Mengkuang Dam Expansion Project - 1st Aug 2011

Beginning 1 Aug 2011, the dam will be closed for the expansion of the dam for 5 years. It will be a white elephant when completed as there are not enough rivers (infact only streams) to feed the dam. A federal govt project that make no sense...except perhaps to enrich some cronies. Refer to this website that done a research on the dam years ago...under CM Dr Koh then. Today under the new CM Lim, its just the same cock story. Click here

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July 30, 2011
Residents don’t want park to be closed during work on Mengkuang Dam
Star

Residents living near the Mengkuang Dam in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, are appealing that the adjoining recreational park be closed in stages once the dam extension project starts.

Their representative Datuk Seri Teh Aik Lum said that the recreational park had long been a venue for exercise for those staying nearby.

“We understand that the dam extension project is necessary as it is important for the state’s water supply.

“However, we hope the recreational park can be closed in stages so nearby residents will be able to use sections of it as construction goes on,” Teh said during a press conference at Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s office in Komtar.

Lim, who chaired the press conference, said the dam would be handed over to the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water on August 1 for the commencement of the RM1.2bil project.

“Through Penang Water Supply Corporation Sdn Bhd (PBAPP), the state has forwarded the residents’ appeal to the relevant ministry in a letter dated July 27.

“We want to say that we support this request but this is a Federal Government project and they are completely in control of it,” Lim said, adding that residents had collected 30,000 signatures in a petition to close the park in stages.

He added that the issue would also be brought up during a project meeting with the ministry and other relevant parties today.

PBAPP general manager Jaseni Maidinsa, who was also present, said the residents’ proposal involved building by-laws that the project constructor would need to take into account.

“The park is located directly in the construction area and it is mandatory for the construction site to be fenced up to protect both the public and the equipment at the site,” he said.

He added that the expansion project, which would take five years to complete, would increase the dam capacity by almost four times, bringing the maximum storage volume to 78mil cubic metres.

“This will safeguard the state’s water supply until 2020,” he said.

Animal testing lab in Penang shrouded in secrecy

By SM Mohd Idris

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) part of the coalition group comprising the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) and the Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) KL recalls an animal testing laboratory in Bukit Mertajam which has been in operation for sometime.

When and how did this research laboratory come into existence in our midst is clearly mind-boggling. The coalition group only became aware of its operations when it was mentioned in a media article last year, following public outcry over a proposed animal testing center coming up in Alor Gajah, Malacca.

However till today not much is known about this laboratory in Penang, and the kind of animal research carried out within the four walls of their fenced premises.

It is important to know why the laboratory is allowed to operate despite the non-existent laws concerning the use of animals in laboratories. Both the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and the Animal Act 2006 are inadequate to address and regulate the treatment and use of animals in labs.

The group would definitely like to know the species of animals being used in the toxicology tests, and the countries they are imported from. In the case of primates there has to be greater awareness to their capture from the wild and the adverse impact of supply and demand on primate population. The use of primates who are so genetically similar to humans should not be permitted and the use of these animals should be phased out entirely.

SAM and the coalition groups are opposed to the use of animals in research and believe all procedures that entail animal use should be scrutinised carefully and authorisation for such use should take into grave consideration the harm it will do to the animals and the likely benefit to human health. It would be interesting to note who are the monitoring bodies in overseeing the tests conducted and the frequency of inspection visits to the research laboratory.

Animal research is highly controversial, for both ethical and scientific reasons. The value of it is being increasingly questioned.

This endless and absolutely senseless repetition of animal experiments over a period of years, leads neither to the reduction nor the replacement, but rather to the perpetuation of animal experiments which only bring immense and needless suffering to the unfortunate animals.

The key question asked is not whether something can be done, but should it be done. Why are animals used? How much can they suffer?

SAM and its coalition once again call for an end to animal experimentation due to the extent to which use of animals for research causes pain and suffering, and the capacity of animals to experience and comprehend them.

The writer is president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia

Illegal Gaharu Activities at Bukit Mertajam

Gaharu = Agarwood = Eaglewood = Karas = Aquilaria spp

Whatever name given, its resin is very valuable. People have kill to get this resin. Citizens from our northern neighbour have entered illegally into the jungles of Northern Peninsular Malaysia to harvest gaharu. On some of our exploring trips, we saw traces of chopped gaharu trees at Belum-Temengor Rainforest Complex and Muda Forest Reserves. Sadly, not much was seen being done by our law enforcement authorities to curb them. Maybe they were too near the border?

But not this gaharu in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

There were several gaharu trees seen in the area in mainland Penang. The exact position of the cut tree can be found at this GPS point (N5 22.369 E100 29.463).

The dead tree has just been cut less than a month. And maybe another 6 months, it will be ready for harvest. Somebody will be richer and our natural heritage will be poorer...perhaps this should be revenue for Penang State rather than illegal robbers.

Would any authority care about this illegal harvesting anymore? I doubt.

A huge gaharu tree, could be 50 ft in height could valued several thousands.

Size of the tree. Picture taken on 21 Jan 2009.

Black fungi seen on the dead wood. The darker the wood (caused by the fungi), the more value it will be.