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BENTONG: Some 200 primary and secondary students on Tuesday joined the “Love Our Earth” programme which taught them about recycling and other factors that could impact their well-being on Earth.

Held at the Bentong Chinese Town Hall here on Tuesday, the event also provided tips on reducing, reusing and recycling waste at home.

The students were separated into several groups where facilitators shared with them the do’s and don’ts of recycling. Some students creatively decorated empty plastic bottles while others turned tissue boxes into gift boxes and used old newspaper to make handicraft.

Form Two student R. Tachaini found the event enjoyable as she neatly cut and folded old plastic bags into a corsage.

The 14-year-old said that from a distance, the flowers looked like real ones when pinned on shirts.

“It is cheap but looks great. Sadly, many people prefer to buy corsage’s with real flowers and later throw them away.

“This programme has been an eye-opener as we are reminded to cultivate the recycling habit at home. I notice there are many things which can be recycled.”

Programme coordinator Dr James Ho said the first event in the district was aimed at introducing the recycling habit do schoolchildren.

“Since they are young, they will catch on fast and try to implement it in their daily lives.

“The secondary school students were taught to make handicraft from recycled items while the younger ones were allowed to take part in environment-related games.”

He said the programme would be expanded to other schools here which would also be encouraged to set up the eco-society and recycling club.

The main organiser for the programme is Green and Blue group, a non-governmental organisation led by a group of post-graduate students and undergraduates who are passionate about the environment.

Kota Kinabalu: About 25 schools have contributed to the Sabah Environmental Action Centre (EAC) collection of RM267,090.86 (June 2010 to March 2013), said Mayor Abidin Madingkir.

This collection, according to Madingkir, involves 266 other bodies/organisations which participated in their campaign aiming to reduce plastic usage through the 20 sen payment for each plastic bag given away.

On complaints received from consumers who were dissatisfied with the charges, he encouraged them to bring their own bags especially bio-degradable bags.

“Apart from being able to save money, it also helps save the environment by reducing the amount of plastic usedÉit reduces the amount of rubbish thrown away which are made out of plastic,” added Madingkir who officiated at the 3R programme – Zero Waste for a Greener Environment at SK Stella Maris, here.

Also highlighted by him was the effort to reduce the usage of polystyrene containers and plastic bags due to its negative health implications.

On top of that, he said any pollution involving these items would lead to long-term hazardous effects to the environment. The Zero Waste for Greener Environment is an initiative by City Hall, EAC Sabah, EAC Kota Kinabalu and Shell Malaysia.

Read more @ http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=85034

Mayor (4th from right) presents a certificate of recognition to Christin and witnessed by those present on Saturday.

KOTA KINABALU: SK Stella Maris has successfully achieved a ‘hattrick’ in recognition of ‘School Free From Trash and participation in Plastic Bag Reduction Campaign’ from the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK).

The announcement was made by Mayor, Datuk Abidin Madingkir yesterday when he delivered his speech during the opening of 3R programme: Zer0 Waste For Greener Environment in SK Stella Maris (M), Tanjung Aru, on Wednesday.

“The first recognition of this ‘School Without Trash’ was on June 7, 2010. At the same time, it has been participating in the ‘Plastic Bag Reduction Campaign’. And today, it is the 3rd time it has been recognised, “he said.

During the ceremony, the Mayor also told SMK Pulau Gaya to work hard in order to become another ‘School Without Trash’ although it is a challenge to them because it is located on an island.

“So far, we have been able to declare a total of 74 areas without trash in the city. Out of these, 31 are schools around the city, “he said.

Read more @ http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/67809

KUALA LUMPUR: The lights at Malaysia’s iconic building the Petronas Twin Towers and many other buildings went out for 60 minutes in support of Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is an annual world wide event, organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature, encouraging households and businesses to switch off their non-essential lights for an hour to raise awareness about the need to act on climate change.

The event, started in 2007, is observed in 152 countries.

The Twin Towers’ lights were switched off at 8.30pm yesterday . Thousands of people who had gathered at the venue cheered as the lights illuminating the 88-floor towers were switched off in stages.

Backstreet Boys, who proved that they are still a boyband to be reckoned with even after 20 years in the music industry, was the highlight of a concert in front of Suria KLCC.

In GEORGE TOWN, crowds attending a concert at the Penang Times Square were serenaded by local artistes while the lights were switched off.

American performer Frederick Henry, who is best known for his Michael Jackson impersonation, belted out the late King of Pop’s hits as the crowd lit candles to offer their appreciation to Mother Earth – as well as the former superstar.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/24/nation/20130324072024&sec=nation

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is in dire need of a specialised environment court to handle cases involving wildlife and environmental crimes, said Malaysian Nature Society president Prof Dr Maketab Mohamed.

He said such a court would result in the appointment of specialist judges well-versed in various acts pertaining to wildlife and nature.

“MNS and other NGOs would be more than happy to conduct dialogues and workshops for judges.

“For example, do they know that the Malayan tiger is critically endangered?,” he said.

Dr Maketab said the most recent example was the disappointing lack of fines meted out to wildlife trader Mohd Nor Shahrizam Nasir despite the fact that he was caught with eight tiger skins, 22 whole tiger bones and nine African elephant tusks.

The Alor Setar Sessions Court sentenced him to a total of 60 months jail 24 months each for possession of tiger skins and bones, and 12 months for the tusks.

However, the sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will spend only two years in jail.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/2/16/nation/12715195&sec=nation

KOTA KINABATANGAN: The Sungai Kinabatangan is 560 km long.

It starts at the Crocker Range in the southwest of Sabah and ends at the Sulu Sea. It is the longest river in the ‘land below the wind’.

Near the river, 10 species of primates can be found, including the Proboscis monkey, the Orang Utan and the Bornean gibbon.

The place is home to 250 bird, 50 mammal, 20 reptile and 1,056 plant species.

Planning to see wildlife near Sungai Kinabatangan? Then, travel in a boat along the river. Boat rides along Sungai Kinatangan begin at 6am. The last boat ride is at 4pm.

Recently, this writer had the opportunity to view flora and fauna along the Kinabatangan riverbank. Along with two friends, she took the evening boat ride to view the wilderness and natural habitats there.

The two-hour boat ride, which began at the Sukau Greenview lodge, was priced at RM30 per person. From the boat, visitors could see the Sukau village and a few other lodges and resorts.

“Look, they are sitting on the branches of those trees. They are eating wild fruits,” exclaimed a passenger while pointing at a few trees.

An adult Orang Utan sitting on one of the branches of a tree on the Kinabatangan riverbank had caught the attention of several visitors.

“These wild animals are seen near the banks of the river. They hide behind trees and on branches,” said a passenger, Rose Azrin Dahlan, a communications consul “However, the thinning forest canopy does not allow these animals to go into hiding. They come closer to the riverbank because their natural habitats, which are deep in the woods, have been taken over by humans,” she said.

Orang Utans are large apes that live on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. These apes mostly live on the branches of trees and swing from branch to branch using their arms.

The word ‘Orang Utan’ means ‘man of the forest’ in the Malay language.

SANDAKAN: Conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs) yesterday raised the alarm on the planned clearing for oil palm of a 400 hectare privately-owned forested land that lies next to the Kulamba Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu, a critical area for orang utan and other wildlife.

WWF-Malaysia, Hutan and Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP) called on the government to ensure that all remaining orang utan habitats in Sabah that lie outside wildlife sanctuaries and forest reserves be made part of the state’s permanent forest estate.

The groups stressed in a joint statement that the land close to Bukit Kretam and about to be cleared needed the most urgent attention as it was one of the last remaining patches of dry land forest in a region which otherwise consisted of swamp forests, saying that it was highly significant in terms of biological conservation.

They further singled out the third objective of the Sabah government-endorsed Orang Utan State Action Plan which stipulated that “all forests holding significant populations of orang utan and not protected for conservation must not be converted to industrial trees or agricultural plantations and must be adequately managed under sustainable forest management practices”.

“WWF-Malaysia supports the conservation and protection of this land at Bukit Kretam as it supports a viable population of orang utan and associated biodiversity, and is important for forest connectivity.

“The extent of land area involved is quite small, yet keeping it as forests would add to the significance of the Kulamba Wildlife Reserve by retaining a dry land habitat adjacent to the 20,000 hectares of swamp forests protected in the reserve,” said WWF-Malaysia executive director/CEO Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma.

Hutan co-director Dr Marc Ancrenaz said the Kulamba Wildlife Reserve and adjacent forests supported an estimated 480 orang utan.

“Loss of forest in this area would inevitably push down the carrying capacity for orang utans. The fruiting seasons of swamp forests and dry land forests tend to differ, so the continued existence of forests on dry land is important for the orang utans which are primarily fruit eaters,” said Ancrenaz, a wildlife veterinarian who has focused on research and monitoring of wild orang utans in Sabah for the past 15 years.



The Community Learning Centre (CLC) building on Mantanani Island, off Kota Belud waters is a well-ventilated and cost-effective facility using driftwood posts, combined with hollow cement blocks and bamboo wall panelling

KOTA BELUD: A volunteer organisation here has provided the community of Mantanani Island, off the waters of Kota Belud, a new building to hold educational activities and programmes.

The structure of the Community Learning Centre (CLC), however, is unique. It is made using natural and unconventional materials.

Camp Borneo, a subsidiary of the international volunteer organisation, Camps International, had engaged local design firm, Arkitrek, to construct the building.

The result is a striking and energy-saving structure that responds well to Mantanani Island’s weather conditions; a well-ventilated and cost-effective facility using driftwood posts, hollow cement blocks and bamboo wall panelling.

The CLC building was constructed by Camps International’s volunteers while Camp Borneo’s staff provided assistance and technical support as well as acted as intermediaries between the volunteers and the locals.

During the launch of the building recently, Camps International Asia and Australasia director Rory Hall said the building was one of the organisation’s highlights among its projects in Borneo.

“We are proud of the CLC building, especially seeing the Mantanani community’s growing awareness of the environment following their participation in Camp Borneo’s community- building projects on the island.

Kota Kinabalu: Apart from being emulated by local and overseas schools, SM St Michael’s 21 water tanks to harvest rain water have helped reduce their water bills from RM3,000 to RM1,500.

SM St Michael has been a strong advocate of the environment and has been winning numerous awards for its efforts.

Its excellent principal of five years, Marie Yong Pik Hua said that they have won four consecutive years in the annual Water Vision Award since it was introduced in year 2009 by the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) and the Coca-Cola Company.

She said this at a press conference held at the school, here, Monday.

“Before year 2008, I’ve noticed that the school’s water bill for three months is usually over RM3,000, but after using rain water for our toilets, plants and others, recently, I checked the bill and found out that our latest three months’ water bill is now RM1,500.”

To top this, the Coca Cola Company’s new sponsorship of the Rainwater Harvesting System will further assist them in reducing their water bills, she said.

Schools as far as Korea and Singapore have come to visit their school to emulate what they are practising.

According to her, schools from the peninsula and Sabah are also among their visitors.

MNS President, Prof. Dr. Maketab Mohamed who was also present at the press conference said that it’s all about changing people’s mindsets.

“Of course now we have a lot of water, so we tend to take the situation for granted, but we have to think about times when we might not have it.”

“We want people to open their eyes on the idea of rain water harvesting.”

MNS’ Executive Director, Shah Redza Hussein who was one of the judges said the school won due to the success of internalising what they have learned and reaching out to the community.

Read more @ http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=83075

KUDAT: A 30-year-old local man was arrested and some RM75,000 worth of fish believed to have been caught by bombing were seized in Kampung Tajau, here, on Saturday.

According to Kudat Marine Police Commanding Officer, ASP Mohammad Aris Jambul, the arrest and seizure were the result of a public tip-off as well as information gained by their intelligence unit.

“On 3 November at about 12.30pm, a surveillance team consisting of four Marine police officers led by Insp Mohd Noor Bin Abd Latif managed to trace a white Toyota Hilux believed to be used for transporting fish caught by bombing.

“The team then tailed the vehicle until it was parked at the Kudat Fish Market and upon inspection, the officers found 20kg of various fish worth RM75,000 kept in a white container on the truck,” he said.

According to Aris, the officers then confiscated the fish and arrested a 30-year-old local man who admitted to be the owner of the catch.

Read more @ http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/63531