PENCINTA ALAM - Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)

PENCINTA ALAMNEWSLETTER OF THE MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETYSeptember 2010www.mns.myMNS awards 4 projects under the MNS Merdeka Award FundBackgroundIn August 2008, MNS was awardedthe Merdeka Award for its outstandingcontribution to the Belum-TemengorForest Complex Conservation Initiative.MNS received prize money ofRM500,000 in December 2008.MNS decided to disburse RM250K(50% of the funds received) andlaunched the MNS Merdeka AwardFund in April 2010.MNS members were asked to submitproposals following the focal areasoutlined below:1. Current ongoing Belum-TemengorConservation Initiative project—RM125K2. Strengthen Institutional Capacity ofthe Society—RM125KMNS received a total of 15 proposals.The MNS Merdeka Award FundPresentation Ceremony will be heldon Saturday, 25 September 2010.by Maye YapMNS is pleased to announce four (4) projects have been selected under the ”Strengthen the InstitutionalCapacity” focal area:1. Monitoring raptor migration over Taiping, Perak in autumn 2010 by Leow Kon Fah and Lim Kim Chye;2. Waterbirds and wetland habitats survey of the Sarawak coast by the Bird Conservation Council WaterbirdsGroup consisting of Dave Bakewell, John Howes, Ang Wen Shen, Anthony Wong, Nazeri Abghani and KarimMadoya;3. Congregating Firefly Zone Survey for Northern Sarawak by Musa Musbah and Nazeri Abghani;4. Involving the local community in the conservation of the critically-endangered Southern River Terrapin(Batagur affinis) in the Setiu River, Terengganu by Dr Chan Eng Heng.MNS will disburse RM100K to the project proponents mentioned above.These projects are in line with the MNS Strategic Plan under the following goals:Goal 5.1.2 Build and maintain a knowledge base of key habitats and species, and disseminate this information, inthe appropriate format, to relevant policy and decision makers, and other stakeholders.Goal 5.2.4 Empower and mobilize the public through awareness raising and capacity building actions, and publiccampaigns to enable them to participate actively in the decision making process for the managementand conservation of nature and the environment.Goal 5.4.2 Promote and foster links between members and the Secretariat through involvement of members inconservation projects nationwide.Over the next few months, I will be conducting interviews with the project proponents to provide better insights intothe projects listed above.1

MNS International Conference on Challenges & Solutionsfor Tropical Biodiversity8 and 9 October 2010, Kuala Lumpur Chronology of Some SymposiumsOrganized by MNS1972 – Symposium on Biological Resourcesand National Development1990 – International Conference onConservation of Tropical Biodiversity1990 – Symposium on the State of NatureConservation in Malaysia1998 – Stone Memorial Symposium –Species, Landscapes and Islands“Perspectives in Tropical Botany”2010 – Second International FireflySymposiumA selected list of special publicationsrelating to the above events1961 – MNJ “Nature Conservation in WesternMalaysia”1972 – Proceedings of the Symposium onBiological Resources and NationalDevelopment (edited by Prof Dr E.Soepadmo and K.G. Singh)1990 – Proceedings of the InternationalConference on Conservation ofTropical Biodiversity (edited by Dr YapSon Kheong and Lee Su Win)1991 – The State of Nature Conservation inMalaysia (edited by Dr Ruth Kiew)2001 – MNJ Species, Landscapes andIslands (edited by Dr Wong KunMeng, Dr Lee Su See and GailSaari)2

MNS Rules & Regulations – MembershipMaye YapMNS as the oldest and largest non-governmental membership-based nature conservation organisation, with approximately 4,000 members presentsan opportunity for members to act for the protection of Malaysia's natural heritage. It is therefore pertinent for members to understand howMNS membership works and the impact of the proposed changes on their membership and the Society.Existing Clause in MNS Rules and RegulationsMembership Application under Clause 24All applications for membership shall be submitted to theHon. Secretary on the prescribed form.The Council shallbe empowered to approve or reject any such applicationat its own discretion, without giving any reasons for doingso.Lapsed Membership under Clause 16If any new member shall fail to pay his/her subscriptionwithin three (3) months after it has become due theSecretary replace with may shall send the memberconcerned a written notice to the relevant address asrecorded in the books of the society calling upon him/herto pay the same within two months of the date of thewritten notice. If he shall fail to pay his subscription hismembership shall ipso facto terminate without further notice.Privileges of Membership under Clause 19Members on paying their dues will receive appropriatepublications, participate in activities of the Society andcontribute to the conservation of nature, uphold themission and objectives of the Society, serve on committeesof the Society and vote.Proposed Changes to MNS Rules and RegulationsMembership Application under Clause 24Any person, school, institution and society who wishes to support the mission of theSociety shall be eligible to apply to become a member of the Society.The Society may decline to approve an application for membership at its absolutediscretion and without being required to state a reason.The applicant shall become a member of the Society upon enrolment in the membershipregistry.Lapsed Membership under Clause 16If any member fails to pay his/her subscription within three (3) months after it has becomedue to the Society his membership shall lapse without further notice.Termination of Membershipa. By sending a notice in writing to the Society at its registered office of their intentionto cease being a member. No refund of membership fees shall be payable.b. The Council may by resolution terminate or suspend the membership of anymember who, in the opinion of the Council, has acted against the objectives of theSociety or interest of the Society.Prior to considering (b), the Society shall write to the member concerned, setting out theactions complained of and giving the member the opportunity to defend his actions inwriting or in person, including attendance at the Council meeting at which the resolutionto terminate the membership is put.Privileges of Membership under Clause 19Members may participate in the Society's activities, contribute to the efforts of the Societyto achieve its objectives, serve on its committees and vote, and should upholdthe mission and objectives of the Society.3

Voting Privileges under Clauses 8 and 20Ordinary and life membership carries one vote each.Each family membership, irrespective of the number, carries only onevote. Only the principal member is eligible to serve on the Council orBoard of Trustees and receive the naturalist.Publication PrivilegesAll eligible members shall receive one copy of the Malaysian Naturalistand in addition one copy of the Malayan Nature Journal issued in respectof the membership year to which subscription has been made.Membership Fees under Clause 26Council shall have the authority to revise any membership rates, basedon prevailing currency exchanges, postage and handling fees except inthe categories of ordinary, student and family membership receiving theMalaysian Naturalist only, which can only be amended in pursuant toClause 75 of the Constitution.Voting Privileges under Clauses 8 and 20No changes to the voting privileges for Ordinary and Life Membership.Ordinary and Life membership carries one vote each.Family membership to carry two votes.Publication PrivilegesTo be decoupled from the membership subscription.Members can opt to subscribe to Malaysian Naturalist and/or MalayanNature Journal separately at a certain publication rate.Membership Fees under Clause 26Council shall have the authority to revise any membership and publicationrates for all categories of membership.Pie chartsAnother way of displaying how the present membership privileges affect the distribution ofthe membership fee is through a pie chart.The pie chart segment in blue indicates that 70%of MNS membership fee is currently channeled to publications.The segment below in red shows the proposed changes where 70% of the membership feeis channeled towards activities to meet the Society's objectives.Under the proposed changes, if members arekeen to continue to subscribe to MNS publications,a separate subscription fee will bepayable.Are the proposed changes acceptable tomembers?Take this opportunity to share your thoughtswith the MNS Council.Forward your comments to:hod.services@mns.org.myLeft: current distribution of membership fees.Above: proposed distribution of membershipfees.4

Green Living ColumnSEEING THROUGH GREENWASHby Wong Ee Lynn(Extracted and edited fromwww.thegreenguide.com)You buy imported biodegradable detergents andgarbage bags, and organic t-shirts and vegetables.But are your purchases really helping toreduce damage to the environment?Expensive products that are marketed as ecofriendlymay help us to assuage our guilt, whiledrawing our attention away from the more pressingissues.Some purportedly eco-friendly actions and productscan be useful, but only when used as part ofa wider environmentally-aware lifestyle. Most worryingof all, some things marketed as sustainablecan have negative side effects for the environment.This is what is known as "greenwashing".Here are some products and services that arenot as earth-friendly as they claim to be:CARBON OFFSETSCarbon credits may seem like a simple way ofnegating environmental damage without makingsignificant changes to your lifestyle.Hop on a flight from the U.S. to Europe and youcan pay a carbon offsetting company a fee to mopup your greenhouse gas emissions, for instance,by planting some trees or installing solar panels ina developing country. But can we really continueto take exotic holidays and still have a green conscience?Many sustainability experts think not."Carbon offsetting is a con. It encourages businessesand individuals to carry on polluting when weurgently need to reduce our carbon emissions," saidAndy Atkins, executive director of Friends of theEarth U.K. Furthermore, it isn't clear that all carboncredit schemes really do lower greenhouse gasemissions, experts say. For example, planting fastgrowingpine trees on grassland will lock up carbonin the tree, but may also disrupt the soil and releaselarge amounts of carbon stored in the grassland."The greenest thing holidaymakers can do ischoose a location that is closer to home, that can bereached by bus or by train," Friends of the Earth'sAtkins said. "Governments must ensure rail is a fast,convenient, and affordable alternative to flying."GREEN CARSIs it time to trade in the gas-guzzler for a more fuelefficientmodel?When it comes to cars, the fuel efficiency needsto weighed against the "embodied energy," or theenergy used in making the car, experts say.That means taking into account how muchenergy was used to refine the iron ore to make thesteel, then the fuel used to ship the steel to the carfactory, and finally the energy used to assemble thecar and transport it to the showroom.These calculations reveal that buying a new carmight be beneficial for the environment, but that itdepends on the fuel consumption of your existing carand what you intend to replace it with."If you replace your SUV with a Toyota Prius, it isworth it, but if your old car is a Morris Minor and youreplace it with a Range Rover, it is not worth it," saidRobert Vale, an architect at Victoria University ofWellington, New Zealand.Changing your driving habits can really help tosave fuel. "Driving smoothly, getting rid of unnecessaryweight, and keeping tires inflated can cut emissionsby up to 30 percent," said Friends of theEarth's Atkins. "But the best way to cut emissionsfrom cars is to use them less."ORGANIC FOODThe supermarket dilemma: organic green beansfrom Kenya, or ordinary green beans grown justdown the road? From an environmental perspective,organic farming is usually considered the better option,experts say. It's less intensive and relies on ecologicalprocesses rather than synthetic fertilizers andpesticides. But some experts argue that those benefitscan be outweighed by the energy used to flyfood to the supermarket.Alex Randall is a a sustainability expert from theCentre for Alternative Technology in Wales, U.K. "Weneed to look at everything we eat and try to replacehigh environmental-impact foods with lower ones,"Randall said. "Avoiding foods that have travelled along way, or are out of season, is a good place tostart."But this doesn't mean you have to avoid all foodsfrom afar. Foods that have a longer shelf life, suchas cereals and wine, can be transported by shiprather than air."Shipping is better for the environment than airfreighting,but if you can, local products are the bestof all," said Randall."For the greenest meal, shoppers should look forlocal organic produce direct from farmers and[neighborhood] markets," said Friends of the Earth'sAtkins."Avoiding supermarkets cuts out the middlemanand helps to ensure farmers get a fair price for theproduce they sell."continued on next page5

REUSABLE BAGSMany cities, and even some countries, arephasing out or taxing plastic bags. Irelandintroduced its plastic bag tax in 2002, charging15 Euro cents (22 U.S. cents) for each bag.In 2007 San Francisco became the firstU.S. city to introduce a plastic-bag ban, andnow Seattle is considering following suit.But there are downsides to getting rid ofplastic bags. Plastic-bag manufacturers claimthat there has been a huge spike in sales ofbin liners and garbage bags, since people nolonger have the free ones from the grocerystores.Paper bags are also increasing in popularity.Some studies suggest that paper bagsrequire more energy to manufacture andrelease more greenhouse gases when degradingthan plastic bags. Friends of theEarth's Atkins suggests that we should concentratemore on what goes into the bag thanwhat the bag is made of."Plastic bags are only a tiny part of theproblem. To avoid sending materials to landfillor to be incinerated – which is a polluting andexpensive process – we should avoid producingwaste in the first place by buying only whatis necessary, and reusing and mending ourpossessions."Making your own canvas or cloth shoppingbags, reusing and washing your cloth shoppingbags, reusing existing plastic bags forgarbage and avoiding paper bags as well asunnecessary plastic bags are good stepstowards reducing and ultimately phasing outplastic bag usage without causing other harmto the environment.MNS Honorary Membership Award Presentation Ceremony25 September 2010, Taman Rimba Lagenda, Gunung Ledang JohorGet Inspired! Interview with MNS Honorary MembersMaye YapIn the August 2010 issue, we announced the list for MNS Honorary Membership.This issue will cover someinteresting insights as to how MNS honorary members have played their part towards protecting Malaysia'snatural heritage.Abbreviation List of MNS Honorary MembersAH: Angela Hijjas LYK: Dato' Dr Leong Yueh KwongKBH: Dr Kiew Bong Heang NAD: Dr NadchatramKK: Kanda Kumar YHS: Dr Yong Hoi SenLKC: Lim Kim ChyeQ1: What was your motivating factor in contributing towards MNS and/or contribution to thestudy of the natural history of Malaysia and the surrounding region?YHS: As an academic in the field of biology, it was without question that I worked on the richdiversity of living organisms. The publications (journals, magazines, books, etc.) have contributed to theknowledge of the natural history of Malaysia and the surrounding region. I was a student member (1960)of the Malayan Nature Society when I was studying at the Victoria Institution. During that period we wereinvolved in two student projects – one concerning the fauna and ecology of the Dark Cave of Batu Caves;the other on vegetation in tin tailings. When I was an academic at the University of Malaya, I guided manysecondary schools on excursions to the Dark Cave and freshwater streams. As Secretary of the SelangorBranch, I also visited many schools in the State to give talks on natural history. As Honorary Editor, I helpedto bring the Malayan Nature Journal up-to-date during my terms of office.KBH: Although I was trained in ecology and biology, I did not focus much on producing publications forthe scientific community. My passion was to impart my technical knowledge to the growing group of layMalaysians interested to know more of Malaysia's biodiversity. I led trips to natural places of interest andshared conservation knowledge with members. And I also realized another group of people who wereequally important in advocating for conservation in Malaysia were the journalists. Developing a workingrelationship with the journalists and providing the media with accurate information on environmental issueshas helped the Society raise these issues.NAD: My inborn love for nature study, which was further motivated and encouraged by my bosses andcounsellors, Drs J. R. Audy and J.L. Harrison. My love for nature grew with travel and time.6

LYK: I was teaching ecology and botany at the Universiti Sains Malaysia inPenang, beginning in the 1970s. As I travelled in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabahand Sarawak in the course of work, it was becoming very evident that therewere massive land use changes taking place as a result of rapid economicdevelopment strategy adopted by the Malaysian Government. Forests were veryunsustainably logged and forest land converted to plantation agriculture. Thenatural ecosystems, such as various kinds of forests and habitats of plants andanimals were disappearing before our very eyes. The concern was that unlessforests and natural ecosystems were legally protected as conservation areas,they would eventually all disappear. The MNS was one of the few organizationsin Malaysia that was trying to work towards the conservation of ecosystems andbiodiversity. This can be seen in the campaigns to save Endau Rompin as aconservation area in the 1970s and Belum in the 1980s in Peninsular Malaysia.LKC: The continuing deterioration of our natural areas and consequently theloss of our precious wildlife, mostly gone unnoticed by the general public,prompted me to contribute what I can to the Society's conservation efforts. I amfortunate to have gone through many memorable wildlife experiences in myyouth and working life and in my association with MNS and other conservationNGOs. Being a sad witness to the destruction that is happening to many ofthese places makes me want to share the beauty of what is left of our wildernesswith others unaware that we still have some unspoilt nature, with the hopethat knowledge will result in concern and protection for Malaysia's naturalheritage.AH: As I had studied Geography at university, I was already interested inlandscape issues when I moved to Malaysia, and I was impressed by how muchit differed from my parched Australian homeland. Flora became my obsessionwhen I had the opportunity to plant 14 acres and decided to do so with indigenousspecies. Joining MNS and meeting a core group of people with commoninterests spurred me on, and provided an incentive to get more involved withconservation issues. Planting a few trees in a garden is hardly conservation,but it does help one's own awareness by making familiar the trees that are underthreat. Within MNS there is a huge reservoir of knowledge and skills, some ofit amongst the academic members, but also a lot with others who have developedtheir interests by pursuing hobbies with great focus and determination.Professionals too have shared their knowledge and insight without reserve,passing it on so that others can share the same passions. Surprising to me isthe situation I find myself in, where I am now consulted about trees because Ihave an experience others don't, and that is a direct result of all the supportgiven to me by other MNS members over the years. Whether it is birders, cavers,trekkers or amateur botanists, there is a place within the society for energyand enthusiasm as well as professional ability. Most of us never had thechance to be professional botanists or ornithologists, unfortunately, butMNS fills that gap superbly. Had I lived in Australia, I would never havebeen given enough credit by knowing a few trees to get more deeplyinvolved in NGO environmental work, as in Australia it is all professionallymanaged; here in Malaysia we amateurs have been called upon to fill thevacuum and it has been a great honour to be a part of that.By joining, I quickly became involved in branch committee management,and then onto Council. Unfortunately in recent years I have had tostep away due to other commitments, but I hope to be more involved againsoon.KK: When I was in school, a MNS Council Member gave a talk aboutnature; that was my first contact with MNS in the 1960s. It was only whenI was a young working adult that I was able to join MNS. At that time therewere very few birdwatchers in Penang and my knowledge of birds wasmostly self taught; it was through MNS I was able to meet up with some ofthem and gain greater knowledge about birds, including ecology and thenatural environment. As one of the very few non-USM-based members ofthe Penang Branch of MNS, I was co-opted into the Branch Committee andhave been active ever since in various capacities both at Branch andNational level.The early exposure I gained through MNS at that point in time mademe realise that there was a need for ordinary people to get involved in theconservation of nature and our natural environment and not just leave it tothe academicians; we have to play our part also.Q2: Do share one of your success stories and how it has played apart in achieving MNS' mission towards the conservation and protectionof Malaysia's natural heritage?YHS: I founded and edited the first Malaysian full-colour quarterlyNATURE MALAYSIANA for some 20 years, independent of MNS buthaving the same goal to educate the public on Malaysia's natural heritage.I was also instrumental in getting a private publisher to produce works onMalaysia's natural heritage. The quarterly and the books have been wellreceived locally, regionally and internationally.KBH: Save the Batu Caves in 1960s. MNS and the Indian community asa collective body managed to protect one of Malaysia's heritage sites from7

eing destroyed. We urged the government to re-consider the issuance ofexplosive licences and the government did not renew the licence upon itsexpiry. Conservation is political although it is non-partisan political becausewhen MNS advocates for the protection of common good or interest for thenational interest versus vested interest group of individuals, MNS will have tofight without fear or favour. Another key success of MNS is the setting up ofNature Education Centres such as in Endau Rompin where MNS demonstratesthe possibility of building a nature centre without having to destroythe environment around it. All these achievements attracted internationalinterest and attention where MNS was recognized as one of the bodiesinvolved in the conservation struggle in Malaysian.NAD: First of all, I began my scientific career as laboratory technologist.Through the wisdom and foresight of my mentor, Dr J.R. Audy, I developedmy scientific knowledge and experience through university education, tofinally earn my PhD degree late in life. I was acclaimed as one of the world'sleading authorities on Chelicerata, especially in the field of medical acarology,and founded the Division of Acarology at the Institute for Medical Research(IMR), Kuala Lumpur. On retirement from the IMR, I served as Senior TeachingFellow, Natl. Univ. Singapore for many years before retiring to write andresearch on landscape ecology. My career has always been towards conservationof one of our natural heritages, the rain forest ecosystem.LYK: As a member of the MNS in Penang, we were active in variouscampaigns in Penang. One of the better known ones is the campaign to savePenang Hill from a massive proposed development in the late 1980s andearly 1990s which would have turned Penang Hill into a large commercialdevelopment of entertainment, condominiums, commercial recreation includinga golf course. These were totally inappropriate for a fragile hill ecosystemwhich is also an important catchment area for Penang Island as well as oneof the last refuges of the flora and fauna of Penang. The MNS Penangtogether with other NGOs and concerned individuals managed to stop theproject. After the detailed EIA was rejected, the state government rejected theproject.Another success story not so well known was the prevention of thecutting down of the 100-year-old Angsana trees along Scotland Road andGreen Lane for road widening. As a result of the efforts of MNS, the treeswere retained in the centre of the road and the road widening was done byacquiring land along the roads.A third success story of the MNS was its key role in getting PantaiAcheh Forest Reserve declared as a national park in 2003. This was the firstnational park declared under the National Parks Act of 1980 as all states werereluctant to make state land into a national park.LKC: Raptor Watch Week (RWW) and how this has grown from its humblebeginnings to the premier MNS event today has been a very satisfying experiencefor me. A coming together of events, places and like-minded members atthe right time gave me the idea for RWW. It was 1998 and plans were beingdrawn up to turn Tg. Tuan Forest Reserve into a massive tourism complex. I hadjust been to Taiwan on a BirdLife trip and observed how raptor watching hadbeen promoted as an ecotourism event to protect a raptor migration site. Thusin 2000, with the support of Bird Conservation Council (BCC), Aun Tiah and Iroped in volunteers from Perak, Selangor and Malacca and carried out the firstRWW on the beach, with just two tents. As luck would have it, the manager ofIlham Resort happened by and liked the idea. We were invited to use the Ilhamgrounds the following year and ever since then RWW has been at the same site.RWW highlighted the migration of raptors and its ecotourism potential as well asthe conservation importance of Tg Tuan. I have no doubt that RWW swayedpublic and government sentiments towards deciding against tourism developmentat Tg Tuan and saved one of Malaysia's most important natural sites.AH: Membership was my portfolio for many years on Council, and althoughwe never achieved the numbers that we optimistically kept setting for ourselves,we did achieve other milestones along the way. We always knew that MNSgenerated the best press and the most interest amongst the public when weachieved major goals: the Endau Rompin expedition that ultimately lead to theprotection of Endau, the Belum expedition, the description of new species andthe constant stream of public information coming from the secretariat on environmentalissues, all of which made good press. It seemed that when we had aprogramme to save something it invariably caught public attention, so that wasthe indicator for us to follow in trying to recruit new membership and to achievemore of the society's objectives. With the subsequent Belum Temenggorcampaign, we had a fortunate coincidence of events that provided us with excellentopportunities to push for membership and for conservation: some of the birdershad documented the huge numbers of migrating hornbills while othermembers were interested in making a documentary about this remote wilderness,and yet Belum was still not gazetted as a protected area. Provided withthese tools and the situation, we mounted a campaign to gazette Belum and tostop the logging in Temenggor. Perhaps it might have happened anyway, but thecampaign generated public discussion and coverage of the huge reserves ofbiodiversity under threat from logging and lack of protection, that finally lead tothe Perak State Government declaring and gazetting the Royal Belum State8

Park. The timing was good and an important objective achieved. We are stillconcerned about Temenggor, and that initiative is ongoing, hopefully withsuccess yet to come. Ironically, our membership numbers did not enjoy theanticipated resurgence, but I think the campaign itself was much more importantin what it achieved.KK: Being involved in the mini expedition of Penang Hill to gather data forthe campaign to Save Penang Hill from massive development. Due to extensiveand active involvement of MNS members with reliable data in variousfields, the proposed developments were scrapped. The other success story isthe involvement of MNS Penang Branch members in carrying out miniexpeditions in the Pantai Acheh Forest Reserve in co-operation with USM andusing the expedition data to lobby for the area to be gazetted as a Park. Thefinal outcome was the gazetting of this area as the Penang National Park. Myinvolvement was mainly in the area of bird surveys and compiling the birdchecklist for both of the areas. Lastly, my involvement as MNS representativein BirdLife International during the early days of Partnership between MNSand BirdLife, the initial groundwork and goodwill created between both partieshas benefited the Partnership as a whole.Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road Project (KLORR)The proposed KL Outer Ring Road as a remedy to the heavilycongested MRR2 threatens to destroy a significant part ofSelangor's one and only state park and endangering the world'slongest quartz ridge situated at the edge of Taman Melawati, UluKlang. We urge members to sign the online petition and disseminatethis petition link far and wide to obtain the support required. We havebreached the 2,000 signature mark. We want 10,000 signatures forthis!!! Help save the last bastion of Selangor's forested area and ourone and only quartz ridge.HAVE YOUR SAYAnnouncements from HQPostal Ballot Forms will be mailed to MNS members and you will needto send the form back to MNS HQ by 23 September 2010 if you are notable to attend the 63rd MNS Annual General Meeting.Ballot forms can be delivered by hand on 25 September 2010. Theforms must be sealed in the envelope provided by MNS.All forms must be signed by MNS members. Members must write andsign their name on the outside of the envelope provided by MNS.Members can raise matters for discussion during the 63rd MNS AnnualGeneral Meeting by writing in to MNS Honorary Secretary, Dr CheahSwee Neo. Her email is jessie1303@gmail.com and the letter or emailmust reach MNS by Friday, 17 September 2010.CHECK YOUR MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONClause 66 of MNS Rules and Regulation states that “No member shallbe entitled to vote at any meeting unless all subscription due by him/herto the Society in respect of the year in which meeting is held have beenpaid in full not less than one week prior to the meeting and he canproduce a receipt from the Society proving this fact, if his right to vote ischallenged”.http://www.petitiononline.com/KLORR/petition.htmlRight: Klang Gates Quartz Ridge (Photo: Wong Horng Yih)9

Making your wishes come trueDo you know that all your assets, including bank accounts, will be frozenupon Death, with OR without a WILL?How do you “unlock” them?A Grant of Probate or Letter of Administration from the High Court. Thisprocess applies to both Muslims and non-Muslims.If you pass on without having a VALID WILL, this is what happens:1. Your Family• Your spouse and children will face cash flow problems because allyour bank accounts, including joint accounts, will be frozen.• Your children’s welfare may not be taken care of by the people of yourchoice2. The Legal Process• Delay in distribution due to the legal administrative process(2–6 years)• Two guarantors / sureties required (amount equal to or more than thedeceased’s estate)• Much more costly, resulting in financial burdens to your family3. Your Asset Distribution (as per Distribution Act 1958 amended in 1997or distribution under Faraid)• The law will decide on the distribution of your estate—house(s),businesses, bank accounts, shares, etc.LOVE YOUR FAMILY, WRITE YOUR WILL TODAY AND ENJOY PEACEOF MIND wherever you maybe…Travelling, Trekking, Caving, MountainClimbing, Diving, Biking, Camping, etc.Why leave things to chance?For more information, please call MARY OOIProfessional Estate Planner (Rockwills Corporation Sdn. Bhd.)Islamic Estate Planner (as-Salihin Trustee Sdn. Bhd.)H/P: 012-3379906 or email: mary_3_ooi@hotmail.comMOUNTAIN GOAL ADVENTURE CONSULTANT (742912-V)No. 24, Jalan 76/26,Taman Sri Rampai,53300 Kuala Lumpur.Tel/Fax - (603) 6275 4913Website: http://www.mymountaingoal.comE-mail: goalus@mymountaingoal.comAnnapurna Base Camp Trek 02/11/2010–15/11/2010 (14D/13N) )Walk through villages, then climb through forests into the Annapurna Sanctuary, a valleysurrounded by high Himalayan peaks. A great opportunity to get into the mountains without thealtitude problems of Mt. Everest. This fantastic 10-day trek offers the most spectacular landscapeviews of the Himalayas, allowing you to be completely immersed in the heart of thetowering Annapurna range. Altitudes of 4130 m are reached, and a reasonable level ofphysical fitness is required to comfortably complete this expedition.Two free training trips will be provided for the trip.Further information: http://www.mymountaingoal.com/AnnapurnaRegion.htmMt Fansipan and Halong Bay Expedition, 18/11/2010–24/11/2010Fansipan is branded 'the Roof of Indochina' at the height of 3,143 m; Fansipan is to beapproved as one of the very few eco-tourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2,024 floral varietiesand 327 faunal species. It takes 2 days to reach the 3,143 m summit, the highest peak of theIndochina Peninsula. Ha Long bay, dotted with 3000 limestone islets rising from emeraldwaters, is the best known natural wonder of Vietnam. Because of their precipitous nature, mostof the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's outstandingscenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest.One free training trip will provided for the Fansipan trek.Further information: http://www.mymountaingoal.com/Vietnam_FanHasch.htm11

Is Bleached Coral a Dead Coral?CH Tan* and CM LauColourful corals around Peninsular Malaysia wereobserved to turn white in April this year, and this veryquickly spread to East Malaysia, where some reefsin Sabah started losing their colours in June. Similarconditions were also observed in Thailand, Singapore,Indonesia and the Philippines. This phenomenonof corals losing their colours is called MassCoral Bleaching and it is a sign that the corals areunder tremendous stress, but – NO, they are notdead yet.A coral is classified as an animal, and hardcorals are the fundamental unit building the reefs.With the calcium carbonate skeleton, hard coralsbuild the complex structure of reefs and provideshelter to various marine organisms, e.g. fish, crabs,worms, etc. Without these reef-building corals, therewill be no reefs.Corals appear to be colourful underwaterlargely due to the millions of microscopic algae,known as zooxanthellae, that live in the coral tissues.In a healthy environment, zooxanthellae utilize theinorganic waste from their coral hosts to photosynthesize.In return, the coral hosts obtain asupply of organic products (glucose, amino acid,lipids and glycerol) generated from photosynthesis.Besides, zooxanthellae also receive protection fromtheir hosts. This symbiotic relationship can bedisturbed by many factors such as the abnormalchanges in the seawater temperature, salinity andpollutions, and bleaching is a sign when this“win-win” relationship has broken down.In early April 2010, the seawater temperaturearound Peninsular Malaysia was observed to be atleast 2 °C warmer than the 2009 average annualseawater temperature pattern, and the water stayedwarm for more than 2 weeks. This increase in seawatertemperature was the result of the El-NiñoSouthern Oscillation (ENSO) event, where warmwater from the Western Pacific and Indian oceansspread into the Eastern Pacific Ocean. This abnormalhigh seawater temperature triggered thezooxanthellae to produce products that are harmfulto the coral hosts, thus the coral hosts had to expelthe zooxanthellae. Without the algae, the corals lookpale, white or even luminescent in colour.Without the zooxanthellae, coral hosts have towork harder to maintain the same energy level inthemselves to survive; and any additional stress willhamper the survival of the bleached corals duringthe bleaching period, as well as hinder the recoveryprocess. If the seawater temperature returns tonormal within a short period after the bleachingevent, the bleached corals may reabsorb thezooxanthellae and regain their colours. However, thisdoes not mean that the corals are now healthybecause the recovery process may take up toseveral months or even years.In conclusion, a bleached coral is not a deadcoral. However, studies have shown that growth andreproduction of corals decrease after a bleachingevent and the bleached corals are more susceptibleto any disturbances in the future even after fullrecovery. Hence, good environmental conditionsmust be maintained for the survival and recovery ofthe corals.*Corresponding author:chtan.james@gmail.comTop: Mass coral bleaching event that spread acrossSoutheast Asia.Middle: Beneath the warm water, divers only see paleor white instead of colourful corals.Bottom: A tomato anemonefish, Amphiprion frenatus,is more obvious to predators in bleached soft corals.Photos: CH Tan12

Members’ Gallery"Selangor Branch's Recce"Seen at: Ayer Hitam ForestReservePhotos by: Leong Hon YuenAre all your images stored in a computer or on CDs? Why not share thebeauty of nature and/or any MNS/SIG-related events with your fellow MNSmembers? All you need are 5–6 photos – whether it's a SIG outing, your101st bird race or that gorgeous sunrise you woke up early for. All levels ofphoto-taking abilities welcomed.E-mail Pencinta Alam (tapir2005@gmail.com) your name, what your photoessay is about, where you went, and if you can remember, the date, andwatch this space.13

Calendar of ActivitiesAll events, times and venues are correct at time of printing. For latest updates, contact your favourite Special Interest Group or check the MNSwebsite regularly. Booking priority will be given to the organising branch’s members unless stated otherwise.September 201022 (Wednesday)Photo Group TalkTopic: Post ProcessingVenue: MNS HQ AuditoriumTime: 8.00 pmMr Stewart Forbes will be sharing with us on PostProcessing on HDR and Panaramas using softwarelike Lightroom. This is a follow-on from last month’sBasis Post Processing using Lightroom.Mr Stewart Forbes has been a keen photographerfor over 40 years with a wide range of photo interestsranging from the burning down of RobinsonsDepartment Store in Singapore (1972) to shootingscorpionfish 250 feet below the sea off Cebu in thePhilippines. His principal interests are in natural historywith a passion for underwater marine life photography.Currently he is trying to get to grips withhigh dynamic range (HDR) photo techniques.26 (Sunday)Bujang Valley Archaeology SitePenang Branch day trip to the Bujang Valley Archaeologysite in Kedah, this is one of the oldest civilisationin this part of the world and there have beennew findings in this area recently. The last officialBranch visit to this area was more then a decadeago. On the way back, if we have time, we will stopover at the Tupa Forest Reserve. The trip will involvecar pooling and we will leave Penang early, as it willbe a long trip bring along your packed lunch anddrinks. For more information contact Kanda atkandakum@tm.net.my or Choo Eng at chooengtan@yahoo.comnot later then 24 SeptemberOctober 20103 (Sunday)Hammock Camping WorkshopVenue: Kota Damansara Community Forest ParkTime: 8.30 am–2.30 pmAs we travel in our forest, one of the concerns thatwe need to bear in mind is to minimize the impactwe make on what is already an endangered ecosystem.Not entering the forests, rivers and mountainsis not an option as alienation from nature is an evengreater risk to both our selves and the environment.People who have no emotional involvement withnature and see it merely as a resource will inevitablyfollow policies that destroy our environment. So howdo we reconcile this conflict?Get a hammock!Hammock camping is a practical and minimalimpact way of camping in our climate and forestenvironment. It also offers privacy, heat dissipation,cleanliness and an opportunity to see what is goingon outside while remaining hidden. Being off theground is cooler, safer from ground crawling insectsand animals and more comfortable as there are nolumpy parts in a hammock, unlike the floor of a tent.This workshop will help you discover the benefitsand joys of hammock camping and will covervarious useful knots, types of hammocks, how toset-up and even how to make simple modificationsto make it cosier.Price: (inclusive of group P.A. insurance for allparticipants)o RM95 for MNS members, inclusive of aparachute material hammock from OutdoorDynamics.o RM35 for MNS members for workshop only(must bring own hammock).o RM125 for non-MNS members, inclusive of aparachute material hammock from OutdoorDynamics.o RM45 for non-MNS members for workshop only(must bring own hammock).Call Keong at 012-5113690 (office hours only) ore-mail him at “contactkeong@gmail.com” to book aplace. Please sign up and pay the fees by 20 Sept.to ensure you get your new hammocks on time.This workshop is limited to 20 participants only, soregister fast!3 (Sunday)Trip to Ulu Bendul Forest Reserve and trek upGunung Angsi(Negeri Sembilan and Melaka Branch)Ulu Bendul Forest Reserve, on the southern edgeof the Titiwangsa mountain range, is located 16 kmfrom Seremban on the main road to Kuala Pilah.This recreational forest is ideal for activities such asmountain climbing, jungle trekking, camping andpicnicing. Set amidst the Gunung Angsi ForestReserve, its verdant greenery and clear river makeit a favourite.It is the entry point to scale the 825-m high GunungAngsi, which is included in the trip for those fitenough to try.14

Mountain climbers can explore the hilly terrainby wading along Batang Terachi River. The climbtakes about 4 hours but near to the summit, theterrain is very challenging to climb and with somerope.A good write-up on the area is found athttp://leongwk.multiply.com/journal/item/13/Gunung_Angsi_Ulu_Bendul_Recreation_Park_Kuala_PilahMeet at Senawang Toll at 7.30 am.Coordinator: Kok Chow Hioong (by SMS only pleaseon 013-2929618)15–20 (Friday–Wednesday)Raptor Watch at Chumphon, Thailand(Selangor Branch Bird Group)Thailand serves as a crucial land bridge for connectingraptors breeding in the northern hemisphere withover-wintering areas in the south such as Malaysiaand to the Far East.Radar Hill and Pencil Hill, near Chumphon, aretwo of the best spots in Thailand to observe raptorsin migration, offering views at or near eye-level;raptors are often seen passing below the watch sitesas well.Participants will take a night train on 15 Oct fromKL to Hat Yai where they will take a connecting vanto Chumphon. Return will be by overnight train fromChumphon to Hat Yai then express bus back to KL.Cost: RM500 includes all land transportation andaccommodation (meals not included). Booking onfirst-come-first-served basis with full payment. ContactLee Oon Teik at 017 889 7510 or email oonteik@yahoo.com.Payments by cheque to be madeout to Lee Oon Teik or direct debit to Mr Lee's RHBBank a/c number: 11240 6000 21875. No refund forcancellations. Pre-trip meeting on Thursday, 7 Oct at8 pm at MNS HQ Auditorium.Don’t Leave Home without ItAll members are required to show their membershipcards to participate in any of the Branch’s activities.New members who haven't received their cards willbe required to show their membershippayment receipts.Lost your card? Contact Wee Chin at HQ.November 20105–8 (Friday–Monday)Birdwatching Trip to Bukit Wang, Kedahand Perlis (Selangor Branch Bird Group)Taking advantage of the Deepavali public holiday, wewill be heading to Bukit Wang Recreational Forestnear Jitra in Kedah. We will be looking at lowlandrainforest birding and hope to catch up with somemigrants as well. Relatively easy birding as we don'thave to trek a lot, so this would be great for beginnersto get exposed to lowland rainforest birding.We will also venture further up north into Perlisto birdwatch in different habitats like open countryand wetlands. We will try to look for northernspecialty birds such as Streak-eared Bulbul andRacket-tailed Treepie and if we're lucky rare migrantsthat don't make their journey further south of PeninsularMalaysia.So, come join us, meet up and chat with likemindedpeople and enjoy the birding!Limited places – booking on first-come-firstservedbasis with full payment. Closing date 15 Oct.Cost: RM350 per person. Covers all land transport,toll (carpooling) and accommodation (twin sharing).Meals not provided. No refund for cancellations. Pretripmeeting on Thursday, 28 Oct at 8 pm at MNSHQ Auditorium. For more information or to book aplace, call or SMS Wilbur at 012-2635610 after 7pm, SMS anytime or email wilbur_goh@yahoo.comJohorKedahMNS Yahoo Groupsmnsjohor.blogspot.comkedahmns@yahoogroups.comLangkawi nslangkawi@yahoogroups.comModerator: Wendy Chin/Irshad/Sri SariMirimnsmiri.blogspot.comPahang mnspahang@yahoogroups.comModerator: Chu Seng PoongPenang mnspenang@yahoogroups.comModerator: Kanda KumarPerak mnsperak@yahoogroups.comModerator: Dr Chan Kai SoonSelangor malaysiannaturesociety@yahoogroups.comModerator: Bernie Chin/IskaBranch Committee Members andBranch Special Interest GroupsA complete directory of BranchCommittee Members and BranchSpecial Interest Groups (SIGs) canbe downloaded at www.mns.org.my15

MNS HQJKR 541, Jalan Kelantan,Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur(just before the Seri Perdana turn-off onJalan Mahameru)M–F 9 am–5:30 pmT: 03-22879422 F: 03-22878773mns@mns.org.my www.mns.myMembership: Leong Wee ChinBranch Committee MembersJOHOR BRANCHc/o Prof. Madya Dr. Maketab Mohamed,No. 90, Jalan Pulai 50,Taman Pulai Utama, 83100 Johor Bahruwww.mnsj.org.myChairman Prof Madya Dr. MaketabMohamed 019-7355000,maketab_mohamed@yahoo.comVice Chair Vincent Chow 019-7557755vkkchow@yahoo.comSecretary Zalinah Sarpan 013-7722229Zalinah.sarpan@my.lafarge.comKEDAH BRANCH5, Belakang Hospital, 09300 Kuala Ketil,Kedah; kedahmns@yahoogroups.comChairman Kalaimani a/l Supramaniam019-4733505, maniria@yahoo.comVice Chair Nordiana binti Zainordin012-5377914; nz1808@yahoo.comSecretary N Ravintharan a/l Narayanan013-5056603; jovialravi@yahoo.comKELANTAN BRANCH204, Jln Sultan Yahya Petra,15150 KotaBharu, Kelantan. shown@tm.net.myChairman Tan Kee Leong, Michael012-9661228, mike1958@streamyx.comVice Chair Mohd Razali bin Che Ali017-9386015; calmoraz@yahoo.comSecretary Wong Mei Lin 019-9109073;meklawa@gmail.comLANGKAWI BRANCHmnslangkawi@yahoogroups.comChairman Eric R. Sinnaya 019-4499142morahols@streamyx.comVice Chair Teoh Cheng Kung 013-4881013; wildlifeplanet@gmail.comSecretary Vanessa Lynn Workman 017-5550481; namkrow1959@yahoo.comNEGERI SEMBILAN/ MELAKABRANCHc/o Cooltek, 350 Jalan Woodland, TiaraMelaka Golf & Country Club,Ayer Keroh, 75450 MelakaChairman Lim Ming Hui012-2760327, limmel05@yahoo.comVice Chair Kok Chow Hioong013-2929418, kchioong@live.comSecretary Stephanie Bacon012-2175590, cooltek@streamyx.comPAHANG BRANCHF-4-4, Jalan Padang Golf,25050 Kuantan. mnspahang@yahoo.comChairman Datin Narimah bt Daud012-7205383, dnarimah@yahoo.comVice Chair Noor Jehan Abu Bakar 019-9525588, versed_anggerik@yahoo.comSecretary Chow Mee Foong 019-9515169chowmeefoong@yahoo.comPENANG BRANCHNature Information Centre (NIC),673-B Jalan Kebun Bunga,10350 Penang. 016-4840747Open Mon–Sat, 7.30–11.30 am (Pleasephone before visiting)http://www.geocities.com/mnspenang/Chairman Tan Choo Eng 019-4484344chooengtan@yahoo.comVice Chair James Ooi Teik Kok012-4452340Secretary Ang Wai Sheng 012-5138319terence_ang01@yahoo.comPERAK BRANCH8, Jln Virgo, Star Park, 31400 Ipohmnsperak@gmail.comBlog: mnsperak@yahoogroups.comChairman Leow Kon Fah 019-5634598,leow_kingfisher@yahoo.comVice Chair Lee Ping Kong016-5655682, lpk682@yahoo.comSecretary Tham Yim Fong012-5220268, georgi8tham@yahoo.comSABAH BRANCHP O Box 12377, 88826 Kota Kinabalu, Sabahmns_sabah@yahoo.com.sgChairman Anna Wong016-8318339, anna888@ums.edu.myVice Chair Omar Abdul Kadir019-8110125, omar_kadir51@yahoo.comSecretary Maria Joy Rowan019-5348772, mariajoyrowan@yahoo.co.ukSARAWAK (KUCHING) BRANCHmnskuching@gmail.comChairman Cheong Ah Kwan 019-8349499kwan_indutek@hotmail.comVice Chair Yeo Siew Teck 012-8876160yeosiewteck@gmail.comSecretary Sunita Sara Gill 012-4370050sunitashamsul@gmail.comSARAWAK (MIRI) BRANCHmnsmiri@yahoo.com;Blog: mnsmiri.blogspot.comChairman Faye Osman 012-3202301faye.osman@yahoo.comVice Chair Anura Dason 012-8783217anura.dason@shell.comSecretary Puteri Shariza Megat Khalid012-4604609 teraphoenix@yahoo.comSELANGOR BRANCHc/o MNS HQ addresswww.mns.org.my/selangormns.selangor@gmail.comE-group: malaysiannaturesociety@yahoogroups.comChairman Gary Phong 013-3836288garyphong@netscape.netVice Chair Wong Ee Lynn 013-2286812wongeelynn@yahoo.comSecretary Gan Li Li 012-2074840pat_ganll@hotmail.comTERENGGANU BRANCH1926 Bukit Kubang Jambu,20050 Kuala Terengganumnsterengganu@gmail.comChairman Hj Wan Md Adnan Wan Ismail017-9861926 mnsterengganu@gmail.comVice Chair Anuar Abd McAfee012-948 1771, anuar@ms.kusza.edu.mySecretary Dr Chong Ju Lian 013-3055190julianchong78@gmail.comHotlinesReport environmentalpollution:Complaints Line: 03-8889 1972Jabatan Alam Sekitar:1-800-88-2727Treatment/advice for injured /abandoned birds:03-8946 8340 or 03-8946 8317(Dr Jalila Abu, Hospital UniversitiVeterinar, Universiti PutraMalaysia)16

TURN YOUR TRASHINTO CASH FOR THE NEEDYRecycle your trash at the following welfare homes and you stop goodmoney from going to the landfill. Please donate your aluminium cans,plastic containers, steel cans & paper (glass not accepted) at thefollowing locations any day from 8 am–7 pm, unless stated otherwise:Klang Rumah K.I.D.S. (3373-3400)St. Barnabas Home (3372-8191)Pusat Kasih Sayang (3372-1723)Pusat Cahaya Kesayangan (3379-9440)Petaling Jaya Spastics Centre (7958-2393)Puchong Pure Life Society (7782-9391)Selayang Rumah Amal Cheshire (6138-7118)You may also exchange your recycleables for redemptioncouponsat the following locations:Petaling Jaya Taman Jaya, Thursdays, Fridays &Saturdays, 4:30–6:30 pm.Johor Baru Giant Cash & Carry, Plentong.Every day except Mondays, 1–6 pmPlease clean and dry all your cans and bottles before depositingat these centres. Please bundle and tie all papers.The MNS ShopTrEES (03-7876 9958)treateveryenvironmentspecial@gmail.comwww.trees.org.myE-copyHelp the environment and opt to downloadthe newsletter from the SelangorBranch website (www.mns.org.my) orthe Selangor Branch e-group:groups.yahoo.com/group/To open the pdf file, you’ll need a pdfreader, such as Adobe Reader (downloadablefor free at www.adobe.com).Computer RecyclingCollection Centre(Penang)The MNS Nature Information Centre(NIC) is a designated recycling collectioncentre for old computers and computerparts by the Penang City Council.Please send your unwanted computersand parts to the NIC to be send for recyclingby DOE approved recycling establishment.Contact Kanda at 013-4537992 for moreinformation or check out Penang Branchweb pagesOpen Mon–Fri 0930–1730 hrs, Saturday 1000–1300 hrs. Closed on Sundays & public holidays as well as duringmajor MNS events (e.g. Raptor Watch etc).Offers a growing selection of books for the nature lover (kids included) and MNS publications (Malaysian Naturalistand Suara Enggang); MNS apparel; outdoor gear (from Buff, Coleman, Maglite, Campingaz, Leatherman,Deuter, Mora); sport optics and supports (from Leica, Minox, Meade, Nikon, Swarovski & Manfrotto) and more.Members who show their membership card receive a discount for most items.Pencinta Alam is a monthly newsletter madepossible by dedicated volunteers and contributorsfrom the Malaysian Nature Society. Accuracyis the contributor’s responsibility. TheEditor reserves the right to edit for length andcontent.Submissions: Articles including the author andphotographers’ names (max. 500 words), advertisements,digital images (100 dpi & no largerthan 640 x 480 pixels & separately from article),etc. must reach the Editor by the 13th of eachmonth (unless noted otherwise) via the followinge-mail address: tapir2005@gmail.com.Advertising rates:Classifieds: RM5 per column inch.Quarter page ad: RM30.Half page ad: RM60.All payments must be made to “Malaysian NatureSociety Selangor Branch”. Please bank incash or cheque to Maybank MBB account no014150307352.After banking in, please scan the slip and e-mailit to Bernadette Chin at:berniechin118@yahoo.com or fax her at03-51928191 (Attention: Bernie Finance).Discount Rate for ads paid in advance:3 adverts paid in advance – 5% off published rate;6 adverts paid in advance – 10% off published rate;9 adverts paid in advance –15% off published rate;12 adverts paid in advance – 20% off published rate.EditorsIska Hashim 03-20732355 (o)Leong Hon Yuen 03-22742328Kay Lyons 03-7981427117