PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
Singapore, Indonesia to set up joint task force to tackle firms linked to forest fires
- Admin UKK
- Berita
SINGAPORE, Oct 28 — South-east Asia neighbours Singapore and Indonesia are looking into establishing a joint task force to hold companies accountable for forest fires which have caused transboundary haze.
The two countries will also set up a hotline to handle any differences in bilateral issues, according to Indonesia Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir.
These initiatives were announced at a joint press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday (October 27) following a meeting between Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and his Indonesian counterpart.
“Smoke can cross borders, so can money. That is why we must follow the money trail these companies have left behind,” Arrmanatha said, adding that Singapore has offered to share data on companies linked to the fires.
The Indonesian foreign minister said that the joint task will link information sharing, financial intelligence, and cross-border evidence gathering, including asset recovery where possible.
“No border should shield those who profit from burning our forests,” Arrmanatha stated.
Agreeing with his counterpart, Dr Balakrishnan reiterated that Singapore will use every legal and regulatory measure available to stop future violations by companies.
“We are in effect putting all the companies on notice that the joint task force will ensure that there is a very close coordination of actions and sharing of information between Indonesia and Singapore,” Dr Balakrishnan said, adding that he expects the deterrence impact of the joint task force to make a difference.
“We agreed to strengthen our channel of communication through a ministerial and senior officials’ level hotline,” he said.
Actions taken by Singapore
Last week, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) issued notices to 10 Singapore-registered companies in the palm oil and forestry sectors as part of its probe into transboundary haze pollution linked to Indonesia.
The notices were issued under Section 10 of Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA).
The notices sought details of their corporate links in Singapore and Indonesia, the locations of their land concessions in Indonesia, and fire prevention and firefighting measures undertaken by the companies or their associated businesses during the current dry season.
On October 16 and October 19, NEA issued a total of 10 Preventive Measure Notices (PMNs) under Section 9 of the THPA to Indonesian companies over fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Under the PMNs, the companies must deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish fires or prevent them from spreading, and stop or refrain from burning activities on land they own or occupy.
They must also submit action plans to NEA to extinguish fires and prevent their spread or recurrence.
On Tuesday, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Singapore is studying ways to tighten its existing anti-haze legislation and will introduce new laws where necessary.
“The objective is to address enforcement gaps, strengthen corporate accountability, and enhance our ability to investigate and take decisive action against those responsible for transboundary haze,” she said, adding that the Government is also prepared to use a wider range of legal, regulatory and economic measures.
The minister stressed that companies must be responsible for the environmental impact of their operations and supply chains.
Piped natural gas cuts
Meanwhile, Indonesia has cut natural gas exports to Singapore, with the reduction amounting to less than two per cent of the city state’s total daily gas demand.
The reduction, announced by Indonesian authorities on October 24, comes days after Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said on October 21 that Indonesia would consider reviewing energy export agreements to prioritise domestic demand.
A day later, Bahlil doubled-down on his comments during the inauguration of a gas facility, saying he is similarly prepared to evaluate energy exports with countries deemed “uncooperative and disrespectful”. — AsiaOne
Georgetown: Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) Pulau Pinang sudah mengenal pasti sebanyak 31 lokasi berisiko berlaku tanah runtuh di negeri ini.
Pengarah JBPM Pulau Pinang Mohamad Shoki Hamzah berkata, kebanyakan lokasi tanah runtuh itu dalam daerah Timur Laut dan Barat Daya.
"Antaranya di Paya Terubong, Tanjung Bungah dan Batu Ferringhi yang mana ia adalah pengalaman kita sebelum ini menangani kes di kawasan berkenaan.
"Kita juga turut kenal pasti sebanyak 51 hotspot banjir di lima daerah negeri ini.
"Sebanyak 18 daripadanya ialah di daerah Seberang Perai Tengah, daerah Barat Daya (13), Timur Laut (10) dan masing-masing enam di Seberang Perai Utara dan Seberang Perai Selatan," katanya.
Mohamad Shoki ditemui ketika lawatan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Chow Kon Yeow bersama agensi dan jabatan berkaitan ke Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong hari ini bagi meninjau situasi semasa selepas kejadian tanah runtuh yang mengorbankan seorang lelaki warga emas.
Susulan itu, Mohamad Shoki berkata, cuti sebanyak 20 peratus pegawai dan anggota JBPM Pulau Pinang dibekukan sepanjang Monsun Timur Laut (MTL).
Prosedur itu adalah langkah biasa bagi jabatan berkenaan setiap kali menghadapi monsun itu.
"Kita nasihat masyarakat yang tinggal berhampiran lokasi berisiko tanah runtuh dan banjir perlu peka dengan keadaan sekeliling.
"Sekiranya terdapat tanda awal akan berlaku bencana, mereka diminta lapor kepada pihak berwajib untuk tindakan segera supaya tidak berlaku kes yang serius sehingga mengancam nyawa," katanya.
BINTULU (Oct 27): Tanjong Batu incumbent Johnny Pang Leong Ming is well aware that his victory in 2021 was thanks to a very slim 23-vote majority.
He said the narrow win has been constantly in his mind during his time as the area’s elected representative.
Pang, who is from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) polled 4,092 votes against the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) Chiew Chan Yew, who managed 4,069 votes, ending DAP’s 20-year hold on the seat.
“Twenty-three votes. A number I will never forget for the rest of my life,” he said when reflecting on his five years in office.
“Behind every single vote was a precious trust that I could never afford to betray.”
Recalling the closely fought election, Pang said his team began visiting communities three years earlier to introduce themselves, listen to residents, and understand their aspirations.
He said the slim majority reinforced his determination to fulfil his responsibilities and serve the people to the best of his abilities.
Over the past five years, Pang said his team has worked on issues involving roads, drainage, flood mitigation, water supply, schools, healthcare, community facilities, and places of worship.
Based on a preliminary compilation, Pang said his team has helped coordinate and secure over RM100 million in development and community-related allocations for the constituency.
He said the team was active during Covid-19 relief efforts, distributing food and essential supplies to families and assisting healthcare workers during the vaccination programme.
The 2025 Bintulu floods were another defining experience, he said, as the team helped affected residents with flood relief and post-flood clean-up operations.
Pang thanked his team, government departments, community leaders, and residents for their support, while acknowledging that some projects remained ongoing and required further work.
“The people who truly deserve to evaluate my performance are the voters of Tanjong Batu,” he said.
“Five years together. Forever grateful for every one of you.”
Pang added his hopes for Tanjong Batu to continue to develop with better public facilities, more opportunities for young people, and an improved environment for children and senior citizens.
El Nino kuat kurangkan hujan lebat
- Admin UKK
- Berita
KUALA LUMPUR: Fenomena El Nino kuat berpotensi menyebabkan Monsun Timur Laut (MTL) 2026/2027 membawa hujan lebih sedikit, sekali gus mengurangkan kejadian hujan lebat melampau.
Pakar Klimatologi, Prof Emeritus Dr Fredolin Tangang, berkata perkara itu berdasarkan dapatan beberapa kajian terdahulu yang menunjukkan kecenderungan berkenaan ketika episod El Nino kuat berlaku.
Katanya, El Nino mempengaruhi suhu permukaan laut di rantau ini, sekali gus mengubah corak penumpuan kelembapan menentukan taburan hujan.
Bagaimanapun, katanya, kesan fenomena itu terhadap MTL kali ini mungkin berbeza kerana setiap episod El Nino mempunyai ciri tersendiri, selain dipengaruhi perubahan iklim yang menyumbang kepada peningkatan suhu dan kelembapan.
"Corak MTL ketika El Nino kuat didapati cenderung melemah berdasarkan beberapa indikator, termasuk jumlah taburan hujan dan kejadian hujan ekstrem.
"Bagaimanapun, dapatan itu berdasarkan corak purata episod El Nino terdahulu dan keadaan ketika ini mungkin sedikit berbeza," katanya kepada BH.
Sebelum ini, BH melaporkan MTL dijangka bermula esok dan akan berterusan sehingga Mac tahun depan.
Potensi jerebu rendah
Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (METMalaysia), Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, dilapor berkata, ketika monsun berkenaan, lazimnya angin bertiup secara konsisten dari arah timur laut.
Mengulas potensi berlaku jerebu rentas sempadan semasa MTL, Fredolin berkata, jerebu dijangka rendah kali ini berikutan tiupan angin konsisten dari arah timur laut ke selatan.
Katanya, kawasan Sumatera dan Kalimantan dijangka menerima taburan hujan tinggi yang secara semula jadi akan memadam kebakaran yang berlaku di kawasan terbabit.
Berhubung persediaan menghadapi hujan lebat sepanjang MTL, Fredolin berkata, METMalaysia berupaya menyediakan ramalan cuaca bagi tempoh lima hingga tujuh hari ke depan.
Katanya, ramalan itu penting bagi membolehkan persediaan awal dilaksanakan, khususnya di kawasan berisiko mengalami hujan lebat dan banjir.
GERAKAN desak kerajaan negeri henti semua projek lereng bukit, gesa polis siasat kelulusan projek dikaitkan dengan tragedi
- Admin UKK
- Berita
GEORGETOWN: GERAKAN Pulau Pinang mendesak semua projek pembangunan lereng bukit di negeri ini dihentikan sementara, selain menggesa polis menyiasat proses kelulusan projek yang dikaitkan dengan kejadian tanah runtuh yang mengorbankan seorang doktor, kelmarin.
Pengerusi GERAKAN Pulau Pinang, Oh Tong Keong, berkata pihak berkuasa perlu mengenal pasti sama ada wujud kecuaian atau salah laku dalam proses kelulusan dan pemantauan projek berkenaan, lebih-lebih lagi apabila penduduk didakwa sudah membantah pembangunan itu sebelum kelulusan diberikan.
Beliau turut menggesa kerajaan negeri menubuhkan jawatankuasa bagi meneliti semua projek pembangunan lereng bukit di Pulau Pinang, khususnya dari segi pematuhan terhadap syarat keselamatan dan prosedur operasi standard (SOP).
"Kita meminta kerajaan negeri menghentikan semua projek terlebih dahulu, kemudian menubuhkan jawatankuasa untuk meninjau dan memeriksa sama ada pemaju mematuhi SOP pembangunan tanah di Pulau Pinang," katanya ketika ditemui hari ini.
Tong Keong turut menggesa polis, kerajaan negeri dan Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang (MBPP) menyiasat keadaan yang membawa kepada kelulusan projek berkenaan serta mendedahkan hasil siasatan kepada orang ramai.
Beliau mempersoalkan mengapa kes berkenaan disiasat sebagai laporan mati mengejut (SDR), sambil menegaskan siasatan juga perlu meneliti proses kelulusan pembangunan dan sama ada langkah keselamatan sewajarnya dipatuhi.
Semalam, polis memaklumkan kes kematian Dr Wong Kar Lin, 73, yang maut dalam kejadian tanah runtuh itu masih disiasat sebagai SDR.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan walaupun hasil bedah siasat mendapati mangsa meninggal dunia akibat kecederaan tumpul dan kesukaran bernafas.
Ketika dihubungi, Ketua Polis Pulau Pinang, Datuk Dennis Lim, mengulangi bahawa polis hanya membuka siasatan berhubung laporan mati mengejut.
"Bagaimana kita boleh menjamin keselamatan rakyat di Pulau Pinang jika projek seperti ini masih diteruskan?" soal Tong Keong.
Beliau mendakwa penduduk sudah membantah projek berkenaan sejak Oktober 2017 kerana bimbang terhadap pembangunan lereng bukit serta aliran air yang menuruni cerun ketika hujan lebat.
Bagaimanapun, katanya, projek itu tetap diluluskan walaupun bantahan dikemukakan, selain proses rayuan turut dilakukan.
Tong Keong berkata, penduduk terus menyuarakan kebimbangan mereka, namun berasa tidak berdaya selepas pihak berkuasa memberikan kelulusan kepada pembangunan berkenaan.
Sehubungan itu, beliau berkata kerajaan negeri perlu bertanggungjawab menyemak semula projek lereng bukit yang sedang berjalan dan sudah diluluskan, termasuk memastikan pemaju mematuhi langkah keselamatan yang ditetapkan.
Beliau turut mempersoalkan tujuan pihak berkuasa mengeluarkan peringatan pemantauan kepada pemaju projek berkenaan serta sama ada pemeriksaan terkini sudah menghasilkan sebarang penemuan.
Katanya, laporan yang telus perlu disediakan bagi mengenal pasti jumlah projek lereng bukit yang beroperasi di Pulau Pinang dan menentukan sama ada pembangunan berkenaan menimbulkan risiko kepada penduduk berhampiran.
Beliau menegaskan, pendirian itu bukan bertujuan menolak semua pembangunan, sebaliknya memastikan keselamatan awam dan akauntabiliti diberi keutamaan, khususnya di kawasan padat penduduk yang mempunyai kediaman berhampiran cerun curam.
Sementara itu, New Straits Times masih menunggu maklum balas Datuk Bandar MBPP, Datuk A Rajendran.