Should Straits of Malacca have one Research Centre or Institute?

Malacca Straits is a golden heritage of the littoral states such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It is not only rich in marine resources but is one of the oldest and busiest shipping lanes in the world. By using the Malacca Straits, the Eastern countries petroleum Industry saves billions of ringgit annually. The Straits contribute half million tonnes of fish (more than 60% of the total fish caught per year) per year. In Indonesia, The Straits of Malacca contributes the second highest fish production after the Java Sea. High quality and safe fish harvest is extremely important to ensure sustainable socio-economic development and health of the people. Other economic activities such as mariculture, tourism, recreation and maritime industry are dependent on the viability and pristine conditions of the Straits. The Straits is also an important site for archaeological resources.Today, the increase of shipping activities along the 1,000 km shipping lane and the rapid development in the coastal areas threaten the environment of the Straits. To ensure navigational safety in the narrow and shallow Straits, safe from different types of pollutants from industries, agriculture, land-used activities and domestic wastes discharged into the Straits and protect natural habitat such as mangroves swamps and coral reef, a specific concern is required. The Littoral states should coordinate and enhance regulation and reduction of pollution inputs, coordinate the establishment and enforcement of uniform standards for pollutants and environmental impact assessments, establish effective international marine pollution monitoring mechanism, develop a Straits Action Plan and jointly prepare a dynamic atlas for policy making.The formation of MASDEC in UPM was a strategic action to tackle the issues related to the Straits of Malacca. MASDEC can be reactivate or redevelop towards an international standard of marine research centre or institute since the Straits of Malacca is internationally recognized as an important waterways and ecosystem. Malaysia and UPM in particular should take this opportunity and leading in the Straits of Malacca scientific research activities.

Aktiviti Pendidikan Alam Sekitar Berterusan

Atas: Guru Pengiring, Pegawai Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia, Wakil Peserta, Ybhg Dato' Hashim Wahab dan Prof Dr. Ahmad Ismail Penasihat Environmental Education MNS.
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Malayan Nature Society bersama Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia serta beberapa agensi yang menaja dan menyumbang kepakaran telah bersama-sama menganjurkan Bengkel Pendidikan Alam Sekitar Sekolah Menengah Peringkat Kebangsaan di Bukit Lagong Selangor 15-18 Julai 2010.Seramai hampir 300 peserta dari seluruh negara telah mengikuti bengkel ini. Aktiviti ini sangat penting bagi generasi akan datang bagi menjaga kepelbagaian biodiversiti negara. Dasar Kepelbagaian Biodiversiti Kebangsaan menekankan aktiviti pendidikan alam sekitar dan pengetahuan umum tentang kepelbagaian biologi dan konservasi. Para peserta diberi latihan dalam bentuk permainan, penghayatan alam sekitar, pengetahuan tentang flora dan fauna, lawatan ke FRIM dan Zoo Negara termasuk aktiviti malam dan siang hari.Semua peserta diberikan sijil penyertaan dan manual pendidikan alam sekitar.
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Inisiatif Malayan Nature Society, Malaysian Zoological Society, Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Universiti Putra malaysia, Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia dan agensi lain menganjurkan aktiviti, menaja dan menyediakan kepakaran merupakan sumbangan besar kepada negara dan generasi akan datang. Sumbangan kewangan terutamanya sangat terus diperlukan bagi memastikan kesinambungan program seperti ini.Tahun ini adalah tahun biodiversiti dunia. Apakah sumbangan kita dan sejauh manakah kita telah menghargai orang yang telah dan sedang aktif menyumbang.

BIODIVERSITY is OUR LIFE

The United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives. The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity.What are we suppose to do to participate biodiversity campaign by the United Nation.
MALAYSIA’S NATIONAL POLICY
ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
(Official declaration: Thursday, April 16 1998, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
Ministry of Science, Environment and Technology)
Document downloadable at ARBEC’s website: http://www.arbec.com.my
For more information, contact ARBEC at: Tel: 603-788 21158, Fax: 603-706 5966, Email: limster@pop.jaring.my
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Strategy 7: ENHANCE SKILL, CAPABILITIES AND COMPETENCE
Action Plan:
1. Identify critical skill requirements and undertake programmes to develop the
human resource base in the appropriate areas.
2. Utilise research institutes and universities to build up competence in relevant
areas.
3. Enhance research, planning and management capabilities through collaborative
programmes amongst local organisations and between local organisations and
established foreign institutions.
4. Provide reward structures and design reward mechanisms to strengthen
appropriate fields for education to achieve conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity.
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For those studying in UPM do not miss BGY3102 and BGY4402 in order to support NBP

PARTIAL LIST OF LEGISLATION RELEVANT TO BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY
Federal Environmental Quality Act 1974
Fisheries Act 1985
Pesticides Act 1974
Plant Quarantine Act 1976
Customs (Prohibition of Exports)(Amendment) (No.4) Order 1993
Peninsular
Malaysia
Waters Act 1920
Taman Negara (Kelantan) Enactment 1938
Taman Negara (Pahang) Enactment 1939
Taman Negara (Terengganu) Enactment 1939
(The State Parks from the above three
Enactments constitute Taman Negara)
Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954
Land Conservation Act 1960
National Land Code 1965
Protection of Wildlife Act 1972
National Parks Act 1980
National Forestry Act 1984
Sabah Parks Enactment 1984
Forest Enactment 1968
Fauna Conservation Ordinance 1963
Sarawak National Parks Ordinance 1956
Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1958
Forests Ordinance 1954
Natural Resources Ordinance 1949 as amended by Natural Resources and
Environment (Amendment) Ordinance 1993
Public Parks and Greens Ordinance 1993
Water Ordinance 1994

EPA OKs more hazardous waste for Calif. toxic dump

Thu Jul 15, 11:01 am ET

KETTLEMAN CITY, Calif. – The Environmental Protection Agency says a central California landfill that local residents blame for birth defects can continue accepting hazardous waste. The EPA says it decided to allow more hazardous waste after an area where cancer-causing PCBs or polychlorinated biphenylswere found was cleaned up. Kettleman City residents have blamed the toxic waste dump for at least 11 birth defects since 2007. State waste management officials say no evidence links the landfill to the deformities.

Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are now-banned transformer-oil fluids widely used up to the early 1970s. They have a similar molecular shape to flame retardants and reduce thyroid hormone levels. Research has linked low PCB exposures to reduced impulse control and lower intellectual capacity in children. The most recent study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives in May, found that a mere one-part-per-billion increase in PCB concentration in a baby's placenta was associated with a three-point IQ drop at the age of 9.


Another news!

Studies find heart deformities, higher mortality rates in PCB-affected wildlife.

April 3, 2006

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Recent studies of wildlife in the Bloomington area have found serious health problems with embryonic development in animals exposed to PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) released from local PCB-contaminated sites. These problems include heart deformities in birds and reproductive problems in fish. The studies were conducted by researchers in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and other institutions (http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/3224.html).

Apakah Kesan Korek Pasir Keatas Ekologi, Politik dan Ekonomi Jangka Panjang

Sangat hangat perbincangan tentang aktiviti korek pasir yang sedang berlaku di Negeri Selangor sekarang ini. Perbincangan hangat di kaki lima, surat khabar, dewan undangan negeri dan parlimen. Apakah isu ini isu politik, isu alam sekitar atau isu ekonomi? Rakyat sepatutnya boleh menilai atau sekiranya tidak mampu rujuklah kepada pakar. Mungkin tidak ada orang yang boleh menyelesaikan masalah sebenar kepada isu korek pasir ini kerana kita tidak mempunyai data asas yang lengkap.Mungkin mulai sekarang kita perlu mempunyai data lengkap tentang sumber asli negeri dan perancangan pembangunan, penggunaan dan konservasinya.

Guru-guru SKSS USJ Subang Jaya menjalankan aktiviti latihan dalam perkhidmatan di Hutan Simpan Air Hitam Puchong

Seramai 35 orang guru-guru muda termasuk Guru Besar dan Penolong Kanan dari Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Selangor menjalankan latihan dalam perkhidmatan di Hutan Simpan Air Hitam Puchong. Antara aktiviti ialah Penghayatan Alam Sekitar, penggunaan hutan sebagai makmal pengajaran di luar bilik darjah, bukan sahaja terhad kepada mata pelajaran biologi atau sains tetapi juga geografi, bahasa, pengetahuan agama Islam dan lain-lain. Kesemua peserta telah dipandu oleh Prof Dr. Ahmad Ismail dari UPM.

Frogs hunting in UPM Campus continue for ecology and biodiversity studies

Faid, Siti, Shahrizad, Jim and Rosy explore more about frogs on campus.