What is our contribution or worries about United Nations Climate Change Conference 7-18 Dec 2009

Published: Saturday November 28, 2009 MYT 10:03:00 AM
Legal treaty for climate change wanted


Commonwealth countries, including Malaysia, have agreed to press for a legally binding treaty to be implemented during the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Many Commonwealth countries are victims of climate change. Some have said that if global warming continues, small island states might totally sink. For many of them, this is a matter of life and death.

The environmental threat was now a global challenge which would affect security and stability in the years ahead.

Most of the countries under threat were the most vulnerable and least able to withstand the adverse effects of climate change.

Failure in Copenhagen is not an option

If the world fails to deliver a political agreement at the UN climate conference in December, it will be “the whole global democratic system not being able to deliver results in one of the defining challenges of our century"

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILADHA

Tentu sekali yang pernah mengerjakan haji masih teringat suasana di Tanah Suci, MasjidilHaram, Arafah, Mudzalifah, Mina, Sae, dan Madinah.
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Kepada semua Muslimin dan Muslimat saya dan isteri saya ucapkan selamat menyambut Hari Raya Aidil Adha.


Marilah kita berdoa agar kesemua jemaah kita dapat mengerjakan ibadah Haji dengan sempurna dan agar amal ibadat mereka diberkati Allah s.w.t. serta dapat pulang ke tanahair dengan selamat.

Aktiviti Ibadat Qurban di Subang Jaya, USJ4

Ibadat Qurban memang terbukti dapat mengeratkan hubungan antara masyarakat dan Islam itu memang antarabangsa. Aktiviti Qurban di USJ4 misalnya melibatkan gabungan kumpulan masyarakat Indonesia, Bangladesh dan tempatan.
Kumpulan Indonesia menurunkan lembu dari lori, mengikat dan membawa ke tempat penyembelihan, kumpulan Bangladesh pula mengikat kemas kaki dan kepala lembu sedia untuk di sembelih oleh Pak Imam, manakala masyarakat tempatan melapah dan memotong daging. Kumpulan melapah profesional dijemput khas untuk melapah 16 ekor lembu yang kebanyakannya jantan.
Daging, hati, limpa dan tulang yang dipotong dibahagikan dan dibungkus oleh kumpulan wanita dibawah penyeliaan sekumpulan lelaki yang ditugaskan. Itulah antara keistimewaan ibadat Qurban. Mungkin di tahun hadapan apabila ramai kaum belia sudah matang dan bersemangat tinggi mereka sendiri mampu mengikat, menumbangkan, menyembelih, melapah dan memotong serta membahagikan daging-daging qurban berkenaan.
Namun begitu seperti di tempat-tempat lain juga ramai yang menjadi pemerhati, pengarah dan jurukomen.
Walau apa pun generasi muda tempatan terutama anak-anak masyarakat kelas menengah dan atasan perlu membina jatidiri masing-masing agar budaya dan maruah bangsa sentiasa dijaga.

Dean Faculty of Science Serious about the Future of Marine Science Station in Port Dickson

The Station need to establish its;
1. Structure of organisation and competent staff
2. Enough fascilities for education, research and extension activities
3. Detail content and planning for teaching, research and extension activities
4. Special budget to promote its existence and function

Some parts of the existing building need to be repaired, shortage of water supply need to overcome immediately, station's border need to be fenced, accommodation for short stay students or course participants, and many others need to look after.

Huge newly completed areas for aquaculture activities need to be activated soon. Main existing research related to algae, medaka fishes, marine commercial fishes and prawns, seaweeds-corals-seagrass, coastal ecotourism need to increase their activities for better impact and products.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (may be through their research fund) should allocate some budget to support the Dean of Faculty Science intention to activate research in Marine Science Station Port Dickson and to make the station fully functional. The station's location at the central of the Straits of Malacca and tourism spot make this station need an urgent attention. As the Straits of Malacca is the busiest shipping lane in the world supporting more than 70,000 ships and super tankers every year, many coastal population depending on it and ecologically important, therefore more scientific research are needed. Port Dickson Marine Science Station can be an International Institute of Straits of Malacca Studies. Past series of seminars and conferences related to the Straits of Malacca show that UPM is leading all the time in research on the straits. The station more than deserve to be developed and activate to the international standard. Further more in November 2011 an International Symposium on Oryzias fishes will be held here in Port Dickson. This international recognition through Prof Dr, Ahmad Ismail, should be responded positively by UPM and Malaysia in general.

Need More Studies to Avoid Confusion on Green Issues

Some are very extreme and cannot contribute to the sustainable development. Malaysia is a green country (?) and young need to look into this GREEN issues seriously. Time is running out competing with the greedy and needy. Read Star 28 November 2009.

"Published: Friday November 27, 2009 MYT 4:02:00 PM
Dams, bio-fuel plantations cannot be classified "green energy": NGO
By STEPHEN THEN


MIRI: Hydro-electric dam projects and biofuel-plantation projects that uproot tribal folks from their ancestral homes must be de-listed from their ''green energy'' tags and classified as ''people-destructive and eco-unfriendly'' projects, said the latest report from Survival International, a global organisation involved in protecting tribal people.

The organisation, with its headquarters in London, wants the international community and governments to stop classifying these energy-production projects as ''green projects'' if these projects ruined the lives of native communities........."

Seminar Hasil Ekspedisi Penyelidikan Saintifik Ke-2 Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam, Puchong 23-25 November 2009

Seminar yang dianjurkan oleh Fakulti Perhutanan UPM dengan kerjasama Jabatan Hutan Negeri Selangor itu telah berjaya menghasilkan 30 kertas kerja merangkumi 13 kertas kerja dalam bidang alam sekitar,8 flora dan 9 fauna. Hasil kertas kerja ini akan diterbitkan dalam bentuk buku. Lebih banyak maklumat yang lengkap tentang biologi dan ekologi hutan simpan ini diperlukan bagi meyakinkan pihak masyarakat, penduduk di sekitar hutan ini dan kerajaan agar hutan ini terus disimpan selamanya untuk generasi akan datang. Keyakinan semua tentang hutan ini berperanan dalam keseimbangan ekologi, kawalan kepanasan dunia, perubahan cuaca, sumber air, ekopelancungan, pendidikan, penyelidikan, rekreasi, sumber hutan, pembekal oksigen, kawalan banjir dan segalanya perlu dipertingkatkan. UPM dan Jabatan Hutan serta semua pihak perlu bekerja kuat bagi mempertahankan hutan ini.
Kedudukan hutan ini di Lembah Kelang dan di tengah MSC, membuatkan hutan ini lebih unik dan berperanan penting dalam hal yang dinyatakan di atas. Malaysia berbangga dengan kedudukannya didunia dalam hal kepelbagaian biologi. Kedudukan Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam ini di Lembah Kelang, MSC dan tambahan lagi diurus oleh Universiti Putra Malaysia yang unggul dalam kajian dan penyelidikan hutan semestinya memenuhi kebanggaan Malaysia tentang kepelbagaian biologi. Kepelbagaian biologi sekarang sudah termasuk dalam arus perdana semua aspek pembangunan dan mendapat perhatian pembuat dasar negara. UPM boleh laksanakan semua ini dengan baik bukan sahaja kerana kepakaran yang ada tetapi juga sokongan yang akan dapat dari ramai pegawai pelaksana, pengurusan dan pentadbiran di Jabatan Hutan yang mempunyai kuasa ke atas hutan, pegawai pertanian yang terlibat dalam pembangunan tanah dan golongan pendidik di sekolah sekitarnya yang boleh membantu mendidik dan menyampaikan maklumat. Beratus-beratus sekolah yang mempunyai puluhan ribu pelajar akan turut menyokong projek hutan ini. UPM telah lama mengeluarkan graduan dalam bidang perhutanan, pendidikan dan pertanian. Mereka boleh membantu dan menyokong aktiviti-aktiviti UPM dalam kajian , pendidikan dan konservasi Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam ini. Dengan kata lain ALUMNI UPM boleh turut membantu usaha penyelidikan, pendidikan dan pengembangan kearah perlindungan dan konservasi Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam, Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Pencapaian dan Kejayaan

Semua pelajar yang sedang menjawab soalan ujian ini inginkan kejayaan. Ujian adalah satu kaedah terbaik bagi memudahkan penilaian walaupun ianya tidak mengukur pencapaian sebenar pelajar. Siapa yang diukur pencapaian dan siapa pula yang diukur kejayaannya.
Pelajar mohon masuk ke universiti setelah mendapat keputusan peperiksaan yang melayakkan mereka masuk ke universiti. Tetapi tidak semua yang berjaya masuk ke universiti. Bagi yang berjaya mereka mendaftar masuk ke program yang ditawarkan dan mengharapkan mendapat ilmu dalam bdang berkaitan serta akan bergraduat selepas tempoh masa yang ditetapkan. Setiap semester mereka menduduki peperiksaan dan mengharapkan kejayaan. Dan setiap semester juga mereka mengisi borang, menghadiri kuliah,amali, membuat nota dan latihan serta menyediakan kertas kerja.Semuanya dijalankan dengan baik atau dikemukakan pada masa dan tarikh yang ditetapkan.
Cuba fikirkan yang mana satu pencapaian dan yang mana satu kejayaan?
Semasa di universiti pelajar dilatih sedemikian rupa bagi mencapai tujuan pada masa dan tarikhnya agar mereka mendapat kejayaan, lulus dan mendapat ijazah. Mereka tidak pernah dilatih menunggu kertas kerja datang sendiri, atau bilik kuliah datang ke riba dan mereka didukung ke dewan peperiksaan. Mereka tahu dan sudah menjadi budaya pelajar mereka mesti penuhi semua itu untuk mendapat kejayaan.
Malangnya apabila sudah bekerja, oleh kerana budaya setempat dan tiap bulan mendapat gaji maka budaya telah berubah, tidak perlu lagi menunjukkan pencapaian bagi mendapat gaji. Memadai membuktikan yang tiap hari datang ke tempat kerja.
Katakan seorang pegawai ditugaskan untuk mengumpul maklumat dan disampaikan kepada pihak tertentu pada tarikh yang ditetapkan. Apabila tarikh itu tiba walaupun maklumat itu tidak lengkap pegawai berkenaan akan dapat juga gaji bulanannya kerana dia hadir di tempat kerja setiap hari. Sekiranya disoal kenapa maklumat tidak lengkap mungkin ada alasan berbagai misalnya ada orang yang tidak hantar kepadanya. Padahal tugas yang diberikan kepadanya adalah mengumpul maklumat. Maknanya pegawai berkenaan tidak menjalankan tugasnya dengan lengkap. Kalau semasa belajar dahulu dia tidak boleh menyalahkan pemandu bas kerana lewat ke dewan peperiksaan atau salahkan kucing atau biawak melintas jalan menyebabkan pemandu bas brek dan bas bergerak perlahan. Pelajar juga tidak boleh salahkan hujan. Semasa belajar dahulu pelajar itu mesti datang ke dewan peperiksaan pada masa yang tepat dan menjawab soalan dengan tepat dan teliti untuk mendapatkan kejayaan yang cemerlang. Di mana budaya yang dipupuk semasa belajar dahulu tidak diamalkan semasa bekerja?
Teringat kita kepada pensyarah atau guru sekolah yang mempunyai jadual waktu untuk mengajar atau memberi kuliah, mempunyai ujian, memeriksa kertas ujian, memberikan markah dan megemukakan markar kepada pihak yang bertanggungjawab. Pensyarah pula mesti melakukan penyelidikan dan menerbitkan artikel ilmiah. Bahan kuliah atau pengajaran direkodkan, soalan, skema dan jawapan direkodkan, kehadiran kuliah direkodkan, markah pelajar terima diakhir semester atau tahun dalam buku rekod, kertas kerja yang diterbitkan juga direkodkan malah ditetapkan tahap kualitinya. Maknanya jelas pencapaian yang diukur bagi pensyarah atau guru berkenaan. Pelajar bergraduat pada masanya. Kejayaan pelajar adalah hak mereka dan mereka yang menghendakinya. Malah polis pun ada jadual kerja dan laporan harian. Bagaimana penjawat awam lain? Bagaimana pencapaian mereka diukur bagi membolehkan mereka dibayar gaji setiap bulan?. Pencapaian diutamakan!

UPM-Mitsubishi Joint Project Tree Planting

General Manager of CSR & Environmental Affair Office, Mitsubishi Corporation Japan, Minoru Akita (right) and Dato’ Prof. Dr. Nik Muhamad Abd Majid, the former Dean of UPMKB and the initiator of the project in a briefing on tree planting.

Prof Akira and Datin Paduka Prof Aini showing the technique of planting tree.

Datin Paduka Prof Dr. Aini Ideris Deputy Vice Chancellor of UPM planting Hopea auriculata during tree planting ceremony.

Prof Ahmad discuss something with the Japanese volunteer from Tokyo on the tree planting programme.

Prof Ahmad and Prof Sidek (Dean Faculty of Science) participating in tree planting activity.

More than 500 volunteers including 40 from Japan were together support tree planting activity in UPM.They planted about 5800 seedling on 5 acres land today comprises of 112 species of forest tree. This is an annual activity. This project expected to plant more than 400 species of forest trees and targeted more than 280,000 trees will be planted before the end of this project. All ecological aspects will be studied. This ambition is to fulfill the need to balance the deforestation and development activities in the UPM areas with the numbers of trees needed. Every individual need at least two trees in their life. Hopefully all will support this activity by planting more trees and reduce producing greenhouse gas emissions. UPM must start as an example to others. This project is a collaboration between Japan Mitsubishi Corporation and UPM as one of their coorporate social responsibility (CSR) to develop a model of tropical forest for future reference.

More pictures:
Happy after work done
Sweat and Happy
We do it together

Happy and Success
Looking forward for growing tree

Helping to achieve our mission.

India, China, European and USA are important in new climate change issues

China and the US sign deal on monitoring emissions
The US will cooperate with China on methods to collect data on China’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Marianne Bom 19/11/2009 16:05
China and the US this week signed an agreement designed to improve China's ability to monitor its greenhouse gas emissions.

The two nations will cooperate on developing an inventory of China's greenhouse gas emissions, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday, according to the Washington Post



Germany calls for binding climate deal in 2010
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Thursday for all countries to fix binding climate change targets next year at the latest, acknowledging that no such deal is likely at global talks in Copenhagen next month.

Grand Mufti introduces green pilgrimage
A Muslim Seven Year Plan will turn Medina into a green model city and make the journeys of millions of worshippers to Mecca sustainable.
Muslim Association for Climate Change Action (MACCA).

Morten Andersen 20/11/2009 16:20
During the Islamic Hajj season alone, between two and three million pilgrims visit Mecca in Saudi Arabia. A Muslim Seven Year Plan introduced by Sheikh Ali Goma’a, Grand Mufti of Egypt, aims at “transforming the experience into an environmentally-friendly pilgrimage” the Environmental News Network reports.
Another key element of the plan is to transform Medina, Islam’s second most important city, into a model green city.

"We believe that all of us, all of us, not just Muslims, Muslims, Christians, Jews, everybody lives on this earth, we are in the same boat, so we have to care about this earth. All of us. Because the climate change – it will affect all of us.", Dr Akef, Director, Earth Mates Dialogue Centre."

All must involve and plan to reduce climate change and global warming problems.

Copenhagen climate change conference 2009: timeline

Here is a timeline of key dates in the climate change negotiations:
June 1992: Rio World Summit - Following years of lobbying by environmentalists on the potential danger of global warming, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is set up. The primary objective is the stabilization of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere to stop temperatures rising. Some 192 countries have signed up so far.
Dec 1997: The Kyoto Protocol - Developed nations agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least five per cent by 2012 but the US later refuses to take action. Developing nations, like China, have no formal binding targets.
1998: Warmest year in warmest decade in warmest century for at least a thousand years, according to environmental group WWF.
2003: European heat wave kills more than 30,000 people. Scientists later claim it is the first extreme weather event definitely attributable to human-induced climate change.
2006: The most comprehensive economic assessment of climate change, by Lord Stern of Brentwood for the British Government, concludes that climate change could damage global GDP by up to 20 per cent if left unchecked - but curbing it would cost about one per cent of global GDP.
2007: The UN’s scientific committee the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concludes it is more than 90 per cent likely that humanity's emissions of greenhouse gases are responsible for modern-day climate change.
2007: Al Gore and IPCC win Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change".
Dec 2007 Bali: UN talks to decide the next stage in climate change targets after the Kyoto Protocol. The Bali Road Map sets out a two-year process to finalizing a binding agreement in 2009 in Copenhagen. Issues that must be decided on include targets for cutting emissions, money to help poor countries adapt to climate change, sharing of green technology and the future of forests.
Nov 2008: UK passes the Climate Change Act committing the country to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050
Nov 2008: President Obama comes to power, prompting hope that the US will take a greater part in climate change negotiations.
Dec 2008 Poznan: Little progress on UN negotiations as many wait for the new Obama administration to declare its hand.
2009: China overtakes the US as the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter - although the US remains well ahead on a per-capita basis.
Nov 2009: Barcelona – In the latest round of UNFCCC negotiations officials admit a legally-binding treaty is unlikely by the end of the year because rich and poor nations cannot agree on targets.
Dec 2009: Copenhagen – The UNFCCC is due to meet to agree a treaty on climate change. Rich countries must sign up to carbon cuts while developing nations like China also take action to reduce their growing emissions. The world will also have to set up finance mechanisms to stop deforestation, move to a green economy and help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change.
June 2010: Bonn and Dec 2010 Mexico – The failure of Copenhagen to come to a legally-binding agreement means there will be subsequent meetings under the UNFCCC next year.
Dec 2012: The Kyoto Protocol will come to an end.
Jan 2013: The implementation period of any new deal on tackling climate change begins…

What is the Copenhagen climate change summit?

From 7 to 18 December 2009, the leaders of the world's 180 countries -backed by a 20,000-strong army of officials, advisors, experts and journalists - will attend a United Nations meeting in Copenhagen to thrash out a new international deal to tackle climate change. Whatever is agreed at Copenhagen will come into force on 1st January 2013, and supersede the last attempt to save the environment, the Kyoto protocol.

In the long term, wealthy countries are under pressure to agree to emission cuts of greenhouse gases of up to 80 per cent by 2050 (Britain has already signed up to this) and limit global climate change to 2C.
Copenhagen must bring the USA on board. Its 250-million strong population (less than 5 per cent of the world total) gorges itself on energy producing up to 30 per cent of all emissions.

If we do nothing, scientists predict climate change will rise by 6C by the end of the century triggering a catastrophe including: extreme weather, sea level rise, water shortages, food shortages and the extinction of up to a third of known plant and animal species.

Summit in Copenhagen is one of the most important meetings in human history. It’s the best chance we’ve ever had to agree a deal to slash emissions and face down the threat of warming the planet, but the politicians seem determined to blow it.

We Malaysian also can do something IF we want! But how and when?

SIMBIOMAS 2009

Simbiomas 2009 (Symposium Biology Malaysia 2009) was succesfully organised by the Department of Biology, Universiti Putra Malaysia 17 & 18 November 2009, 9 days after Prof Ahmad Birthday. The Symposium was opened by the Vice Chancelor Prof Datuk Dr. Nik Mustapha R. Abdullah and closed by Deputy Vice Chancelor (R&I) Prof Dr. Abu Bakar Salleh. More than 120 partipants were attended in the symposium, 38 oral,94 posters and 5 plenary papers were presented. Majority of the participants were young scientists and have a great potential in their own fields. It is a trend now the conferences and symposium like this usually attended by young scientists.The seniour scientists should follow this trend and give some feed back to the outcomes of the presentations so that the continuity of reseach in basic biology is significant. The papers presented in this symposium were equally distributed among basic biology fields including biosystematic, genetic, physiology and biochemistry, and ecology. Research in basic biology is very important because there a lot more unknown species, information and knowledge on flora and fauna, as Malaysia is important in the world's biodiversity.Beside that active research in biotechnology, natural products, medicines, environment and engineering demand more research in basic biology. Grant provider and related government agencies should monitor the symposium and conference like this so that they follow the progress. They can appoint the professors in relevant fields to assess and comment what the authorities should do to improve the research and findings.At the same time we can indentify active and quality laboratories and the experts.

Night Herons Under Threat

This is the second issue after first news in Star Metro on Thursday 14 May 2009. Prof Dr. Ahmad Ismail highlighted the issue and attracted Perhilitan, local leaders and Star Journalist Lim Chia Ying. More awareness programme needed and local government must sensitive and support the programme together with positive action such as providing space for the birds
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Friday November 13, 2009
Night herons under threat
By LIM CHIA YING
Photos courtesy of Dr AHMAD ISMAIL


BLACK-crowned night herons are in danger of disappearing if the authorities do not act fast enough to do something for the birds.

These herons can be seen flying and roosting by the thousands at a plot of private land in Kuala Garing, Rawang.

Earlier, the birds had nested at a nearby site but were forced to move after sand-mining were carried out at the initial nesting ground.

A recent visit to the site by the Selangor Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) and Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Ismail from Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Biology Department, however, showed that there was a cause for concern.

Disturbing sight: A pair of legs jutting out from the ground is a stark reminder that the birds are still being hunted.

A group of Ahmad’s students who had visited the site to carry out research had been shocked to discover the mutilated carcasses of some of the birds.

Photos taken by the students prompted Ahmad and Perhilitan law and investigation unit head Ab Jalal Kasim to visit the site for themselves.

In May, StarMetro reported that three Vietnamese poachers had been caught stealing the eggs and chicks of the night heron, which is a totally protected wild bird under the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 (Act 76).

They were found guilty of three charges and were fined RM5,000 each.

Ahmad said despite Perhilitan’s efforts, there were still people bold enough to slaughter the birds.

“Perhilitan is doing what it can to raise awareness among the locals. However, after seeing what had happened, we hope that a permanent location for the birds to nest would be found.

“Areas like those under electric cables can be preserved and maintained as a habitat for the birds and we can later develop this as an eco-tourism and educational site,” Ahmand said, adding that this would help safeguard the birds.

Ab Jalal said this was the second breeding season of the year for the birds and a lot of people were out to steal the eggs and kill the birds.

“Our men are monitoring the situation, but we cannot be here throughout the day,” he said.

“We have also enlisted the help of local people we can trust, like M. Sadasivam who lives nearby, to tip us off if he notices suspicious characters trying to prey on the birds.

“Sadasivam has been a great help and we need more such people.

“We also hope that the state government will help identify a breeding site for the herons so that they do not need to continuously migrate as their breeding grounds are disturbed by human activities,” he added.

Selangor state environmental committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said she was open to suggestions and advice on how to move the birds to an appropriate location.


New home: A black-crowned night heron perching in a tree at the new nesting site.

“Space is not an issue, as we have plenty of land at the various forest reserves and state parks. The only problem is the technical and logistic side of it, as the birds might not want to move to the new site.

“It depends on the kind of habitat they need and it should not be too far away, so the birds would feel more comfortable,” Wong said, adding that she hoped Perhilitan would step up its monitoring of the site.

Wong was also ready to discuss the matter with the relevant parties to see if land under electric cables could be provided for the birds.

“I welcome any kind of feedback that the interested parties can give me so that we can start discussing the issue,” she said.

Ahmad, however, reiterated that the state government should take the lead by showing its commitment to the issue so that other related agencies would act accordingly.

“It is good if Perhilitan, the forestry department and the land office can come together for this project.

“Birds like herons are very sensitive to disturbances.

“Proper management is a must. There are also many other birds like migratory shorebirds and hornbills in various parts of the state that we hope the government can look into,” he said.

Kenapa mereka berani menambah cemar perairan kita?

KEGIATAN pemindahan minyak secara haram yang berlaku di perairan Johor dilihat semakin serius meskipun pihak berkuasa maritim negara meningkatkan penguatkuasaan sejak akhir-akhir ini.

Ini terbukti apabila 12 buah kapal ditahan di perairan Pengerang hanya dalam tempoh lapan hari atas pelbagai kesalahan termasuk memindahkan minyak kotor dari kapal ke kapal.

Hasil operasi Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (APMM) Wilayah Selatan kelmarin, dua buah kapal asing yang sedang memindahkan minyak kotor secara haram ditahan di perairan Tanjung Piai, di Pontian, Johor.

Apa kita perlu buat?

1. Permonitoran yang berkala dan data yang lengkap.
2. Meningkatkan kualiti data, teknologi analisis, tenaga mahir dan peruntukan kewangan.
3. Publisiti kepada dunia yang kita prihatin kepada pencemaran dan kita mahu Selat Melaka bebas dari pencemaran luar. Kita tahu lebih 5000 kapal minyak melintasi Selat Melaka setiap tahun dan tersibuk di dunia. Kita mempunyai data lengkap dan tahu daripada mana pencemaran perairan kita datang atau berasal. Kita ada kepakaran untuk menilai status dan sumber pencemaran perairan kita. Persekitaran pantai sangat penting untuk sumber perikanan dan kesihatan rakyat Malaysia.
4. Kekuatan, kepakaran, undang-undang dan Penguatkuasaan maritim. Tahniah pasukan berkaitan.

global warming, threatening the livelihood of many

KOKONOGI, Japan: A blood-orange blob the size of a small refrigerator emerged from the dark waters, its venomous tentacles trapped in a fishing net.
Scientists believe climate change - the warming of oceans - has allowed some of the almost 2,000 jellyfish species to expand their ranges, appear earlier in the year and increase overall numbers, much as warming has helped ticks, bark beetles and other pests to spread to new latitudes.
Increasingly polluted waters - off China, for example - boost growth of the microscopic plankton that "jellies" feed upon, while overfishing has eliminated many of the jellyfish's predators and cut down on competitors for plankton feed.
Agricultural and sewage runoff are spurring plankton growth, and fish catches are declining. The waters of the Yellow Sea, meanwhile, have warmed as much as 1.7 degrees C (3 degrees F) over the past quarter-century.
Addressing the surge in jellyfish blooms in most places will require long-term fixes, such as introducing fishing quotas and pollution controls, as well as capping greenhouse gas emissions to control global warming.

How much basic science can contribute to the global warming, ecological changes and their effects on the biodiversity. Malaysia as one of the top biodiversity country in the world should be quick enough to support knowledge in basic science. More money needed for research and capacity building. Without basic information on ecology and biota, to application and solution in managing natural disasters become inefficient.

Semua pakat cakap nak jadi universiti bertaraf dunia. Tapi macam mana?

Kalau betul-betul nak jadi universiti bertaraf dunia senang saja.
1. Niat kena betul dan bersungguh-sungguh mengarah kepada matlamatnya.
2. Semua kena pakat buat, jangan harap kat ketua saja.
3. Ketua pulak kena faham erti universiti kelas dunia. Jangan pakai agak-agak atau ikut orang saja. "Jangan Dengar Khabar Angin"
4. Sanggup berkorban masa, tenaga dan wang.
5. Sediakan plan strategi yang mantap.
6. Sediakan infrastruktur yang sesuai dengan universiti bertaraf dunia. Mulakan dengan kekuatan bidang yang sedia ada bukan fokus kepada benda yang baru nak bertunas dan belum tahu arah tujuannya. Kalau 10 tahun dulu sudah kita lakukan maka sekarang sudah ada 10 makmal atau bidang berkelas antarabangsa.
7. Menghargai kekuatan yang telah terbina sekian lama.Kaji sejarah universiti berkenaan kerana sejarah, tradisi dan kecemerlangan selalunya berkaitan. "must have a good succession plan"
8. Kenalpasti dan menghargai pelupor bidang-bidang yang telah terkehadapan dan bertaraf dunia.Jangan biarkan mereka ini menunggu pencen sahaja. Sokong bidang mereka dan didek orang baru.
9. Bidang terkehadapan tidak semestinya bidang yang dipatenkan atau dikomersilkan. Bidang asas juga yang menjadi rujukan antarabangsa patut dikategorikan sebagai bidang yang terkehadapan.Misalnya bidang biodiversiti satu bidang tertua dan terkehadapan di Malaysia, kenapa sekarang kurang tarikan?
10. Sediakan baget yang mencukupi bagi membangunkan bidang berkaitan.
11. Pihak pengurusan mesti serius dan bertindak cepat apa-apa keputusan yang telah dibuat. Tidak seperti pahat dengan merton. Tengok jam selalu pastikan ianya berdetik dan jarumnya bergerak. Tidak pakai jam mati.
12. Pihak pengurusan mesti ada target dan milestone. Pencapaian perlu dipantau. Minit mesyuarat, arahan, dan pekeliling bukan satu pencapaian beerti. Pencapaian yang beerti adalah apabila projek berkenaan berjalan seperti yang dalam objektifnya.
13. Rujuk rakan sebaya seperti universiti di Thailand, Singapura dan Indonesia.... atau Maldive dan mana universiti di Afrika(?). Adakah kita lebih baik, setara atau tercorot.
14. Faham matlamat dan strategi kerajaan pusat atau kementerian.
15. Laksanakan matlamat negara dengan penuh strategik dan perlaksanaan yang mantap dan bukan sekadar menyediakan laporan tanpa melihat kesannya.
16. Hubungan antarabangsa. Bagi universiti yang dah tua tak payah pening kepala cari hubungan baru. Guna saja hubungan yang sedia ada dan perkukuhkan. Universiti tua sudah tentu ada pegawai atau profesor yang sudah ada kenalan atau kerjasama dengan universiti bertaraf dunia. Berikan pengiktirafan kepada mereka, sokong mereka dan sediakan baget yang secukupnya. Lebih menjimatkan dan cepat berhasil berbanding dengan bina hubungan baharu.
17. Sediakan baget, infrastruktur dan buat strategi yang baik serta fokus. Hubungan antarabangsa jangan dilihat sebagai peluang untuk melancung. Buatkan perancangan hubungan dengan universiti bertaraf antarabangsa yang boleh dipantau perkembangannya.
18. Berani mengambil pelajar terbaik diperingkat ijazah pertama dan lepasan ijazah. Anggapkan universiti bukan badan kebajikan masyarakat tetapi sebagai agen menjana kecemerlangan bertaraf dunia. Pastikan nisbah pelajar:pensyarah bertaraf dunia.
19. Aturkan strategi dan bersungguh-sungguh menjadikan universiti yang mempunyai kriteria yang memberikan kesan kepada peningkatan kualitinya, kaedah pengajaran yang berkesan membangunkan intelek bertaraf dunia, meningkatkan kualiti penyelidikan dan mendapatkan serta mempunyai pelajar yang berkualiti dari semua aspek termasuk Bahasa Inggeris yang menjadi ukuran antarabangsa.
20. Universiti kena menerima hakikat bahawa menghargai pegawai yang berkualiti dan cemerlang adalah lebih baik dari pegawai yang mencari penghargaan. Ketua kena berani mencari dengan adil pegawai yang benar-benar cemerlang daripada melihat kepada janggut, kepala, belakang, perut yang boroi atau ekor ikan patin yang berebut roti yang ditabur dilubuk (dimana ketua ikan agaknya?).Institusi intelek sepatutnya membuat penilaian tepat dalam menghargai dan menghormati individu berkenaan.

The 3rd International Symposium on Oryzias Fish

The central committee of "The 2nd International Symposium of Oryzias Fish" has decided this afternoon in Bangkok that "The 3rd International Symposium of Oryzias Fish" will be held in Malaysia and will be organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia in November 2011.Prof. Ahmad Ismail was given the task to chair the organising committee. The task given to him by the central committee was due to his strong push, active scientist in medaka studies and commited to promote this small fish for big potential. This fish is small with big eyes. In this coming symposium more participants from India, Korea, Taiwan, Hongkong, China (mainland), Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines will be invited. This is because of a lot more information on medaka fishes are lacking and in some areas these fishes are not known even though they are available. In the second symposium, which participated by Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Hongkong, Laos and Cambodia, the discussions were about the biology, ecology, genetics and application of technology related to medaka fishes. A lot more are not clear about medaka fishes, from taxonomy to their ecology. Hopefully in the third symposium which will be held in Malaysia in November 2011 will try to answer many of the uncertainties about medaka and develop more new technologies related to this fish.In the first symposium 2007, only participated by three countries Malaysia, Japan and Thailand.

Graduan yang berkualiti dan berdaya saing?

Saya melihat universiti tempatan bersaing hebat untuk mendapatkan pengiktirafan tempatan dan antarabangsa. Masing-masing mempunyai strategi sendiri untuk mencapai matlamat yang sama. Semangat ini bertambah giat lagi apabila kerajaan ingin menjadikan Malaysia sebagai Hub Pendidikan Dunia.
Pelbagai produk dan prosedur diperkenalkan bagi meyakinkan agensi pengiktirafan dan masyarakat awam.Saya harap semua perkara yang diperkenalkan tidak tersasar dari fungsi sebenar universiti dan keperluan masyarakat Malaysia yang berbagai kaum dan lapisan taraf ekonomi. Masyarakat Malaysia masih memerlukan pendidikan tertiari yang berkualiti.
Misalnya apabila kita hendak menghasilkan graduan yang berkualiti dan berdaya saing di peringkat kebangsaan dan antarabangsa, pelbagai pendekatan baru diperkenalkan daripada memperkemaskan kurikulum, perlaksanaannya, pendekatan baharu yang menarik, kelayakan dan kemahiran pensyarah, frasarana dan kualiti mahasiswa. Soalannya adakah mahasiswa yang datangnya dari pelbagai latarbelakang budaya, sistem sekolah yang sedia ada mampu ditukar segera dalam masa tiga tahun dengan pendekatan baharu ini. Kalau kita lihat penilaian pengajaran pensyarah oleh mahasiswa, masih ada yang tidak berani melangkaui budaya umum "tidak berani bertanggung jawab". Misalnya kalau pelajar ditanya adakah pensyarah memberikan sinopsis, perancangan kuliah dan selalu menggalakkan mahasiswa bertanya dalam kelas, dan di minta memberikan pernyataan tidak setuju, setuju dan sangat setuju. maka ramai mahasiswa tidak berani menyatakan sangat setuju walaupun sudah diberikan semua perkara di atas. Begitu juga apabila ditanya adakah pensyarah memberikan markah dalam masa dua minggu selepas ujian. Mahasiswa tidak berani menjawab tidak setuju walaupun pensyarah belum lagi memberi ujian dan masih menjawab setuju sahaja (kononnya ingin menjaga nama baik pensyarah). Inilah kualiti mahasiswa kita yang tidak berani menghadapi kenyataan, tidak mahu komited dan akhirnya mereka menjadi seorang graduan yang tidak berwibawa dan tidak jujur. Budaya masyarakat lebih memberikan kerjasama kepada penjenayah daripada pihak polis. Apa kita boleh lakukan untuk mengubah budaya, amalan, pemikiran dan kualiti mahasiswa kita?