Children of the Coral Triangle - Photo credit: Yee I-Lann

A lonely boat at the Coral Triangle - Photo Credit: Yee I-Lann

Map of the Coral Triangle

CLIMATE CHANGE: A REALITY FOR SABAH BY 2050?

* FROM A PRESS RELEASE SENT BY GREEN SURF, A COALITION OF 5 NGOs.

KOTA KINABALU, 11^th April 2010: Rising sea levels and death of corals from warmer waters will cause food sources for coastal communities in the Coral Triangle region, of which Sabah’s east and north coasts are part of, to go down by half in 40 years.

A rapidly changing climate is also projected to cause Sabah, the Philippines and parts of Indonesia to be hit hard by increasingly intense rainfall that alternates with long and severe drought, following change in precipitation and soaring temperatures by 2050.

A summary report that investigated conclusions of over 300 scientific studies and consulted more than 20 experts, said in this “worst case scenario,” millions in the region will be forced to move when they lose homes, food and income.

It also states that dramatic changes are needed on energy use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The report titled “The Coral Triangle and Climate Change: Ecosystems, People and Societies at Risk,” brings together information on the climate, biology, economics, and social dynamics in the region and builds a picture of two possible future scenarios.

In the “worst case scenario,” the world only takes moderate steps to deal with climate change, continues to globalise and is driven purely by economic urgencies.

Strong action on climate change, robust regional and international commitments on environmental concerns and human welfare are integrated with economic goals in the second situation, described as “best case scenario.”

Interestingly, even in the “best case scenario,” availability of protein from fisheries will be reduced by 50 per cent in 2050 compared to present levels, the 34-page report prepared by WWF Australia and the University of Queensland said.

While warming and acidifying seas lead to a steady deterioration of coastal ecosystems in both scenarios, if governments and communities opt for effective management of resources, this will delay their decline, followed by recovery and expansion of ecosystems in the early part of the next century.

Projections from the report are reflective of other findings for Sabah, including a revelation on Wednesday that the mean annual temperature in Kota Kinabalu has gone up by 0.9 degree Celsius since the 1960s, while the biodiversity rich Danum Valley has seen a hike of 0.4 degree Celsius in three decades.

Swansea University’s Professor Dr Rory Walsh who spoke at the Yayasan Sabah organised Borneo International Conference, said annual rainfall in Danum Valley has risen by 19 per cent in the last 11 years, with sharp increases in frequency of large rainstorms in most stations in the state.

“These recent changes appear to conform to some extent with global warming predictions. Although increased rainfall should mean an increase in water resources, it is accompanied by increased year-to-year variability and rise in frequency of dry periods, which may mean increased frequency of water shortages,” Walsh said.

At another seminar this week, it was revealed that montane moth species of Mount Kinabalu, a World Heritage Site, are under threat of extinction due to global warming.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Emeritus Professor in Botany and Biodiversity, Datuk Dr Latiff Mohamad, said studies show that moth species are moving up the mountain because of changes in climate and temperature.

The Coral Triangle that covers parts of or whole of six nations – Malaysia (Sabah), eastern part of Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands – is the richest place on earth in terms of biodiversity.

Though it covers only one per cent of the earth’s surface, it is home to over 30 per cent of the world’s coral reefs and slightly more than a third of the world’s coral reef fish species.

Over 150 million live in the region, including 100 million who stay along coasts, depending on healthy ecosystems that provide food, building materials and support industries like fishing and tourism.

“The rich and unique environmental assets of the Coral Triangle underpin the future economic benefits for the region. Not to take care of these resources could mean losing them.

“In many ways, the choice that leaders of the Coral Triangle countries face is about sustainable economic growth.

“Effective action on climate change and the many stresses that threaten crucial ecosystems will safeguard economies and protect the livelihoods of a vast number of people. That choice should be easy to make,” the report said.

Last May, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who attended the Coral Triangle Initiative Summit in Indonesia, joined leaders from the region to sign a statement that focused on protecting coral reefs and food security.

Najib also announced the Prime Scientific Sailing Expedition at territorial waters within the Sulu and Sulawesi seas off Sabah to find out potential of what the region has to offer to communities and eco-tourism.

In October last year, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said the 52-day expedition found many untapped resources and new marine species that could create spin-offs.

“We need to reduce haphazard coastal and marine planning practices and instead employ adaptive measures to reduce impacts of multi-hazards caused by climate change and rising sea levels," Ongkili was quoted as saying.

-end

Love, Betrayal and Forgiveness

Can someone tell me what love really is?

And can someone tell me if it is okay to lie in a relationship?

Yet, I forgave.

My New Life

Some of you may know this, some may not. I left my full time job, the one I had for almost 13 years. There was some ding-dong in between, and now I am officially on six months unpaid leave from the company, during which I was told, I can stay, or leave. Its been a couple of weeks, and I can report that although I am not sure where my next cheque is coming from, I am super happy.

I feel so liberated. I am reclaiming my life. I meet friends. I go for walks at the Likas lake. I do what I want, when I want to. I dont have to report on politicians lying through their teeth anymore. Got so tired of that. I was so afraid that one day I may end up throwing a pen at one of them (my shoe would be an option, but that wouldn't be original).

This photo of my not-so-pretty-feet at blue green waters in Pulau Mabul, Semporna, say it all.

Remembering Hidayah

Last Christmas, I met an amazing 17-year-old. Nur Hidayah Aziz was suffering from cancer, and had one wish -- to visit Sabah. So she came with help from the Children's Wish Society of Malaysia. It hit me so hard, when she passed away a month later. I wrote this story as a tribute to her. It was published in the New Sunday Times on 7th Feb 2010:

WE wish all the time.

We wish we will win the best lucky draw prize at a party, drive a car we cannot afford, that the weather will stay pleasant when we go out, and that the noisy neighbour will disappear.

Often, it doesn't really matter if our long list of daily wishes come true, because we will just make a new one the next day.

But for children who are terminally ill, and unsure if they will live to see their next birthday, a simple wish can mean the world.

This is why the Children's Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS) is working tirelessly with doctors to find out who needs a birthday cake, a game console, or even a bicycle.

Last month, CWS managed to rope in AirAsia, Promenade Hotel and the Sabah Tourism Board to fly a 17-year-old from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu over the Christmas weekend.

Nur Hidayah Aziz's dream was to visit Sabah, the state she was born in but didn't get to experience because her father was transferred back to the peninsula when she was still a baby.

She got up close with a baby orang utan, snorkelled at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, joined a traditional dance at a seafood restaurant and went home happy.

She wrote about her trip on mynameisdayah.blogspot.com, and accepted some requests on Facebook from new friends in Sabah a few days after reaching home.

Those who were touched by Nur Hidayah's wide smile and bright eyes never thought she would go so quickly. Exactly a month after her Sabah trip, Nur Hidayah succumbed to bone cancer on the night of Jan 26.

Text messages were sent to almost everyone who had met her in the Land Below the Wind.

Tears flowed when CWS vice-president Teoh Teik Hoong posted on Facebook a close-up shot of a smiling Nur Hidayah with an orang utan mug pressed to her cheek.

All I could think of was the hug I gave Nur Hidayah as we said our goodbyes at the Promenade Hotel in Kota Kinabalu.

I told the already frail teenager I would see her again on her next trip, and to take care of herself.

And I remember how determined she was about a trek through a jungle path to see orang utan at Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort.

A walk that usually takes 10 minutes, stretched to almost 30 minutes, but Nur Hidayah never gave up.

Nur Hidayah Aziz getting up close with a baby orang utan at Shangri-La`s Rasa Ria Resort in Tuaran.

After a few steps, she stopped to catch her breath, but encouraged by her mother Misriyah Sulaiman, Teoh and CWS board members Lim Ai Mee and Alan Yip, she pushed on.

When she reached the viewing platform, she sat for about 10 minutes and once she had regained her strength, Nur Hidayah took photos with her pink camera.

"I really enjoyed seeing orang utan in the forest as I've only seen them in books and television," she told me, a few minutes after we returned to the reception area on that steaming hot Sunday afternoon.

Nur Hidayah, who had to drop out in Form Four when she became too weak, was happy that her wish of visiting Sabah had been fulfilled, and it showed through her smile.

Those who helped make Nur Hidayah's dream come true have wiped away their tears.

Inspired by her and others who have passed on, they are now striving even harder so that more children will have a reason to smile despite their pain.

As we keep our fingers crossed today for something that we think will make us happy, let's spare a thought for children who don't have much time left to see their wishes come true.

Doing What's Right

After much thought, I finally sent in my resignation letter. It was short - I thanked the New Straits Times for the opportunities it has given to me in the more than 12 years I have been with the company. And that was about it. I dont even have a copy. I printed it and sent it off to Kuala Lumpur, with a copy to my boss in KK.

People are asking me why... why this and why that? I dont have answers. I just know that I want to do something new. I am 36, and ready to explore a new chapter. I am not too young, not too old. I only have one life, and I want to live it. I've given the best years of my life to my work. I have done my best at work, and I can hold my head up high as I leave through that door, one last time, next month.

Keeping The Faith

The New Year and second decade sure started with a bang for Malaysia. Some are saying there is legislation in some states that non-Muslims cannot use "the word" so I will not use "the you-know-which-word-i-am-talking about" word here.

After almost three weeks of debate in the mainstream media and social networks, I have come to some conclusions:

1. The matter has been politicised.

2. I am not surprised I am thinking of migrating.

3. The Government needs to make its stand clear, and stop flip-flopping on things it is saying. There is no use for 1Malaysia if we can't sort this out.

4. I now have to erase a whole list of words from my vocabulary, because according to Malacca, Selangor and Pahang, these words too can't be used. But then again, I am in Sabah, so maybe I cant continue to use them.

5. I would rather see my leaders working hard to figure out how to really get rid of poverty, improve power supply without a coal plant (since we have the intelligence, i hope), reduce corruption levels, churn out more doctors cause we just dont have enough at government hospitals, and focus on coming up with an education system that recognises some children are good in some fields, and others excel in other areas.

Yes, Coal Fires Me Up

Those who know me will tell you that there is one issue that really riles me up - and that is the federal government's plan to build a coal-fired power plant in eastern Sabah, not too far from where the first rays of the sun hit Borneo island every morning. I wrote this commentary, published in the New Straits Times on 28th December, 2009.

All Fired Up Over Coal Power Plant

IT is never easy to draw the line between development needs and conservation of natural resources that are becoming more scarce by the minute. And nowhere else in Malaysia is this more clear than in Sabah, a Bornean state known not only for its gas, petroleum and timber but also for some of the last remaining pristine rainforests, endemic wildlife and an amazing array of fish and corals.

As Sabah moves forward to improve critical infrastructure like airports, roads and schools, and strives to reduce poverty by bridging regional divide, its leaders also face a dilemma when it comes to striking a balance between development and the ever increasing global urgency to protect the environment.

For the last three months, a proposal to build a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant at Felda Sahabat in Lahad Datu has arguably become the most widely debated issue in Sabah-based dailies, social networks like Facebook and in blogs.

At a recent media retreat, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) was firm in its argument that a coal-fired plant is the only viable solution for the east coast region that is suffering from constant power outages, although the East-West power grid was commissioned not too long ago "to solve power woes on the east coast".

At the same event, the utility company made its case by saying hydro, solar and biomass-sourced power would not be able to produce the same volume without excessive costs in the short term.

The plant, estimated to cost RM1.7 billion, a hike of a staggering RM400 million compared with the figure given two years ago when the proposal was first made, will import 1.22 million tonnes of coal a year from Kalimantan in Indonesia.

The coal will be transported in 10,000-tonne barges through the Sulawesi and Sulu seas, that form part of a marine eco-region that a recent Malaysian government-funded expedition discovered to have "many untapped resources and new marine species that could help create spin-offs".

The announcement in September by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak caught many by surprise as the Sabah government had on April 2 last year told SESB and Tenaga Nasional Berhad to look for alternative sources of energy.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman was at that time quoted as saying that after weighing the pros and cons, the government had decided to do away with the proposal and not to risk the health and welfare of the communities in the Lahad Datu area.

While a handful of Sabah leaders changed their tune in support of the plant, they might have an uphill task answering how power generated from coal is in line with Malaysia's commitments to the world.

The latest is the pledge at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to cut Malaysia's carbon emissions by 40 per cent compared with 2005 levels, which was applauded by foreign diplomats.

Malaysia, through waters off Sabah's east coast which will be affected by the plant, is part of the Coral Triangle Initiative that is home to 76 per cent of all known coral species and 37 per cent of coral reef fish species, turning it into an important zone for food security.

Locally, Sabah is gaining its footing as a focal point for sustainably-managed forests, carbon offset projects, wildlife and habitat conservation to which some international donors pledge millions every year.

Renowned "Blue Ocean" strategy guru Professor W. Chan Kim, who two months ago spoke before state leaders in Kota Kinabalu, suggested that Sabah take advantage of its large tracts of rainforest and vast natural resources by promoting itself as the "garden for the world".

"Rather than exploit the natural resources God has given us, we need to conserve them and attract the world to us and make more income, raise the people's standard of living and eradicate poverty," Kim had told his audience.

Sabah, which has 1.4 million ha of its land planted with oil palm, also stands to gain from power generated from biomass, fitting into the National Green Technology Policy that clearly states the need to tap into renewable resources.

The government also needs to speed up construction of a 300MW gas-powered plant in Kimanis, as more questions are raised on the government's decision to build a 500km gas pipeline to Petronas' liquefied natural gas plant in Bintulu, Sarawak, eventually feeding it a resource that comes from waters off Sabah.

Green Surf, a coalition of five non-governmental organisations, including World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia, says a coal-fired plant should be "put to rest" as it goes against government commitments.

The coalition also claims that independent power producers in Sabah are running below efficiency, leading to power cuts and that SESB must first solve this issue before even looking at any other options.

"The environment was not a major concern in the past and climate change was not even an issue. Now we know better. So, let's do the right thing for Sabah's future," WWF Malaysia Borneo programme chief technical officer Dr Rahimatsah Amat says.

If Green Surf's signature campaign and citizens writing to the prime minister's 1Malaysia blog expressing their deep concern over the coal-fired plant can be taken as indicators of protest, it is now in the hands of policymakers to walk the talk and do the right thing for Sabah.