Showing posts with label Environmental Movement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Environmental Movement. Show all posts
Penang residents warn that birds' nest industry is out of control
"The site no longer belongs to us, but to the world. We should use this recognition as a catalyst to make the George Town world heritage site a livable city," said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, general manager of the George Town World Heritage Office.
Residents are concerned that the Unesco listing, bestowed in 2008 and celebrated last month with a four-week-long festival, could be jeopardised by the swiftlet breeders who use George Town's traditional shophouses as homes for the birds before harvesting the nests, which can fetch more than $1,500 a kilogram.
The Malaysian Swiftlet Farmers Association said in 2005 that 10% of George Town's 4,000 houses had been converted to swiftlet farms, but informal counts suggest the number may be much higher today.
"Swiftlets' natural environment is a cave. When you bring swiftlets to town areas, you must create the environment to attract them. This natural habitat is not suitable for shophouses," Sharif said.
Malaysia is the world's third-largest producer of edible bird nests, with an industry that makes in excess of $450m a year, mostly through exports to China, where the nests are regarded as a medicinal delicacy. Critics say the converted buildings become irreparably damaged. The breeding spaces are kept moist, often by leaving large containers of water, potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes, a further cause for concern.
Rebecca Duckett, a council member of the Penang Heritage Trust, fought for two years to evict a swiftlet farmer who was illegally occupying two flats in a building next to her home. "There was a system of big plastic tubs, full of excrement, and hose pipes that dribbled to the point where steel beams below had completely rusted," she said.
But it isn't just residents who want swiftlet farming out of George Town. Raymond Loo, of Penang estate agents Prima Harta, says potential buyers are reluctant to live on streets where swiftlet farmers operate. "They cause damage by sound pollution and also the bird droppings. Usually bird-nest houses are not well kept. It's very easy to attract termites. Most of the swift houses I have visited have this problem."
Local people complain about loudspeakers set up by farmers to play bird calls and attract the swiftlets, while the racket when the birds leave in the morning and return in the evening is another gripe.
Opponents are up against businessmen who had been profiting from the bird's-nest trade for years before George Town's heritage listing. Jannette Lee, Penang branch manager of Crystal Swiftlets, a supplier of swiftlet farming equipment, said a compromise needed to be reached.
"Bird's-nest trading has existed for many years. Talking about the farming itself, it has just got hot in the last 12 years. I wouldn't say it's a business, but it's an investment."
She added: "If you're looking at the angle of heritage itself, people may have concerns that the facades of houses have been damaged. The concerns are valid, but provided that the swiftlet farmers are responsible, there should be no problems."
Lee says that properly enforced regulations would defuse the tension, but successive state governments have neither cracked down nor found a middle road. The government issued its Guidelines for the Application of Premise Licences for Swiftlet Farming Businesses in 2005, outlining how swiftlet farming is permitted in legally gazetted commercial areas. A moratorium on new licences for swiftlet farms was then imposed in 2008 and extended three times, but new farms continued to sprout up around George Town regardless of the regulations.
Last month the federal government released its long-awaited Swiftlet Industry Guidelines, which the Penang state authorities are now considering how to implement.
The guidelines state that swiftlet houses should be located at least 50 metres from "fully residential buildings" and that heritage buildings should be subject to conditions drawn up by relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, swiftlet farmers in Penang say that if the government decides to move them out of urban George Town they must be compensated. One breeder, who asked that his name not be printed, says the fact that farmers had relied on the industry for years could not be overlooked.
"Getting the government to chase out all the swift breeders will destroy the livelihoods of a lot of people. Swiftlets have been here for a long time," he said.
"The government has been slow to act. There have been so many new houses built that if they ever put their foot down, there would be all kinds of problems."
Dr Kenneth Khoo, secretary general of the Small- and Medium-Sized Industries Association of Penang, said disgruntled residents had to meet the breeders halfway.
"I feel swiftlet farming should be allowed to continue to exist on the condition that those farms established prior to 2008, before the heritage listing, should be allowed to stay. Those formed after shouldn't be operating," he said.
"It's not fair to say that Penang now has heritage status and therefore all of them, despite following these guidelines, should now move out." This potential cut-off would affect about 70 swiftlet houses, he said.
Dried bird's nests at a shop off Port Klang, west of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
George Town, the capital of Malaysia's Penang state, is a city of two tales: on one side there's a multimillion-dollar edible bird's-nest industry, on the other there are the residents who say the industry is out of control, posing a health risk and threatening the city's Unesco World Heritage status."The site no longer belongs to us, but to the world. We should use this recognition as a catalyst to make the George Town world heritage site a livable city," said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, general manager of the George Town World Heritage Office.
Residents are concerned that the Unesco listing, bestowed in 2008 and celebrated last month with a four-week-long festival, could be jeopardised by the swiftlet breeders who use George Town's traditional shophouses as homes for the birds before harvesting the nests, which can fetch more than $1,500 a kilogram.
The Malaysian Swiftlet Farmers Association said in 2005 that 10% of George Town's 4,000 houses had been converted to swiftlet farms, but informal counts suggest the number may be much higher today.
"Swiftlets' natural environment is a cave. When you bring swiftlets to town areas, you must create the environment to attract them. This natural habitat is not suitable for shophouses," Sharif said.
Malaysia is the world's third-largest producer of edible bird nests, with an industry that makes in excess of $450m a year, mostly through exports to China, where the nests are regarded as a medicinal delicacy. Critics say the converted buildings become irreparably damaged. The breeding spaces are kept moist, often by leaving large containers of water, potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes, a further cause for concern.
Rebecca Duckett, a council member of the Penang Heritage Trust, fought for two years to evict a swiftlet farmer who was illegally occupying two flats in a building next to her home. "There was a system of big plastic tubs, full of excrement, and hose pipes that dribbled to the point where steel beams below had completely rusted," she said.
But it isn't just residents who want swiftlet farming out of George Town. Raymond Loo, of Penang estate agents Prima Harta, says potential buyers are reluctant to live on streets where swiftlet farmers operate. "They cause damage by sound pollution and also the bird droppings. Usually bird-nest houses are not well kept. It's very easy to attract termites. Most of the swift houses I have visited have this problem."
Local people complain about loudspeakers set up by farmers to play bird calls and attract the swiftlets, while the racket when the birds leave in the morning and return in the evening is another gripe.
Opponents are up against businessmen who had been profiting from the bird's-nest trade for years before George Town's heritage listing. Jannette Lee, Penang branch manager of Crystal Swiftlets, a supplier of swiftlet farming equipment, said a compromise needed to be reached.
"Bird's-nest trading has existed for many years. Talking about the farming itself, it has just got hot in the last 12 years. I wouldn't say it's a business, but it's an investment."
She added: "If you're looking at the angle of heritage itself, people may have concerns that the facades of houses have been damaged. The concerns are valid, but provided that the swiftlet farmers are responsible, there should be no problems."
Lee says that properly enforced regulations would defuse the tension, but successive state governments have neither cracked down nor found a middle road. The government issued its Guidelines for the Application of Premise Licences for Swiftlet Farming Businesses in 2005, outlining how swiftlet farming is permitted in legally gazetted commercial areas. A moratorium on new licences for swiftlet farms was then imposed in 2008 and extended three times, but new farms continued to sprout up around George Town regardless of the regulations.
Last month the federal government released its long-awaited Swiftlet Industry Guidelines, which the Penang state authorities are now considering how to implement.
The guidelines state that swiftlet houses should be located at least 50 metres from "fully residential buildings" and that heritage buildings should be subject to conditions drawn up by relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, swiftlet farmers in Penang say that if the government decides to move them out of urban George Town they must be compensated. One breeder, who asked that his name not be printed, says the fact that farmers had relied on the industry for years could not be overlooked.
"Getting the government to chase out all the swift breeders will destroy the livelihoods of a lot of people. Swiftlets have been here for a long time," he said.
"The government has been slow to act. There have been so many new houses built that if they ever put their foot down, there would be all kinds of problems."
Dr Kenneth Khoo, secretary general of the Small- and Medium-Sized Industries Association of Penang, said disgruntled residents had to meet the breeders halfway.
"I feel swiftlet farming should be allowed to continue to exist on the condition that those farms established prior to 2008, before the heritage listing, should be allowed to stay. Those formed after shouldn't be operating," he said.
"It's not fair to say that Penang now has heritage status and therefore all of them, despite following these guidelines, should now move out." This potential cut-off would affect about 70 swiftlet houses, he said.
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California 
on 08. 9.10
Photo by syntheticaperture
Green turtles have been battling habitat loss, the dangers of fishermen, and pollution in a loosing battle for decades, and in Malaysia they've faced a take-over of their beaches by tourists and egg-plunderers. Still, there's been a shift in their luck, albeit a precarious one. Green turtles are returning to Malaysia in the hundreds, but experts say that if the destruction of their habitat isn't stopped immediately, they may be wiped out after all.
According to PhysOrg, initiatives including new hatcheries and other conservation measures have helped improve the number of green turtles returning to Malaysia's coasts, and until June there were as many as 200 turtles arriving to lay their eggs. All turtles are tagged, and 70% of those who arrived had been on the Cherating beach before.
READ MORE: What You Can Do to Protect Sea Turtles
While there's hope for green turtles, hawsbills are much more rare and leatherbacks are practically non-existent. Elizabeth John from conservation group Traffic said green turtles are facing "the double whammy of losing their homes and their young." Authorities are working on a new law to ban turtle egg consumption and, with luck and enforcement, that should help the numbers rise.
The green turtle is listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries.
By Yap Jin Rui 
Article Source
http://www.loyarburok.com/human-rights/green-world/peat-swamp-forest-rehab/
Green Ink - An eco-friendly LoyarBurok column
A Malaysian youth reporting on the community based tree planting programme to rehabilitate the Raja Musa Peat Swamp Forest that had fallen victim to some 23,000 hectares of illegal clearing.
Greenk Ink: As you read this, illegal land clearing is once again reported in Raja Musa Peat Forest this week! More on this in our next article.
It has so often been ingrained in us, ours is a country that is loaded with its own resources. One such example is the peat swamp forests found in Malaysia, that in total make up the third largest surface area on the planet. These forests are invaluable assets that mitigate floods, act as critical wildlife habitats, and are among the planet’s most effective carbon stores.
Greedy and apathetic as we are, however, we have up till today allowed 90% of these peat swamps to be cleared, logged or burned in the name of development. The effects of this issue to the environment is alarming, to say the least, but it is the same old story, often told and often heard – so much so that it has to be asked: Is anybody still listening?
One of the dominant issues is the problematic peat fires. Firefighters are tasked with fires that burn violently and almost indefinitely, fueled by its high carbon content. The public’s health is affected by the haze that is spurred on by the flames.
And then there is this: peat swamps lock up carbon, a dirty word in the environmentalist’s book – there’s just too much of it in the atmosphere. When peat swamps go up in flames, the carbon released takes on the form of carbon dioxide, hence contributing further to our already warming climate.
The way in which peat fires occur is fairly straightforward. Peat, formed under very wet conditions, basically consists of semi-decayed vegetation accumulated over time. As long as it is soaked in water, the swamp ecosystem is kept in balance, and all is well. However, when a peat swamp is drained for, say, agricultural, industrial or residential development, the upper layer of the plant material dries up, conveniently forming a combustible and very flammable fuel, which, under excessively dry weather conditions, creates volatile fire hazards.
The Raja Musa Peat Swamp Forest, located in the northern region of the Selangor state, is a part of the North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest. This 23,000 hectare wide peat swamp forest has been victim to illegal clearing and burning to make way for farming activities. Over the years, more than 500 hectares of the forest has been destroyed.
To put that into perspective, that is the equivalent of approximately 600 World Cup size soccer fields.
Thankfully, the Selangor state government has recognised the problem and is currently executing one of the largest forest rehabilitation projects in Malaysia on this location.
The focus is on clearing out illegal settlers and restoring the ruined forest, which creates the core reason why on the occasional Saturday morning, a union of sorts is formed between an unlikely blend of people – corporate workers, salesmen, students and many more. Some may be there to satisfy a curiosity and get the tree-planting experience, but most of them harbor a concern for the condition of the earth, and are acting on it.
One would perhaps find it heartening to know that there ARE still people listening after all.
This tree-planting effort in the Raja Musa Peat Swamp Reserve, planned to take place twice monthly from June till October 2010, is spearheaded by the Selangor State Forestry Department, the Global Environment Centre (GEC), the Sai Council and various other NGOs and community groups such as Eco-Warriors. Before planting, marcots of the Mahang tree species are harvested and then left to soak in the canals in the peat swamps. This is where we volunteers enter the scene.
We arrive as early as 8.oo in the morning and, after a short briefing, start the process of tree planting. The marcots, its newly grown roots still raw and fragile, are placed firmly into the soil, oftentimes while exchanging friendly banter with new friends. The success of restoring a peat swamp forest plays down not only to planting the trees, but also carrying out post planting maintenance such as canal blocking to control the water levels. This is executed in the weeks after the planting of the trees, to ensure that the plants do not die.
So we dig our fingers into the soil and put to work our green thumb. Carrying on until noon, the weather gets pretty harsh – and then we finish up and fill our tummies with the various goodies brought to the table by the organisers. The morning ends with the sun high up, and with our previously soil-stained fingers we sit in the shade and dig into good food with good company, whilst acknowledging that although this isn’t a conventional way to spend your Saturday morning, it is a pretty good one.
LB: The next tree planting dates are 15 August and 28 August 2010. For more info contact GEC.Article Source
http://www.loyarburok.com/human-rights/green-world/peat-swamp-forest-rehab/
Photos: Chinanews
Too Expensive to Go Under? Go Over...
What if there was a way to get most of the benefits of a subway, but without the costs of digging up all those tunnels? The Chinese company Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co. thinks it might be able to do just that with a concept it calls the 3D Fast Bus (which has also been called the straddling bus), and kind of giant bus/train that straddles the street and allows cars to drive right under it. This means that it isn't slowed down by traffic and it doesn't add to traffic either. Read on for more details and a video showing a rendering of the 3D Fast Bus in action.
The presenter in this video is Song Youzhou, chairman of Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., the company that is proposing the 3D Fast Bus. Chinahush has a translation of what is said at the bottom of this post. Here are some highlights:
What you can see from the video is traffic jams, what you can hear is noise, and there is also invisible air pollution. At present, there are mainly 4 types of public transits in China: subway, light-rail train, BRT, and normal bus. They have advantages and disadvantages, for example, subway costs a lot and takes long time to build; BRT takes up road spaces and produces noises as well as pollution to the air. How to develop environmental-friendly public transportation? Straddling bus provides a solution. Let's watch a demonstration.The straddling bus combines the advantages of BRT, it is also a substitution for BRT and subway in the future. As you all know, the majority vehicle on the road is car, the shortest vehicle is also car. Normally our overpass is 4.5-5.5 m high. The highlight innovation of straddling bus is that it runs above car and under overpass. Its biggest strength is saving road spaces, efficient and high in capacity. It can reduce up to 25-30% traffic jams on main routes. Running at an average 40 km/h, it can take 1200 people at a time, which means 300 passengers per cart. [...]
The bus can save up to 860 ton of fuel per year, reducing 2,640 ton of carbon emission. Presently we have passed the first stage demonstration and will get through all of the technical invalidation by the end of August. Beijing's Mentougou District is carrying out a eco-community project, it has already planned out 186 km for our straddling bus. Construction will begin at year end.
Compromise Between BRT and Subway
It's certainly a very interesting idea. Now we'll have to see if it can be pulled off without too many cost overruns and technical problems (though we might never know, China isn't exactly transparent about that stuff). Most cities would probably still be better off with a BRT, but in places where land is at such a high premium that you can't spare extra lanes for buses, and where it would just be too expensive and take too long to build a subway, this type of technology might be a good compromise.
KUALA TERENGGANU: Three more diving spots on Pulau Redang have been closed due to coral bleaching.
Redang Terengganu Operators’ Association president Lee Yat Loong said divers had been advised to stay clear of Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Che Isa and Pulau Tanjung Lebah until early next year.
He said the closure was the initiative of the association although all three spots were not on the Marine Park Department’s list of closed dive sites.
“Only Teluk Bakau was on the list but our checks revealed that the other three areas were also affected by coral bleaching and we recommended them to be closed as well.
“We have always been self-regulatory and through a collaboration with Reef Check Malaysia Berhad, we had highlighted the problems with the coral reefs in our area long before the announcement by the Marine Park Department,” he said.
The bleaching was caused by the rise in water temperature and not much could be done about it except for implementing a monitoring system on the condition of the coral reefs.
“It is us against Mother Nature and it looks like we are winning as the average water temperature is currently holding at between 29ºC and 30ºC compared with the 30-31ºC earlier in the year. “We are confident of another one-degree drop in the water temperature soon and chances are the coral reefs will be back to normal in the next few months,” said Lee, adding that the dive site closures would reduce the stress on the reefs. He said human impact on the reefs should be minimum. The closure was necessary for the authorities to conduct their studies, in addition to allowing the reefs to rest.
“But diving enthusiasts and prospective visitors to the island have nothing to worry as we have more than 20 other known diving spots in and around the island.
“Recent news coverage on the closure of dive spots has led people to assume the whole marine park was closed but that is just not true as it is still business as usual with plenty of diving and snorkelling here on
the island,” Lee said.
On July 21, the Marine Park Department had announced the temporary closure of nine diving and snorkelling areas in Pahang, Terengganu and Kedah, in addition to three islands in Pahang, due to coral bleaching.
The affected areas in Kedah are Pulau Payar, Teluk Wangi, Pantai Damai and Coral Garden while the areas in Pahang include Pulau Rengis, Pulau Tumok, Pulau Soyak, Pulau Chebeh and Batu Matang. In Terengganu, Teluk Dalam, Tanjung Tukas Darat and Tanjung Tukas Laut in Pulau Perhentian, Teluk Air Tawar in Pulau Tenggol, and Teluk Bakau in Pulau Redang will remain closed until the end of October.
Hi guys,
I thought that this public lecture, which is free and open to all, might be of interest to those of you who are working on the COCs dealing with Food Security or who is just deeply concerned about the future of global food security in a climate changed world.
Details are as follows:
Date: 29 July 2010 (Thursday)
Time: 2.00pm
Venue: The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Kuala Lumpur Teaching Centre, 2nd Floor, Chulan Tower, 3, Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Speaker is Prof. Gregory Peter Gregory, who is the Chief Executive and Institute Director of the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI). More information on the talk available in the attached poster for the event. If you are interested to attend, please confirm you attendance by sending an e-mail to Deepa: deepa.kumari@nottingham.edu.my
Regards,
Alex
I thought that this public lecture, which is free and open to all, might be of interest to those of you who are working on the COCs dealing with Food Security or who is just deeply concerned about the future of global food security in a climate changed world.
Details are as follows:
Date: 29 July 2010 (Thursday)
Time: 2.00pm
Venue: The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Kuala Lumpur Teaching Centre, 2nd Floor, Chulan Tower, 3, Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Speaker is Prof. Gregory Peter Gregory, who is the Chief Executive and Institute Director of the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI). More information on the talk available in the attached poster for the event. If you are interested to attend, please confirm you attendance by sending an e-mail to Deepa: deepa.kumari@nottingham.edu.my
Regards,
Alex
PopIn:PopOut 3 - PM PM!
(PopMuda proposals for Prime Minister)
What would happen if creative, critical and innovative young Malaysians ran the country?
Article Source
(PopMuda proposals for Prime Minister)
What would happen if creative, critical and innovative young Malaysians ran the country?
Nadira Ilana (PopIn:PopOut) from PopIN on Vimeo.
Article Source
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia is capable of showing to the world how to handle energy problems and handle climate change effectively by choosing to use renewable energy.
British ocean rower and environmental campaigner, Roz Savage, spent the past week in Sabah spreading her message for clean energy, especially with the coal-fired power plant issue gaining international coverage.
“The intelligent choice for any modern, forward-looking country is clean, renewable energy. The Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would do the right thing for Malaysia and the world in pushing for clean energy.
“We do not have to make the mistakes that developed countries are now trying to correct. It all starts with decisions like these. Just because everyone is using coal-fired power plants does not make it the right choice,” she told a press conference after ending her trip here by para-sailing in Tanjung Aru, yesterday.
Savage, who is the first woman to row solo across the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, climbed Mount Kinabalu, dived in Sabah waters and para-sailed above it while carrying a banner sponsored by Green SURF (Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future) and the international 350.org, calling for clean energy in Sabah.
“We will fight dirty energy on the land, we will fight dirty energy in the air and we will fight dirty energy under the water because dirty energy pollutes all of these,” she said.
Savage said she took up her oars because she believes in a cleaner, greener future and urges the people of Sabah to take up their pen, phone or computer mouse and let the Prime Minister know how you feel about dirty energy.
Green SURF, a coalition of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) wants the government to scrap the proposal to build a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu.
Green SURF has teamed up with 350.org, an international campaign that is building a movement to unite the world on solutions to the climate crisis.
Green SURF’s Cynthia Ong said that Savage received an email from international partner 350.org on the coalition’s efforts to halt the construction of the proposed coal-fired power plant and asked what she could do to help.
“Roz Savage had just completed rowing solo across the Pacific and was passing through the region. She heard our call and asked what she could do to help in our campaign.
“She knows, as we do, that this is both a local and global story of our energy quest and climate change,” Ong said.
Ong, who just returned from the annual gathering of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation in Bali, stressed that there is a need for locals to voice and act upon their concerns about the proposed coal-fired power plant.
Laporan yang dikeluarkan oleh Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC), sebuah badan yang mempunyai saintis-saintis dan pakar kaji cuaca dari seluruh dunia, telah memaklumkan bahawa sejak Revolusi Industri, pembebasan gas karbon dioksida telah meningkat daripada 280ppm kepada 379ppm dalam tempoh masa 150 tahun terakhir.
Menyedari ancaman ini, sesetengah kerajaan dan industri di seluruh dunia telah berganding bahu dan mengambil inisiatif untuk mengurangkan pembebasan gas rumah hijau (GHG) di semua peringkat Salah satunya adalah dengan menggalakkan industri untuk mengurangkan pelepasan gas rumah hijau. Banyak syarikat kini yang sedar akan tanggungjawab mereka terhadap alam sekitar. Namun masih terdapat segelintir syarikat yang masih tidak begitu peka atau tidak tahu cara-cara untuk memastikan organisasi mereka lebih mesra alam dan tidak membawa kesan buruk kepada alam sekitar.
Apabila sesebuah organisasi mengambil inisiatif untuk mengeluarkan barangan yang mesra alam, maka syarikat tersebut secara tidak langsung akan dapat menaikkan imej syarikat mereka dan boleh dilihat sebagai satu entiti yang mempunyai tanggungjawab sosial. Tetapi, terdapat pula sesetengah syarikat yang membuat dakwaan palsu dan mengelirukan pengguna dengan mengatakan bahawa syarikat mereka tidak mengeluarkan gas rumah hijau dan sebagainya. Siapakah yang boleh menentukan sama ada dakwaan syarikat-syarikat tersebut adalah benar? Oleh itu satu garis panduan umum perlu dibangunkan sebagai sumber rujukan.
Dokumen standard ISO 14064:2006 dibangunkan untuk tujuan membantu organisasi dalam mengkuantifikasi dan melaporkan pembebasan gas rumah hijau, dan bagaimana melakukan verifikasi terhadap laporan tersebut. Dokumen standard ISO 14064 :2006 ini terdiri daripada 3 bahagian. Bahagian pertama menetapkan keperluan untuk merancang dan mengembangkan organisasi peringkat persediaan GHG. Bahagian kedua menerangkan syarat terperinci untuk mengukur, pemantauan dan laporan pengurangan pembebasan dan tambahan pengeluaran daripada projek gas rumah hijau. Bahagian ketiga memberi keperluan dan panduan untuk melakukan validasi dan pengesahan maklumat GHG.
Standard ISO 14065:2007 pula menetapkan prinsip dan syarat untuk pihak yang melakukan verifikasi dan penilaian gas rumah hijau. Pihak yang melakukan penilaian dan verifikasi tersebut adalah bertanggungjawab untuk melakukan penilaian objektif terhadap penyataan organisasi mengenai pembebasan gas rumah hijau dan menerbitkan pernyataan secara bertulis seperti yang diakui oleh sesebuah organisasi itu. Tujuan standard ini adalah untuk memastikan bahawa badan verifikasi atau penilaian memiliki kompetensi dan sistem yang objektif untuk memberikan penilaian terhadap pernyataan atau dakwaan mengenai gas rumah hijau oleh sesebuah organisasi.
Sektor industri digalakkan untuk mendapatkan pensijilan standard ISO ini. Selain mendapatkan keuntungan, inisiatif-inisiatif industri dalam mendapatkan pensijilan ini akan sedikit sebanyak memberikan peluang untuk mereka memainkan peranan sebagai sebuah industri yang peka dan bertanggungjawab terhadap alam sekitar.
Mohana Priya
Persatuan Pengguna-Pengguna Standard Malaysia
On July 18 (Sunday), a River Carnival will be organized to celebrate and showcase the W.A.T.E.R. Project's success and engage the wider community. There will be loads of games, exhibitions and prizes for everyone!
37 VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!
Volunteers are needed to help out in the following tasks:
----
River Hunt - 8 volunteers
Various ‘stations’ along the river with different tasks for groups to complete
----
Shopping Game - 3 volunteers
Tag team game. Each group will be given a shopping list of things to buy. Pairs will be tied at the legs. The first pair will have to get the first item and come back and tag the next pair who will go and get the next item etc.
----
Mural Painting & Sweep and Sort - 5 volunteers
---
Jigsaw Puzzle & Nature Craft - 5 volunteers
----
Green Dress - 5 volunteers
20 children under 6 years of age.
Competing to see who has the best ‘green’ dress.
----
Registration - 2 volunteers (filled)
Volunteers will be in charge of assisting with the registration of participants for the games.
----
Prizes - 1 volunteer (filled)
Volunteers will be responsible for ensuring the prizes stay safe and are not stolen.
----
Photography - 4 volunteers (filled)
Volunteers are responsible for capturing the memorable moments of the event and everything else! Each volunteer must have their own digital camera and take at least 100 photos.
----
Writers - 2 volunteers
We need volunteers to just attend the event and absorb the atmosphere and write an event report for us after! This will be published on the GEC website. You can even interview the community members, participants and the people there to find out what they think about the event, the project or the river.
----
Exhibition - 2 volunteers
We need some volunteers to help us man our exhibition booth. You will be responsible for handing out leaflets and talking to people about GEC and the project.
----------------
This is unlike any of our other events and volunteers for this event will need to also be available on 17th July (Saturday) for a short (1 hour) pre-event briefing session on your tasks and roles.
Roles are on a first come first serve basis. To volunteer, please EMAIL me (regina@gec.org.my) the following details:
Name
Age
Mobile Number
1st role choice
2nd role choice
Once we receive your information, we will email you more information about the games and the event. Please email me ASAP if you are interested to confirm your place. We really need all the help we can get!
Thanks!
37 VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!
Volunteers are needed to help out in the following tasks:
----
River Hunt - 8 volunteers
Various ‘stations’ along the river with different tasks for groups to complete
----
Shopping Game - 3 volunteers
Tag team game. Each group will be given a shopping list of things to buy. Pairs will be tied at the legs. The first pair will have to get the first item and come back and tag the next pair who will go and get the next item etc.
----
Mural Painting & Sweep and Sort - 5 volunteers
---
Jigsaw Puzzle & Nature Craft - 5 volunteers
----
Green Dress - 5 volunteers
20 children under 6 years of age.
Competing to see who has the best ‘green’ dress.
----
Registration - 2 volunteers (filled)
Volunteers will be in charge of assisting with the registration of participants for the games.
----
Prizes - 1 volunteer (filled)
Volunteers will be responsible for ensuring the prizes stay safe and are not stolen.
----
Photography - 4 volunteers (filled)
Volunteers are responsible for capturing the memorable moments of the event and everything else! Each volunteer must have their own digital camera and take at least 100 photos.
----
Writers - 2 volunteers
We need volunteers to just attend the event and absorb the atmosphere and write an event report for us after! This will be published on the GEC website. You can even interview the community members, participants and the people there to find out what they think about the event, the project or the river.
----
Exhibition - 2 volunteers
We need some volunteers to help us man our exhibition booth. You will be responsible for handing out leaflets and talking to people about GEC and the project.
----------------
This is unlike any of our other events and volunteers for this event will need to also be available on 17th July (Saturday) for a short (1 hour) pre-event briefing session on your tasks and roles.
Roles are on a first come first serve basis. To volunteer, please EMAIL me (regina@gec.org.my) the following details:
Name
Age
Mobile Number
1st role choice
2nd role choice
Once we receive your information, we will email you more information about the games and the event. Please email me ASAP if you are interested to confirm your place. We really need all the help we can get!
Thanks!
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s palm oil industry produces enough waste to generate up to 700MW of electricity, an American energy researcher said.
Dr Daniel M. Kammen said the figure was based on the 2008 palm oil production statistics and conservative growth estimates.
He said biomass power generation plants were economically feasible and logistically achievable via a four-project per year ramp-up programme.
The biomass power generation plants solved two environmental problems at once, Dr Kammen said at a forum on energy options for Sabah organised by Green Surf, a grouping of NGOs here.
“One problem is disposing of potentially hazardous mill wastes in open ponds and landfills and the other problem is meeting Sabah’s energy demands,” said Dr Kammen who carried out a study on the state’s clean energy options with fellow researchers Tyler McNish and Benjamin Gutierrez.
Noting that several mills in Sabah were already harnessing palm oil wastes to generate electricity, he said the 10MW limit on investment under the small renewable energy programme should be scrapped.
“There should be continued research and outreach efforts targeted at increasing the quantity of grid-connected electricity available from palm oil mills besides recognising renewable energy status as a premium product.
“It is also important to continue studying the feasibility of renewable investments at known geothermal, wind and environmentally sound micro-hydro sites,” noted the Unversity of California at Berkeley researcher.
Meanwhile, Abdul Nasir Abdul Wahid who represented Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) at the forum, insisted that the biomass approach to generate power was not viable to generate 300MW of electricity needed in the state’s east coast.
SESB and its parent company, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, have been pushing for a controversial 300MW coal fired plant in the east coast Lahad Datu.
The project has been opposed by various NGOs acting under the Green Surf umbrella.
Article Source
Dr Daniel M. Kammen said the figure was based on the 2008 palm oil production statistics and conservative growth estimates.
He said biomass power generation plants were economically feasible and logistically achievable via a four-project per year ramp-up programme.
The biomass power generation plants solved two environmental problems at once, Dr Kammen said at a forum on energy options for Sabah organised by Green Surf, a grouping of NGOs here.
“One problem is disposing of potentially hazardous mill wastes in open ponds and landfills and the other problem is meeting Sabah’s energy demands,” said Dr Kammen who carried out a study on the state’s clean energy options with fellow researchers Tyler McNish and Benjamin Gutierrez.
Noting that several mills in Sabah were already harnessing palm oil wastes to generate electricity, he said the 10MW limit on investment under the small renewable energy programme should be scrapped.
“There should be continued research and outreach efforts targeted at increasing the quantity of grid-connected electricity available from palm oil mills besides recognising renewable energy status as a premium product.
“It is also important to continue studying the feasibility of renewable investments at known geothermal, wind and environmentally sound micro-hydro sites,” noted the Unversity of California at Berkeley researcher.Meanwhile, Abdul Nasir Abdul Wahid who represented Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) at the forum, insisted that the biomass approach to generate power was not viable to generate 300MW of electricity needed in the state’s east coast.
SESB and its parent company, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, have been pushing for a controversial 300MW coal fired plant in the east coast Lahad Datu.
The project has been opposed by various NGOs acting under the Green Surf umbrella.
Article Source
KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Ma-laysia Sabah (UMS) students here have come up with 10 solar-powered cookers for a green and cheap way to cook food.
Solar-powered cooking may not be the first choice for modern kitchens but for those who rely on wood or charcoal, it may be the best choi-ce because if used properly, it can be used to cook vegetables, fish and meat.
This was the finding of a mini project carried out by 76 UMS students who designed 10 solar cookers in the shape of boxes and panels to determine the effectiveness of the method.
“The solar cooker is designed in such a way that it should be placed on the ground and facing the sun.
Creative: UMS students showing off their solar cooker. “When we get solar radiation, the energy will be concentrated in-side the compartment,” said UMS School of Science and Technology senior lecturer of environmental science Harry Chong.
He said the solar cookers were cheap as they were made from re-cycled materials such as paper, aluminium foil and cardboard.
The students only spent between RM5 and RM20 for their design, he said, adding that most of the designs were drawn up on paper.
“One particular design is a heat-trap box, build from plywood and a glass panel. Some old newspapers are placed inside the container which helps act as an insulator to trap the heat.
“As the solar radiation penetrates the glass panel, the heat will be trapped inside the container and in about four to five minutes, the fish would be cooked,” said Chong.
He added, however, that the time taken to cook would depend on the weather.
“We experimented with other kinds of food. While prawns and cuttlefish take only two to three minutes, it takes about 10 minutes to cook an egg,” he said.
Because of the simplicity of its design, Chong said the solar cooker could be used in rural areas as well as used on camping trips.
Article Source
Solar-powered cooking may not be the first choice for modern kitchens but for those who rely on wood or charcoal, it may be the best choi-ce because if used properly, it can be used to cook vegetables, fish and meat.
This was the finding of a mini project carried out by 76 UMS students who designed 10 solar cookers in the shape of boxes and panels to determine the effectiveness of the method.
“The solar cooker is designed in such a way that it should be placed on the ground and facing the sun.
Creative: UMS students showing off their solar cooker. He said the solar cookers were cheap as they were made from re-cycled materials such as paper, aluminium foil and cardboard.
The students only spent between RM5 and RM20 for their design, he said, adding that most of the designs were drawn up on paper.
“One particular design is a heat-trap box, build from plywood and a glass panel. Some old newspapers are placed inside the container which helps act as an insulator to trap the heat.
“As the solar radiation penetrates the glass panel, the heat will be trapped inside the container and in about four to five minutes, the fish would be cooked,” said Chong.
He added, however, that the time taken to cook would depend on the weather.
“We experimented with other kinds of food. While prawns and cuttlefish take only two to three minutes, it takes about 10 minutes to cook an egg,” he said.
Because of the simplicity of its design, Chong said the solar cooker could be used in rural areas as well as used on camping trips.
Article Source
- Lack of focus - trying to tackle more issues, adopt more objectives or target more audiences than resources allow.
- Unclear aims andobjectives ('if you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there")
- Activity planning happening before (or even without) developing an influencing strategy, leading to untargeted actions and reduced impact.
- Failure to be innovative in developing actions, relying on whatever was done last time.
- Vague or bland messages.
- Poor monitoring & evaluation, leading to lack of flexibility, no real accountability and limited learning.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s renowned conservation areas such as the Danum Valley and Maliau Basin in the east coast and the scenic islands in the Coral Triangle are more than just eco-tourism destinations.
Such pristine areas can also attract some of the world’s leading scientists to the state, Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said yesterday.
He said this augured well for the state’s shift towards an innovation driven, service-based economy powered by the creativity and talents of its human capital.
“Among the areas Sabah can explore are information and communications technology, agro-biotechnology, nano-technology, creative technology and green technology.
“The acquisition of technological competence in these fields is a precondition for Sabah, together with the rest of the nation, to carve new frontiers and build new competitiveness in order to attract investment,” he said at the launching of a seminar on Investment Oppor tunities In Knowledge-Inten sive Industries in Sabah here yesterday.
His speech was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the state Infra structure Development Minister.
“Sabah is gaining global recognition as a leading location for conservation and tropical bio-diversity research in the world.
“We are confident these initiatives will contribute towards sustainable development via judicious usage of natural resources, conservation of biological resources and environmental protection,” he added.
Musa said conservation and research have also been a strong driving force for eco-tourism activities in the state.
“The conservation and rehabilitation of the natural environment will enhance the value of the state’s natural capital and our push for sustainable development,” he added.
Musa said Sabah also offered tremendous opportunities in other knowledge-intensive industries such as chemical and pharmaceutical products; biomass and eco-friendly products; renewable energy and environmental services.
Article Source
Such pristine areas can also attract some of the world’s leading scientists to the state, Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said yesterday.
He said this augured well for the state’s shift towards an innovation driven, service-based economy powered by the creativity and talents of its human capital.
“Among the areas Sabah can explore are information and communications technology, agro-biotechnology, nano-technology, creative technology and green technology.
“The acquisition of technological competence in these fields is a precondition for Sabah, together with the rest of the nation, to carve new frontiers and build new competitiveness in order to attract investment,” he said at the launching of a seminar on Investment Oppor tunities In Knowledge-Inten sive Industries in Sabah here yesterday.
His speech was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the state Infra structure Development Minister.
“Sabah is gaining global recognition as a leading location for conservation and tropical bio-diversity research in the world.
“We are confident these initiatives will contribute towards sustainable development via judicious usage of natural resources, conservation of biological resources and environmental protection,” he added.
Musa said conservation and research have also been a strong driving force for eco-tourism activities in the state.
“The conservation and rehabilitation of the natural environment will enhance the value of the state’s natural capital and our push for sustainable development,” he added.
Musa said Sabah also offered tremendous opportunities in other knowledge-intensive industries such as chemical and pharmaceutical products; biomass and eco-friendly products; renewable energy and environmental services.
Article Source
(Eco-logikal Notes: found this wonderful note from a fellow climateers)
In accordance with my 26th birthday on the 5th January 2010, i did a pledge to myself:
I wanted to plant 26 trees in 26 different locations in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor area.
The chosen tree to be planted was 'Cinnamomum' or locally known as cinnamon or 'pokok kayu manis' in Malay. This tree can grow to a height of 10 -... 15 metres in 10 years time. Trees was bought from Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM).
It was a great experience for me! I asked for assistance from my dear friend Ezariq who helped out by taking pictures of me planting the trees in various places in KL/Selangor.
This whole crazy fiesta took me about 2 month to complete. Yup, it is that long as I was quite busy and the places that i chose was really far from each other.
However, I am happy that i did it. It did teach me a lesson though, to always do what we preach. Too many times i have seen people pledging they want to make this world a better place, to plant more trees, to save the planet yadayadayada... but is anyone really doing it themselves?
Here I am taking things into my own hands and begging each and everyone of you to also do something for mother earth.
It is only one planet. 6 billion of people and the entire future generation depends on it. If not us saving this earth, who else?
Happy 26 year of life in this world to myself.
I hope and pray that I shall live long enough to see these trees grow tall and big.
I wish to see earth green again.
I wish the air, rivers and seas will be clean again.
I wish my children and grandchildren will continue the fight for survival.
Your humble friend signing off...
JIMMY KHAN
~Enjoy the pics...
In accordance with my 26th birthday on the 5th January 2010, i did a pledge to myself:
I wanted to plant 26 trees in 26 different locations in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor area.
The chosen tree to be planted was 'Cinnamomum' or locally known as cinnamon or 'pokok kayu manis' in Malay. This tree can grow to a height of 10 -... 15 metres in 10 years time. Trees was bought from Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM).
It was a great experience for me! I asked for assistance from my dear friend Ezariq who helped out by taking pictures of me planting the trees in various places in KL/Selangor.
This whole crazy fiesta took me about 2 month to complete. Yup, it is that long as I was quite busy and the places that i chose was really far from each other.
However, I am happy that i did it. It did teach me a lesson though, to always do what we preach. Too many times i have seen people pledging they want to make this world a better place, to plant more trees, to save the planet yadayadayada... but is anyone really doing it themselves?
Here I am taking things into my own hands and begging each and everyone of you to also do something for mother earth.
It is only one planet. 6 billion of people and the entire future generation depends on it. If not us saving this earth, who else?
Happy 26 year of life in this world to myself.
I hope and pray that I shall live long enough to see these trees grow tall and big.
I wish to see earth green again.
I wish the air, rivers and seas will be clean again.
I wish my children and grandchildren will continue the fight for survival.
Your humble friend signing off...
JIMMY KHAN
~Enjoy the pics...
Selecting trees from Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM). It is a world reputed centre for tropical forestry research, has more than 100 years of experience in forestry and forest products research
Batu Caves - is a limestone hill, which has a series of caves and cave temples, located in Gombak, 13 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Built in 1891,it takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill.The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia.The yellow statue (seen on the right) is the highest Lord Murugan statue in the world at a height of 42.7 metres.
Built in 1891,it takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill.The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia.The yellow statue (seen on the right) is the highest Lord Murugan statue in the world at a height of 42.7 metres.
University of Malaya - is the place where i spent nearly 6 years of my studies and counting. It is the oldest university in Malaysia, being established in 1905 in Singapore under the Raffles College.
Later, Raffles College was merged with the King Edward VII College of Medicine to form the University of Malaya on 8 October 1949. After Malaysia and Singapore was separated, the Malaysian half of the university became University of Malaya while the Singapore half became National University of Singapore.
3 out of 6 of our Prime Minister's and a string list of Malaysia'a leader's were born here.
Later, Raffles College was merged with the King Edward VII College of Medicine to form the University of Malaya on 8 October 1949. After Malaysia and Singapore was separated, the Malaysian half of the university became University of Malaya while the Singapore half became National University of Singapore.
3 out of 6 of our Prime Minister's and a string list of Malaysia'a leader's were born here.
Second Residential College or also now know as Tuanku Bahiyah Residential College is where i lived when i studied in UM. Built in 1943, it have the cool sense of old skool to it.
I made thousand's (is it?) of friends here and still am always 'haunting' this place to meet old and new friends.. Simply said, i love this place!
I made thousand's (is it?) of friends here and still am always 'haunting' this place to meet old and new friends.. Simply said, i love this place!
Kota Darul Ehsan - Darul Ehsan Arch is erected to symbolize the border on Federal Highway between the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysian state of Selangor. It is the biggest arch in Malaysia.
Commissioned by the late Sultan of Selangor, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah on 1 February 1974, it actually is the symbol of sacrifice of the Sultanate of Selangor who gave the land to the federal government to built the Federal Territory
Commissioned by the late Sultan of Selangor, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah on 1 February 1974, it actually is the symbol of sacrifice of the Sultanate of Selangor who gave the land to the federal government to built the Federal Territory
Tugu Keris - or the Kris Monument is a huge monument in the shape of a keris in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Keris is asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, but some have straight blades as well. Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. In Malaysia, keris is the symbol of the power of the Malay rulers.
This monument is located along the Federal Highway. Its construction was ordered by the late Sultan of Selangor, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of his reign on 22 September 1985.
His Highness went on the reign the state until 2001, for a total of 41 years.
Keris is asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, but some have straight blades as well. Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. In Malaysia, keris is the symbol of the power of the Malay rulers.
This monument is located along the Federal Highway. Its construction was ordered by the late Sultan of Selangor, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of his reign on 22 September 1985.
His Highness went on the reign the state until 2001, for a total of 41 years.
Sunway Pyramid - One of the mall in Malaysia that is easily recognised. The Egyptian-inspired Pyramid with a lion "standing guard" at the entrance. The rest of the building is embellished in the monumental style, complete with pseudo-hieroglyphics decorating facades, along with numerous Pharonic statues. Sunway Pyramid is also the only shopping malls in Malaysia to have an indoor ice skating.
My Home - This is my home in the residential town of Subang Jaya in the state of Selangor. Subang Jaya has the population of 1 million.
We had been staying here since 1988 until now
We had been staying here since 1988 until now
Putrajaya - the new Federal Territory of the Malaysian Government. The whole city was built from scratch. The vision to have a new Federal Government Administrative Centre to replace Kuala Lumpur as the administrative capital emerged in the late 1980s, during the tenure of Malaysia's 4th Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad.
Planned as the garden and intelligent city, 38% of the area is reserved for green areas by emphasizing the enhancement of natural landscape. A network of open spaces and wide boulevards were incorporated to the plan.
Putrajaya was named after the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra. The "jaya", part of the city's name means "victory" in Sanskrit.
It was Malaysia's biggest project and one of Southeast Asia's largest with estimated final cost of RM25billion!
The buildings captured here in this pic is (from left to right) Palace of the Sultan of Selangor (in black and white), the Putra Mosque (red dome) and the Prime Minister's Office (green dome).
Planned as the garden and intelligent city, 38% of the area is reserved for green areas by emphasizing the enhancement of natural landscape. A network of open spaces and wide boulevards were incorporated to the plan.
Putrajaya was named after the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra. The "jaya", part of the city's name means "victory" in Sanskrit.
It was Malaysia's biggest project and one of Southeast Asia's largest with estimated final cost of RM25billion!
The buildings captured here in this pic is (from left to right) Palace of the Sultan of Selangor (in black and white), the Putra Mosque (red dome) and the Prime Minister's Office (green dome).
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) - This is Malaysia's main international airport. As of 2007, KLIA was ranked as the 13th busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic, the 7th busiest international airport in Asia, and the 27th busiest airport by cargo traffic.
Malaysia's Former Prime Minister DrMahathir bin Mohamad was a prime driver behind this project.
Malaysia's Former Prime Minister DrMahathir bin Mohamad was a prime driver behind this project.
Sepang F1 Circuit - Sepang International Circuit (SIC) is a racing circuit in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, approximately 60 km south of the capital city Kuala Lumpur.
It is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, A1 Grand Prix as well as the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
It is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, A1 Grand Prix as well as the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Sultan Abdul Samad Building - is located in front of the Dataran Merdeka or the Independence Square in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Its name is taken from Sultan Abdul Samad, the reigning sultan of Selangor at the time when construction began from 1894-1897.
In front of the building is the Independence Square. It was here, the Union Jack flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957. The Merdeka Square symbolized British sovereignty as it was a cricket ground for the colonial administrators and fronted the Royal Selangor Club, Malaya's most exclusive whites-only club at that time.
On 1 January 1982, the clock tower became the venue for another historic event when the time between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore were standardized.
Every year, the clock tower will be looked at for the countdown of the Independence and New Year Celebration.
In front of the building is the Independence Square. It was here, the Union Jack flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957. The Merdeka Square symbolized British sovereignty as it was a cricket ground for the colonial administrators and fronted the Royal Selangor Club, Malaya's most exclusive whites-only club at that time.
On 1 January 1982, the clock tower became the venue for another historic event when the time between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore were standardized.
Every year, the clock tower will be looked at for the countdown of the Independence and New Year Celebration.
Masjid Negara - or the National Mosque of Malaysia is located in Kuala Lumpur. It has a capacity of 15,000 people and is situated among 13 acres of beautiful gardens. Originally built in 1965, it is a bold and modern approach in reinforced concrete, symbolic of the aspirations of a then newly-independent Malaysia.
Its key features are a 73-metre-high minaret and an 18-pointed star concrete main roof. The umbrella, synonymous with the tropics, is featured conspicuously - the main roof is reminiscent of an open umbrella, the minaret's cap a folded one. The folded plates of the concrete main roof is a creative solution to achieving the larger spans required in the main gathering hall. Reflecting pools and fountains is spread throughout the compound.
18 points symbolise the (then) 13 states of Malaysia and the Five Pillars of Islam. It is also the burial ground for two late Prime Minister's and two Deputy Prime Minister's and political leaders. The burial ground in the compound of the mosque is known as Makam Pahlawan or The Heroes' Mausoleum.
Its key features are a 73-metre-high minaret and an 18-pointed star concrete main roof. The umbrella, synonymous with the tropics, is featured conspicuously - the main roof is reminiscent of an open umbrella, the minaret's cap a folded one. The folded plates of the concrete main roof is a creative solution to achieving the larger spans required in the main gathering hall. Reflecting pools and fountains is spread throughout the compound.
18 points symbolise the (then) 13 states of Malaysia and the Five Pillars of Islam. It is also the burial ground for two late Prime Minister's and two Deputy Prime Minister's and political leaders. The burial ground in the compound of the mosque is known as Makam Pahlawan or The Heroes' Mausoleum.
Stadium Merdeka or Independence Stadium is a stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was initially erected for Malaysia's declaration of independence on 31st August 1957.
On that day, power was transferred from the British Empire to the newly independent Malayan government. Tens of thousands of people crowded into the stadium.
In February 2003, Stadium Merdeka was named a national heritage building.
On that day, power was transferred from the British Empire to the newly independent Malayan government. Tens of thousands of people crowded into the stadium.
In February 2003, Stadium Merdeka was named a national heritage building.
Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman - Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial was set up in honour of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Malaysia's first Prime Minister who was instrumental in bringing independence to Malaysia.
The Residency Exhibition area used to be Tunku's residence and office from 1956 to 1970 when he was the Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya and subsequently as Prime Minister of Malaysia. Tunku is also known as the Father of Independence.
The building behind me is the original Tunku's residence and even his old BMW is still parked at the porch!
The Residency Exhibition area used to be Tunku's residence and office from 1956 to 1970 when he was the Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya and subsequently as Prime Minister of Malaysia. Tunku is also known as the Father of Independence.
The building behind me is the original Tunku's residence and even his old BMW is still parked at the porch!
Menara Kuala Lumpur - The Kuala Lumpur Tower is a communication tower located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its construction was finished in 1994. It is used for communication purposes and features an antenna that reaches 421 m, which currently makes it the fifth tallest freestanding tower in the world. The upper area, contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners a beautiful view of the city.
When constructing the KL Tower, the builders took special care to construct a retaining wall around a 100-year-old jelutong tree (Dyera costulata). The tower was moved at a cost of RM430,000 to avoid harming the monumental tree, which is found near the pedestrian mall.
Talking about development vs environment...
When constructing the KL Tower, the builders took special care to construct a retaining wall around a 100-year-old jelutong tree (Dyera costulata). The tower was moved at a cost of RM430,000 to avoid harming the monumental tree, which is found near the pedestrian mall.
Talking about development vs environment...
M0enara Berkembar Petronas - The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were the world's tallest buildings before being surpassed by Taipei 101. However, the towers are still the tallest 'twin buildings' in the world.
The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion.
Another Islamic influence on the design is that the cross section of the towers is based on a Rub el Hizb (8 pointed star).
Tower 1 was built by Japanese contractors while Tower 2 was built by the South Korean contractors. The bridge was build by the South Koreans. It was a direct message by the government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the 'look east policy' that he promoted. Dr Mahathir had been influential in building this tower as he is also the Advisor for Petronas, the Malaysian-owned oil and gas company.
The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion.
Another Islamic influence on the design is that the cross section of the towers is based on a Rub el Hizb (8 pointed star).
Tower 1 was built by Japanese contractors while Tower 2 was built by the South Korean contractors. The bridge was build by the South Koreans. It was a direct message by the government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the 'look east policy' that he promoted. Dr Mahathir had been influential in building this tower as he is also the Advisor for Petronas, the Malaysian-owned oil and gas company.
Muzium Negara - National Museum is located on Jalan Damansara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is a palatial structure built in the style of Rumah Gadang, an aspect of Minangkabau architecture.
It was opened on 31 August 1963, as a symbol of Malaysia’s rich cultural and historical heritage. The displays range from free-standing tableaux showing traditional cultural events like weddings, festivals and beautiful costumes; to the rich variety of weapons, musical instruments, arts and crafts, precious ceramics, and flora & fauna.
Entrance fee is RM 2.
It was opened on 31 August 1963, as a symbol of Malaysia’s rich cultural and historical heritage. The displays range from free-standing tableaux showing traditional cultural events like weddings, festivals and beautiful costumes; to the rich variety of weapons, musical instruments, arts and crafts, precious ceramics, and flora & fauna.
Entrance fee is RM 2.
Istana Budaya - The Palace of Culture was founded in September 1999, is Malaysia's main venue for all types of theatre including musical theater, operetta, classical concert and opera from local and international performances.The Istana Budaya was officially opened by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed.
The Istana Budaya theater hall "Panggung Sari" with unique design of royal boxes inspired by the window of Malay traditional house, can accommodate up to 1,412 audiences at one time.
The building is the first theater in Asia that is equipped with state-of-the-art stage equipment. Istana Budaya is also rated among the ten most sophisticated theaters in the world, and on par with the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Upon completion, the former national theater, Panggung Negara was relocated to this building. It is also the residence of the National Theater Company and the National Symphony Orchestra.
The Istana Budaya theater hall "Panggung Sari" with unique design of royal boxes inspired by the window of Malay traditional house, can accommodate up to 1,412 audiences at one time.
The building is the first theater in Asia that is equipped with state-of-the-art stage equipment. Istana Budaya is also rated among the ten most sophisticated theaters in the world, and on par with the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Upon completion, the former national theater, Panggung Negara was relocated to this building. It is also the residence of the National Theater Company and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Bagan Lalang is a coastal beach in the Sepang district in the state of Selangor in Malaysia. A popular picnic and camping spot on weekends, housing and tourism developments around the area have been rapid in the past decade.
On the right is the newly being built Sepang Goldcoast. The villa's being built on the sea will be in the form of a palm tree and will be visible from the sky. It is a direct competition to The Palm Islands being built in Dubai.
Bagan Lalang beach is one my favourite. I had a lot of great memories with a lot of my close friends here. And did I mention the amazing cheap and delicious seafood being sold here?
On the right is the newly being built Sepang Goldcoast. The villa's being built on the sea will be in the form of a palm tree and will be visible from the sky. It is a direct competition to The Palm Islands being built in Dubai.
Bagan Lalang beach is one my favourite. I had a lot of great memories with a lot of my close friends here. And did I mention the amazing cheap and delicious seafood being sold here?
Fakulti Sains - The Faculty of Science, in UM is among the oldest and most accomplished faculties in the University. It was established in 1959. Currently the Faculty of Science is the biggest faculty in University of Malaya with nearly 3000 undergraduate students, 900 postgraduate students, 220 academic staffs and 250 support staffs.
I graduated from this faculty.
I graduated from this faculty.
Jump of Joy
I managed to finish up the whole planting tree thing in 2 months. It was a joyous moment for me and Ezariq who had helped me out a lot.
I wish him good luck in his life and may our friendship lasts forever.
Now, all i have to say is..
JUMP!!!
I managed to finish up the whole planting tree thing in 2 months. It was a joyous moment for me and Ezariq who had helped me out a lot.
I wish him good luck in his life and may our friendship lasts forever.
Now, all i have to say is..
JUMP!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
