerator bagi tujuan pelupusan sampah.
Ong berkata jika projek itu dibuktikan tidak selamat dari segi alam sekitar oleh DOE, kerajaan tidak akan membenarkan pembinaannya.
Kerajaan, katanya, tidak akan bertolak ansur dalam hal keperluan alam sekitar dan piawaian alam sekitar antarabangsa yang lain.
Beliau percaya laporan EIA akan siap sedikit masa lagi.
Insinerator itu pada awalnya dirancang dibina di Kampung Bohol, Puchong, tetapi selepas bantahan penduduk, ia dipindahkan ke Broga.
Terletak di kawsan seluas 265 hektar, insinerator itu dijangka mula beroperasi pada 2007 dan akan dapat mengendalikan 1,500 tan metrik bahan buangan sehari. - Bernama

Pembangunan lebih 50 hektar wajib dapat kelulusan EIA

KUALA LUMPUR 21 Feb. - Setiap pembangunan di kawasan melebihi 50 hektar, pihak pemaju diwajibkan mendapat kelulusan Penilaian Kesan Alam Sekitar (EIA) daripada Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) sebelum memulakan sebarang aktiviti pembangunan.
Setiausaha Parlimen Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar, Sazmi Miah berkata, dalam kes di Taman Pertanian Malaysia Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam, JAS mendapati pemaju terbabit tidak mempunyai kelulusan EIA.
Bercakap kepada Utusan Malaysia, di sini, hari ini, beliau bagaimanapun berkata:
``Berkemungkinan pembangunan di Taman Pertanian Malaysia Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam telah dipecahkan kepada blok-blok kecil yang kurang daripada 50 hektar bagi mengelakkan prosedur EIA.
``Keadaan ini menyebabkan pembangunan berangkai telah berlaku di kawasan seluas 1,200 hektar tersebut dan ia akan membawa kepada kemusnahan alam sekitar yang tidak terkawal,'' katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas laporan Utusan Malaysia baru-baru ini yang mendedahkan Taman Pertanian Malaysia Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam kini menghadapi kemusnahan ekologi setelah dihimpit pembangunan di sekelilingnya.
Taman Pertanian yang diwujudkan pada tahun 1986 itu hampir menjadi pulau kerana rata-rata garis sempadan kawasan tersebut sedang dibangunkan sebagai kawasan penempatan.
Menurut Sazmi, menerusi EIA, pihak beliau akan dapat mengkaji sama ada kawasan-kawasan hutan yang hendak dibangunkan akan dapat berjalan dengan lancar tanpa menjejaskan keseimbangan alam sekitar.
``Kelulusan bagi pembangunan di Taman Pertanian Malaysia Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam adalah di luar kawalan Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar kerana ia diwartakan di bawah Hutan Simpan Negeri Selangor.
``Dalam hal ini, Kerajaan Negeri Selangor mempunyai kuasa bagi mengubah status mana-mana hutan simpan di Selangor untuk digazet sebagai kawasan pembangunan,'' katanya.
Kata Sazmi, beliau menyarankan undang-undang alam sekitar dipinda semula bagi membolehkan EIA dilakukan secara menyeluruh dan tidak terhadap kepada kawasan melebihi 50 hektar sahaja supaya pembangunan secara besar-besaran di setiap negeri dapat dipantau oleh kementeriannya.
``Dari segi ekologi, tidak ada apa lagi yang boleh kita lakukan untuk memulihkan semula Taman Pertanian Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam kerana pembangunan yang berlaku telah memusnahkan keseimbangan alam sekitar kawasan tersebut,'' katanya.

Bangunan pencakar langit tidak tumbang – Pakar

KUALA LUMPUR 17 Sept. – Bangunan-bangunan pencakar langit di negara ini tidak akan tumbang walaupun bahagian dasarnya tidak direka untuk menahan gegaran akibat gempa bumi yang berlaku di kepulauan Indonesia.

Pakar geologi, Profesor Dr. Abdul Ghani Rafek yang pernah terlibat dalam kajian Kesan Penilaian Alam Sekitar (EIA) bangunan tinggi di ibu kota berkata, gegaran pada bangunan itu bergantung kepada kekuatan kejadian gempa bumi tersebut yang berpunca daripada tenaga di bawah tanah akibat pergerakan kerak bumi.

Justeru, Pensyarah Geologi Kejuruteraan, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) itu berpendapat, penghuni bangunan kediaman tinggi dan komersial tidak perlu bimbang kerana kestabilan bentuk muka bumi negara ini mengurangkan risiko ditimpa bencana alam tersebut.

Ketika ditanya kemungkinan Malaysia dilanda gempa bumi dalam tempoh 100 tahun akan datang, katanya, perubahan bentuk muka bumi tidak akan berlaku dalam tempoh sesingkat itu kerana ia mengambil masa jutaan tahun.

“Secara ringkasnya, saya boleh katakan, kita masih selamat daripada gempa bumi walaupun jarak Kuala Lumpur dengan Sumatera agak dekat sekitar 350 kilometer sahaja,” ujarnya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau turut mengutarakan pendapatnya mengenai kesan minimum gempa terhadap struktur binaan sensitif seperti jambatan panjang, empangan hidroelektrik dan bangunan yang terlalu tinggi.

Abdul Ghani menjelaskan, beliau percaya kerajaan sudah mengambil kira kesan minimum terhadap struktur tersebut kerana gegaran yang kecil sekalipun dikhuatiri boleh memberi kesan kepada binaan berkenaan.

Beliau mengulas kekhuatiran pelbagai pihak mengenai tahap ketahanan bangunan tinggi di negara ini selepas siri gempa bumi yang berlaku di Sumatera.

Sehingga semalam, lapan lagi gempa susulan dengan kekuatan sederhana dan lemah melanda Pulau Sumatera selepas gempa bumi pertama berukuran 8.4 pada skala Richter melanda Bengkulu pada 12 September lalu, yang mengorbankan 10 penduduk manakala berpuluh-puluh lagi dikhuatiri terperangkap bawah runtuhan bangunan.

Mengulas lanjut, Abdul Ghani memberitahu, kejadian gempa bumi pada ukuran 8.4 skala Richter itu cukup kuat untuk meranapkan bangunan di Sumatera tetapi ia tidak di Malaysia.

Control Measures Taken By DOE

1.Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974 was enacted to prevent, abate, control
pollution and enhance the quality of environment. The Department of Environment
administer and enforce the EQA 1974, and Section IV of the Economic Exclusive
Zone Act 1984.
2.Inspection and enforcement visits are being carried out to industrial premises to
ensure that industrial sectors comply with the Environmental Quality Act 1974:
3.Road side inspections on motor vehicles are conducted;
*Approved Facilities
*List of Aprroved Facilities
4.Aerial and ground surveillance on pollution sources are being carried out;
5.Air quality in the country is monitored for 24 hours to detect any changes in the
ambient air quality status that may cause harm to human health and the environment;
#Air Quality Monitoring
#Recommended Malaysian Air Quality Guidelines
#Air Pollutant Monitored
#Air Pollutant Index (API)
#Calculation of API (Flow Chart)
#Pollutant Measurement Technique
6.Awareness programme are conducted to educate public on the need to protect the
environment;
7.Initiate and promote research collaborations on relevant environmental area;
8.Participate in international negotiations on relevant environmental issues


Approved Facility

PROGRAMME FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF APPROVED FACILITY' FOR TESTING EMISSIONS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES

'APPROVED FACILITY' means a facility or place approved by the Director General which is equipped with the necessary smokemeter and/or gaseous meter and trained personnel for carrying out any smoke and gaseous emission test from motor vehicles.

PURPOSE

The purpose of establishing the 'Approved Facility' are as follows :-

i) To prepare testing facilities to enable the vehicle owners/drivers to send their vehicles (petrol or diesel) for testing their exhant emission (at their own cost).This would assist the vehicles owners / drivers to observe the level of their vehicle emission and its compliance to the environmental laws.

ii)To enable corrective action be immediately taken on the vehicle engines to stop emitting excessive smoke/gaseous (to stop pollution the environment)

LAW AND EMISSION LIMITS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Diesel :Environmental Quality (Control of Emission from diesel engine) Regulation, 1996
Vehicles enforced since September 1996.



Limit for Black Smoke : 50 Hartridge Smoke Unit ( HSU ) or 50 % opacity .
Emission


Petrol : Environment Quality (Control of Emission from Petrol Engine) Regulation, 1996.
Vehicles enforced since September 1996.


Limit for Gaseous : Vehicles of New Model
Emiission ( introduced after 1-1-1997 )
CO = 3.5 % ; HC = 600 ppm.


: Vehicles of Existing Model
( introduced before 1-1-1997 )
Co = 4.5 % ; HC = 800 ppm.


WHO SHOULD APPLY

1.Person/Company who own/operate:

i). Motor Vehicle Test Centre
ii). Motor Vehicle Service Centre
iii). Service Station ( Petrol Kiosks )
iv). Motor Vehicle Workshop

CRITERIA FOR OBTAINING RECOGNITION AS AN 'APPROVED FACILITY'

Motor Vehicle Test Centre / Service Centre/ Service Station / workshop that is equipped with:-

1. Smokemeter and/or CO & HC Analyzer.
2. Trained personnel prossessing the Certificate of Competency from Department of
Environment (DOE).
(DOE will conduct training and issue the Certificate of Competency to trainees which have undergone the DOE training).
(Training is given upon applications)

ISSUANCE OF THE 'APPROVED FACILITY' CERTIFICATE

'APPROVED FACILITY' Certificate would be issued to the applications by DOE as a recognition to facilities which fulfil the stipulated criteria.


HOW TO APPLY

1. Applicants need to fill the JAS/KYDL/01 Form obtainable at:-

i) /doe/KYDL/borangKYDL.pdf

ii) Department of Environment
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
Level 1-4, Podium 2 & 3, Lot 4G3, Presint 4
Federal Government Administrative Centre
62574 PUTRAJAYA

iii) The States Department of Environment Offices.

2. Returned the above Form to any of the DOE offices as above


NO CHARGE OR FEES WILL BE IMPOSED IN THE PROCESSING OF THE ABOVE ' APPROVED FACILITY'


BENEFITS OBTAINED BY THE APPLICANTS

Your Motor Vehicle Test Centre / Service Station / Workshop would be ' upgraded and recognized as an APPROVED FACILITY' for conducting exhant test from motor vehicles by the Department Of Environment Malaysia.

Department of Environment only recognizes vehicular emission test conducted by 'APPROVED FACILITY' in enforcing the environmental laws and regulations.

Environmental Impact Assessment

What is Environmental Impact Assessment?

The aim of the environmental impact assessment is to assess the overall impact on the environment of development projects proposed by the public and private sectors. The objectives of environmental impact assessment are:
1.To examine and select the best from the project options available;
2.To identify and incorporate into the project plan appropriate abatement and
mitigating measures;
3.To predict significant residual environmental impacts;
4.To determine the significant residual environmental impacts predicted; and
5.To identify the environmental costs and benefits of the project to the community.

Why do we need EIA?

EIA is essentially a planning tool for preventing environmental problems due to an action. It seeks to avoid costly mistakes in project implementation, either because of the environmental damages that are likely to arise during project implementation, or because of modifications that may be required subsequently in order to make the action environmentally acceptable. In Malaysia, EIA is required under section 34A, Environmental Quality Act, 1974.

How to conduct EIA?

To assist you in the preparation of environmental impact assessment reports, you may refer to "A Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines" and EIA guidelines for specific activities published by the Department of Environment.

What are the EIA procedures?

The EIA procedure adopted in Malaysia consists of three major steps. The steps in the EIA procedure are as follows:

1.Preliminary assessment of all prescribed activities;
2.Detailed assessment of those prescribed activities for which significant residual
environmental impacts have been predicted in the preliminary assessment;
3.Review of assessment reports;

What are the steps of the EIA?

Preliminary Assessment
The objectives of Preliminary Assessment for prescribed activities are:

~to examine and select the best from the project options available.
~to identify and incorporate into the project plan appropriate abatement and mitigating
measures.
~to identify significant residual environmental impacts.

A Preliminary Assessment should normally be initiated during the early stages of project planning. Standard Procedural Steps are provided and the assessment might be conducted "in house", or by a consultant. Some form of public participation is mandatory. Environmental data collection may be necessary and close liaison between the assessor and relevant environment related agencies is encouraged. The results of Preliminary Assessment are reported formally for examination and approval by the project approving authority and the Director General of Environmental Quality. Preliminary Assessment requires resources that are a small proportion of the man-hours, money, skills and equipment committed to a pre-feasibility study and the assessment should be completed within the time frame of that study.

Detailed Assessment

The objectives of Detailed Assessment for prescribed activities with potentially significant residual environmental impact include :
1.to describe the significant residual environmental impacts predicted from the final project
plan;
2.to specify mitigating and abatement measures in the final project plan; and
3.to identify the environmental costs and benefits of the project to the community.

Detailed Assessment should continue during project planning until the project plan is finalised. Standard procedural steps are provided and specific terms of reference based on the results of Preliminary Assessment are issued for each project. The Assessment might be conducted "in house" or by a consultant. The assessment method is selected according to the nature of the project; some form of public participation is required. Environmental data collection is almost certainly necessary. The results of Detailed Assessment is reported formally.

The EIA Review Process

The objectives of Review for Prescribed Activities subjected to Detailed Assessment include:
1. to critically review the Detailed Assessment reports;
2. to evaluate development and environmental costs and benefits of the final project plan; and
3. to formulate recommendations and guidelines to the project approving authority relevant to the implementation of the project.

Review of EIA Reports is carried out internally by the DOE with the assistance from the relevant technical agencies for preliminary assessment reports and by an ad hoc Review Panel for detailed assessment reports. Recommendations arising out of the review are transmitted to the relevant project approving authorities for consideration in making a decision on the project. According to the DOE's Client Charter, the period allocated for a review of a term of reference (TOR) and EIA report are as follows:

Preliminary EIA Report - 5 weeks

Terms of Reference (TOR) for the preparation of Detailed EIA Report - 4 weeks

Detailed EIA Report - 12 weeks


The DOE maintains a list of experts who may be called upon to sit as members of any Review Panel established. The selection of the experts depends on the areas of environmental impacts to be reviewed.

Last Updated ( Friday, 17 August 2007 )

Ukay Heights project is safe

By BAVANI M

THE 61.54-acre site in Ukay Heights, near the Taman Hijau Apartments, which has been earmarked for a mixed development project was vetted by over 13 government agencies including the Public Works Institute (Ikram) and the Department of Environment (DOE).

According to a source from the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) it went through stringent regulation check and technical experts from the various agencies had scrutinised the drawings and proposals put forward by the developer.

MAA senior managing consultant (property and project development) Ho Chin Hoy said a comprehensive master plan had been thought out to support the development that comprised office and residential space.

“Concerns of safety pertaining to hill slope development have been looked into thoroughly. Apart from the fact that the project is of low-density – the lowest in Malaysia, work being carried out on the engineered slopes are also known to be the safest,’’ he said.

Ho said extensive and relevant soil test were also carried out to address some of the concerns voiced by residents.

"Work will be carried out on the terrain, with minimal slope cutting, and land filling and regular and close monitoring of slopes,’’ Ho said.

Ho also pointed out that the development is located over 53 metres away from the Taman Hijau apartments and will not be bordering their backyard.

Residents were concerned that a retaining wall would be built too close to their backyard as a buffer, but MAA assured them that the boundary is no where near the vicinity of the apartments.

Ho said the company had even revised the layout plans five times to meet guidelines.

“As a responsible landowner we have done everything that we possibly can to make it right,’’ Ho said, adding that repeated attempts to meet the residents to discuss details of the project proved futile.

“Everything is as transparent as can be,'' he said, adding the development will improve the stability of the existing slopes, the infrastructure and overall image of the area.

The proposed development had been scrutinized by the Public Works Department, Drainage and Irrigation Department, TNB, Syabas, Town Planning Department, Health Department, District Land Office and other agencies.

The following reports and assessment were also carried out: Geotechnical Assessment Report, Independent Geotechnical Audit Report, Traffic Impact Assessment Report, Environment Impact Assessment Report, Environmental Management Plan, Geology Terrain Mapping Report, Geology Physical Mapping Report, Soil Investigation Report, Soil Erosion Assessment Report and Proposed Development Report.

Ho said that all information pertaining to the development could be obtained at the info kiosk located at the MPAJ building lobby area.

The project is a mixed development involving 149 bungalows and 460 shop/office units in a 10-storey building.

The objection hearing on the project is being held today at MPAJ.

Residents want a proper study

By SALINA KHALID

MEDAN Damansara residents are up in arms against the proposed development on a slope near their houses. They say the project should at least be postponed until a proper study has been conducted.

A group of 30 residents gathered at the site on Monday to voice their objections and ask for a meeting with the Kuala Lumpur mayor.

Medan Damansara Residents Association president Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Shukor Abdullah said their main concern is the safety of the residents if the project were to be allowed.

“There have been several landslides at the slope.

“Now, we are worried about the possibility of what could happen if the development is carried out,” he said.

He added that the slope's gradient was more than 30°, making it unsafe for development.

Also present were Segambut MP Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad.

Dr Abdul Shukor also expressed his dissatisfaction over the decision by DBKL to allow such a development.

“This is the only green lung in the area and the earlier developer SPPK (Syarikat Perumahan Pegawai Kerajaan) promised to keep it as such.

“Now DBKL has approved development and we were not consulted at all,” he said.

He added that developing the site would also cause environmental harm.

The residents association had also requested that City Hall disclose documents including the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and DBKL Geological reports on the development.

Medan Damansara was developed about 40 years ago for government servants. Now, a majority of them have retired from their service in the public sector.

Dr Abdul Shukor said the land, measuring more than five hectares, has been approved for 21 bungalow units.

Shahrir said the authorities should abide by the rules and guidelines especially when it comes to such developments to avoid unnecessary expenses later on.

“We have had several development projects which gave problems including landslides and other defects which only cost more money to rectify them.

“PAC does not want to see any implausible expenses by the government which could have been avoided,” he said, urging City Hall to also consider the voice of the residents.

Meanwhile, Dr Tan also said DBKL should have considered the voice of the residents and met with them prior to giving the green light.

Dr Tan added that he would write a letter to the mayor soon and would also bring the matter to the Federal Territory Action Council Meeting.

EIA study for Bintulu smelter

By SHARON LING

KUCHING: Rio Tinto Aluminium has appointed local environmental consultant Chemsain Konsultant Sdn Bhd and URS Australia Pty Ltd to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the proposed US$2bil (RM6.9bil) aluminium smelter in Bintulu.

The EIA, which is expected to take 15 months to complete, will include studies on air quality, noise, flora and fauna, land use and social impact.

Waste management, transport, surface water and groundwater impacts will also be included.

The proposed smelter, which will be known as Sarawak Aluminium Co (Salco), is a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMSB).

Rio Tinto's general manager (smelter project development) Matt Liddy said the EIA was the first step towards ensuring all aspects of the environment are taken into account in the project.

"Respect for the environment is a fundamental part of Salco's approach and the study will ensure a smelter operation that uses world-class environmental management practices.

"We take these responsibilities seriously and environmental protection will be an integral part of the management of the smelter during construction and in operations," he said in a statement Tuesday.

The EIA study outcome will be used to optimise the design of the smelter and to prepare environmental management plans for Salco's construction and operation, he added.

An avenue for Ukay Heights folks

By BAVANI M

COME Wednesday, the residents of Ukay Heights will be coming forward for a third time to voice out their objections to the Ampang Jaya Muni-cipal Council (MPAJ) over a proposed hill side development in their neighbourhood. While the developers insist that they have followed all the rules and regulations pertaining to the hillside development, residents are still sceptical.

Tengku Rozani Putra was busy laying out the placards neatly together. The words in bright red read: MPAJ Please Learn From Your Mistakes were simple enough, but she wonders if they ever would learn.

"It’s common sense! It’s so simple, yet why do they not see the truth,’’ she sighed.

Tengku Rozani, a long time resident of Ukay Heights said that she was unable to understand why the authorities did not learn from past mistakes.

She was helping out with the preparation for the MPAJ up-coming objection hearing on Wednes-day with residents of Ukay Heights at the Taman Hijau apartments recently.

Residents from nearby areas had gathered and are busy preparing the placards and notes ready.

The first two meetings were deemed null and void due to technical matters and discrepancies between the notice sent to residents and the development proposal that was announced by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ).

The objection hearing is being carried out for a mixed development project involving 149 bungalows and 460 shop lots in a 10-storey building.

Like many others, Tengku Roza-ni feels that the project should not have been considered in the first place.

She is afraid and no one can blame her after the tragic High-land Tower, Taman Hillview and Zooview incidents that claimed innocent lives.

“I paid a deposit to buy a unit in Highland Towers years ago, so did my mother and aunt. And not long after that the tower came down.

“I then bought a house in Zoo-view and lived there for nine years, and then the Zooview landslide happened.

“Last November I moved into Taman Hijau and now this. It's frustrating that they (MPAJ) never learn. All it takes is some rain and some soil movements for disaster to happen. I guess we just have to keep fighting and protesting,'' she said.

Taman Hijau residents’ association president Datuk Abdul Aziz said the residents were totally against the development, as it did not comply with regulations on hill slope development.

“Nothing has changed – the whole project is still contravening guidelines on hill slope development. The layout of the project is the same- despite the changes made, there is still going to be a lot of tree cutting activities and land filling. The original landscape of the area will be gone,'' Aziz said.

Taman Hijau Apartments Com-mittee chairman Datuk Mus-tapha Mahmud said that he was disappointed with MPAJ for not providing residents with a proper avenue to access all the geological, EIA reports and maps pertaining to the proposed project.

“We have to go to MPAJ and view the documents at an info kiosk situated in their lobby area.

“No room is provided to look through the maps and reports for privacy purposes. No copies are provided for inspection, no pictures are allowed to be taken. As layman we need time to look at the reports and this is really strange behaviour from a government department,'' Mustapha said.

“The greatest fear with any hillside development project is the pressure that might be exerted on the hill slope during heavy rain,'' said Aziz, adding that the felling of trees was also going to lead to the weakening of soil and cause massive erosion and even flooding.

When contacted, the developer Malaysian Assurance Alliance Bhd (MAA) said that the development was one of the lowest density developments in Malaysia with three units per acre.

“We are building along the terrain, there is no heavy cutting, or land filling and it is of low density. We have spent millions on technical reports and went through 13 government agencies scrutinising our proposals and drawings.

The proposed development have been scrutinised by the Public Works Department, Ikram, TNB, Syabas, Town Planning De-partment, Health Department, District Land Office and other agencies.

The following reports and as-sessment were also carried out: Geotechnical Assessment Report, Independent Geotechnical Audit Report, Traffic Impact Assess- ment Report, Environment Impact Assessment Report, Environmen-tal Management Plan, Geology Terrain Mapping Report, Geology Physical Mapping Report, Soil In-vestigation Report, Soil Erosion Assessment Report and Proposed Development Report.

“We have revised the layout plans five times. Everything is as transparent as can be,'' he said, adding the development will im-prove the stability of the existing slopes, the infrastructure and overall image of the area.

Burden on proof to be put on those found with logs

Tuesday September 18, 2007
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

PUTRAJAYA: Laws will soon be changed to place the burden of proof on those found in possession of logs instead of the authorities having to prove that the logs were obtained illegally.

The amendment to the National Forestry Act, to be made within the next few months, will see those suspected for carrying out illegal logging, having to prove the commodity was obtained from legal sources. Failing which, they will be deemed to have obtained the logs through illegal means.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the new law would enable better prosecution of those involved in illegal logging, which does not only cause damage to the environment but also tarnishes Malaysia's image in the eyes of the world.

Najib admitted that prosecuting those who log illegally was currently difficult and even though cases were brought to court, the level of success was small.

"This is because the need for burden of proof is high. We will fare better with this fundamental shift in the law, which we believe will be a sufficient deterrent.

"We will also be using new technologies, including remote sensing to detect areas where such activities take place," he said, after chairing the National Forestry Council's 21st meeting on Tuesday.

He said illegal logging was a multi-dimensional issue as apart from it affecting the Government's policy in providing sustainable management to the environment, it also gave Malaysia a bad image.

"The country's wood industry is worth RM23bil a year and if developed countries take action against us for illegal logging activities, it will affect the economy.

"We also have to consider the transboundary issue where logs sought illegally are brought into the country either to be exported or to be used illegally by the local factories," he said, adding that between 2004 and 2006, a total of 166 illegal logging cases were recorded at permanent forest reserves.

Najib said Pahang, Perak and Kedah top the list of illegal logging activities being recorded but "the biggest destruction is in Kelantan". He added that in the case of land clearing in Lojing Highlands in Kelantan, the state government had de-gazetted the area, making activities there legal.

"The biggest destruction (of forest) is in Kelantan but the state has circumvented it. I do not know if we can prosecute them as the logging was legal with the state de-gazetting the area," he said.

Earlier this year, The Star broke the story about the lush forest reserves in Lojing being logged almost bare by 22 companies, of which only five had their Environmental Impact Assessment approved.

Najib also asked states to look for new areas to be gazetted for water catchment, adding areas totalling more than 800,000ha had been gazetted for the purpose.

Now it’s ‘cut and paste’ EIA reports

LUMUT: The "cut and paste" syndrome has now been found in environmental impact assessments (EIA) reports, which shows that some consultants have been unethical and have not made a real study, said the Perak Department of Environment (DOE).

There were cases where consultants copied directly from EIAs of other projects, said state DOE deputy director (development) Norazizi Adinan yesterday.

"I have examples, but I won’t reveal them because it will make matters worse," he said at a seminar to increase the comprehension and quality of EIA reports at Teluk Batik near here.

There was also reports which had poor graphics, including the topography maps, figures, photographs, graphs, contour and terrain maps. Norazizi added that some even omitted facts such as the presence of squatters and asked the DOE to "assume that they aren’t there".

Norazizi also complained of inconsistent information submitted in the EIA, differences in the translation of the executive summary, the lack of in-depth analysis and the failure of consultants to provide additional information as requested by the department.

"I’m sorry to have to say this, but some consultants are not prepared to make a presentation because they don’t even know the contents of their own report."

Norazizi said some failed to comply with specific EIA guidelines and depended on DOE officers to do the checks and corrections.

Due to the report problems and the poor quality reports, 34 of the 120 reports submitted to DOE Perak between 2000 and last year were rejected, he said.

Norazizi estimated that about 10 per cent of the 26 reports submitted this year suffered the same fate.

Asked to rate the quality of EIA reports, Perak DOE director Abu Hasan Mohd Isa said that they were neither excellent nor good, but merely "fair" and had room for improvement.

The consultants, hired by the project owners, emphasised the positive elements of the project and hid the negative elements.

DOE would begin blacklisting unethical consultants by Oct 1 and only accept EIA reports from registered consultants.

State Environment Committee chairman Datuk Tan Chin Meng, when launching the seminar, said EIA reports should not be viewed as a document to fulfil legal requirements, but should contain realistic and comprehensive studies on all elements of the environment.

Earlier, Norazizi said DOE officers were also involved in making an EIA reports for projects of public importance and that the long approval process were due to late submissions, difficulties in getting a date for pre-EIA visits with consultants and incomplete reports.

There were pressures from both state interests and developers for the DOE to approve the EIA report, leading to some projects not being sufficiently studied, he said.

Part of the problem was also because environmental concerns were not incorporated into national and regional policies and programmes but only considered when planning and implementing specific projects, he said