Tag - Environment

KOTA KINABALU: The first Catamaran debris skimmer boat for the unique "NOW" (No More Plastics in Our Waters) project is now ready for trial runs. Co-Chairperson of the NOW Action Committee, Marinah Harris Embiricos, disclosed this at the Committee's sixth meeting chaired by Co-Chairman Datuk Yeo Boon Hai at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, recently. At 8am, prior to the meeting, she had launched it on the Rampayan River in Menggatal. It was later brought to the Jesselton Point for inspection by the Committee in the afternoon. Embiricos attributed the delay in the launching of the skimmer boat to technical hitches. It was supposed to have taken place in June this year. According to her, two adjustments were made to strengthen the boat structure. "Initially, the boat was light and we were concerned whether it would sustain the weight of the metal basket when it is filled with rubbish. The boat is more rigid now with a bigger engine, and we have also installed steel bars to support the basket. We need to adjust the steering too," she explained. Asked by Yeo, who is the Director-General of Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), whether she was comfortable with the boat, Embiricos said: "We have to try it out for two full days to ensure that technically, it works very well. "Actually, we have ordered two units of the skimmer boat costing RM40,000 each. We plan to acquire four more units once the project has commenced and received financial support from sponsors or well-wishers." These boats will be operating around Kota Kinabalu, Tanjung Aru and other major coastlines. She added that the coastal communities will be engaged in the plastic waste collection exercise towards alleviating poverty as profits from the sale of recycled polymers pellets will be shared with the communities. Yeo also confirmed that the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment has earmarked RM30,000 for the NOW project, which will be channelled to the Environmental Action Centre (EAC) for educational programmes in Sabah schools. He said DBKK on its part will provide a small tractor to assist NOW in collecting rubbish from the beach, for example. "It is not as simple as just picking up rubbish from the ground as garbage is sometimes embedded in the sand and a tractor is needed to remove the massive collection of refuse." He described the emergence of the NOW Action Committee as a new stimulus in enhancing public awareness. "We are excited because NOW brings a new dimension to the collective effort of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, and DBKK in that civil society is also concerned about keeping the city, islands and beaches clean. "And they are also prepared to fork out money for the purpose. That's a plus-point," Yeo noted. The "NOW" project was originally designed and developed by Gaya Recycle Sdn Bhd, a Sabah-registered private company that promotes environmental awareness of recycling plastic wastes. Embiricos is the Director of this company. Others present at the meeting were Christopher Jintoni (Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Environment), Lizawana Matin (DBKK), Ray Marvin Tann (Environmental Protection Department), Mayliza Good and Helen Erut (Environmental Action Centre), Dr Fred Weirowski (Blue Life ecoservices Bhd), Ak Mohd Rodzan Pg Dahlan (Sabah Parks) and Rita Ignatius (Gaya Recycle Sdn Bhd). Meanwhile, Dr Weirowski reported that his company has initiated a bottle building project on Pulau Mantanani (off Kota Belud), involving university students from Australia, in collaboration with the NOW Action Committee. Later, during the inspection, Yeo concurred with Embiricos that the winch must be made stronger to facilitate the task of lowering the steel component to scoop up rubbish from the sea and then lifting and drawing it backwards to empty the contents into the basket. A mother boat (sailing vessel or floating pontoon) will hold all the trash that has been collected by the skimmer boat. It will then be transported to a recycling plant that will be established in KK while non-recycling garbage will be sent from the UMS jetty (waste collection location) to Kayu Madang Landfill in Telipok (some 10km away). Also present were DBKK Director of Cleanliness and Environmental Health Department, Robert Lipon, Assistant Manager (Operations), Jesselton Point, Benie James, and Supervisor (Operations), Jesselton Point, Salim Kansung. Apart from Gaya Recycle Sdn Bhd (which is financing the cost of building the skimmer boat), Suria Bumiria Sdn Bhd of the Suria Group has made a contribution too. NOW is a major concerted effort to clean up Sabah's beaches and coastlines around tourism hotspot, beginning with Pulau Gaya, towards ending the practice of sea dumping. Its vision and mission are: O To create a multi-beneficial initiative to manage marine litter and end ocean dumping. O To ameliorate the impact of waste dumping on our coastlines. O To catalyse development of the 3R by presenting the recycling value chain for waste. O To encourage participation of communities to alleviate poverty. O To develop a public and private awareness campaign to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle marine plastic litter. This 3R Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Initiative to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle marine plastic litter, is a collaborative effort by Gaya Recycle Sdn Bhd, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Blue Life Ecoservices Bhd, Environmental Action Centre (EAC), Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Humana Child Aid Society and Daily Express. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun is the Chairman of the NOW Action Committee, assisted by three Co-Chairmen, including Permanent Secretary to the Ministry, Datuk Michael Emban. Source: Daily Express

RANAU: Sabah Parks will manage the conservation of the proposed Tun Mustapha Marine Park from next year, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun. He said the proposed marine park in the north of Sabah has an area of about one million hectares and covers the waters off Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas, as well as 50 islands. "The State Government is working closely with Sabah Parks in its conservation efforts, for mutual benefit," he said while launching Sabah Parks' golden jubilee celebrations, here, Monday night. He said gazetting of Tun Mustapha Park, aimed at preserving biodiversity, maintaining a balanced development and narrowing the poverty gap at the marine park, was approved by the State Government in 2003. Meanwhile, Masidi said since its establishment 50 years ago, Sabah Parks had achieved various world status recognition for its efforts. Its most recent accomplishment was the recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in June, of the Crocker Range Park as a Biosphere Reserve. "The nature parks play an important role in providing sustainable ecology resources such as water, clean air and traditional and modern medicine reserves. "We support Sabah Parks' drive to preserve our natural environment for the coming generation to appreciate," he said. Masidi said seven other parks, namely, Kinabalu Park, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Turtle Island Park, Pulau Tiga Park, Pulau Sipadan Park, Tawau Hills Park and Tun Sakaran Marine Park are under Sabah Parks' management. Meanwhile, Masidi assured that his Ministry would continue to support every effort planned by the Sabah Parks so that the organisation would continue to become a pride not only for Sabah but also for Malaysia as a whole. "I have no doubt that with the support from the Government, NGOs, private sectors and every level of the society, Sabah Parks will become the best model with world class management, preservation and conservation system for the natural tropical environment. "I take this opportunity to thank and congratulate each and every member, past and present, of the Sabah Parks, for their contributions in continuing the legacy of success, which brings so much pride to the people of Sabah," he said. Also present at the event were Niosh Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Resource Development and Information Technology Minister-cum-Paginatan Assemblyman Datuk Siringan Gubat, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sabah Parks, Dato Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin Tengku Mahamood, Sabah Parks Director Dr Jamili Nais, Sabah Cultural Board Chairman Datuk Seri Wences Angang, Kundasang Assemblyman Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam and District Officer Faimin Kamin. Source: Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Sabah's Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry through the Wildlife Department is working closely with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) as well as other security agencies to protect wildlife in the state especially in preventing smuggling of wildlife, the Sabah State Assembly was told, Wednesday. Its minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said as a result of the cooperation including with the Marine Operations Force (MOF) and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) since ESSCom was formed in April last year, five arrests were made by the MOF involving an attempt to smuggle out 23,000 turtle eggs. "In the latest incident in the waters off Pulai Si Amil, Semporna last August, a foreigner was caught by MMEA for being in possession of 72.4kg of turtle meat and turtle shells, he said when replying to a question from Edwin Bosi (PKR-Kapayan) during debate and the state's 2015 Budget. Masidi said that investigations into the latest case had been completed and that the suspect was expected to be charged soon. He told the state assembly that his ministry through the Wildlife Department had not discontinued investigations into the death of 14 elephants in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in January last year and that the reward of RM120,000 to bring the culprits to book still stood. On another matter, Masidi said the authorities viewed sternly foreigners operating as tour guides in the state and that a one such case involving a South Korean national had been referred to the Immigration Department for further action. Source: BERNAMA