Asian economies expected to grow 5.5% in 2009

By Ng Baoying, Channel NewsAsia
13 January 2009 1927 hrs

SINGAPORE: Asian economies, excluding Japan, are expected to grow a weighted 5.5 per cent this year – down from the 7 per cent growth seen in 2008.

HSBC said this slide will be led by Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, while countries like China and India will be the main supports of growth.

Falling demand from most developed nations in the wake of the global downturn has hit economic growth in Asia. But observers said domestic factors are also contributing to the slowdown.

Robert Prior-Wandesforde, senior Asian economist, HSBC, said: "The other factor is domestic demand, in particular consumer spending and investment. Actually, the domestic demand in Singapore and rest of Asia slowed before exports. Over here, initially at least, it was due to the huge commodity price shock that we had a few months ago."

HSBC said it sees little upside in the near future, but it is taking comfort in the massively synchronised and powerful fiscal and monetary policies Asian economies are adopting, and also in falling commodity prices which are seeing the largest declines in 50 years.

Of all Asian countries, Singapore's open, export-dependent economy is expected to fare the worst. But it is also expected to bounce back the fastest and strongest.

"After a fall of nearly 3 per cent on average this year, I think that GDP could rise more than 5 per cent in 2010. That's the kind of recoveries Singapore often gets. Sharp downturns followed by sharp upturns," said Mr Prior-Wandesforde.

Speaking at a media conference on the bank's outlook for Asia on Tuesday, he said he expects Singapore's economy to bottom out in the first quarter, with a GDP contraction of 7 per cent on-year – the largest since the mid-1970s.

Overall, he expects Singapore to round up the year with a 2.8 per cent contraction.

新马加强环境课题合作

25 August 2007 (Lianhe Zaobao)

新加坡将同马来西亚在能力建设(capacity building)方面的培训进行合作，以便更有效地使用能源。

　　环境及水源部长雅国博士昨天应邀走访马来西亚，同该国天然资源与环境部长阿兹米卡立会谈，讨论新马在环境方面的合作，以及针对区域环境课题交换意见。这包括：国界的区域烟雾问题、车辆废气排放控制、士古来集水区的污染、柔佛海峡的水质、应付化学物质污染的紧急应对措施等课题、气候变化以及新加坡环境学院和马来西亚环境学院之间的培训合作。

　　在气候问题上，新马两国都同意气候变化已经成为区域和国际的重要课题，双方同意分享缓和气候变化的资讯和所研究的解决方案。双方将把重点放在能源效益和能力建设的联合培训计划上。

　　两位部长举行会谈后，我国环境及水源部和马国天然资源与环境部联合发表文告，宣布会谈中双方商讨的内容。

　　除了气候问题，两国也同意分享同印尼合作处理烟雾问题的经验，双方重申通过部长级指导委员会加强应对区域烟雾问题的重要性。

　　陪同雅国出访的包括环境及水源部高级政务次长许连碹博士，以及环境及水源部、国家环境局和公用事业局的官员。

　　这是新马两国环境部的第21次常年互访活动。

　　雅国博士一行人昨天也在会谈后参加了两国环境部联合举行的竞技友谊赛。这项比赛让双方官员能够加强联系，培养友谊。

Pact Paves Way For Shared Trans-regional Power Grid

Aug 24 2007 (TODAY)

Energy ministers from the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean)
yesterday took a concrete step towards ensuring the 10-member group is
more plugged in.

Meeting in Singapore for a day to review Asean-wide developments in the
power sector, they agreed to conclude a memorandum of understanding that
will, in time, help to bolt together the region's different transmission
networks.

The agreement should pave the way for establishing what is known as the
Asean Power Grid, which could help countries share electricity across
borders, boosting growth and providing greater security for consumers.

"While the development of a fully integrated Asean energy market is a
still distant goal and will be a very long process, we have started to
move in the right direction," said Professor S Jayakumar, Singapore's
deputy prime minister. Yesterday's memorandum "provides the essential
framework for us to bring the project forward", he said.

To date, the bloc has only two cross-border power connections: between
Thailand and Malaysia, and between Malaysia and Singapore. Architects of
the ambitious project hope the trans-regional grid could see a web of
connections across Asean, switching power between nations that have
abundant energy, to those that are in need.

"The agreement is a critical first step…it shows that there is government
support for the initiative," said Mr S. Isawaran, Singapore's minister of
state for trade and industry.

When the project takes off, he added, the next stage would be to identify
areas where the private sector can come in.

The ministers also noted progress in the finalising of a new Asean
Petroleum Security Agreement, which is seen as an important mechanism to
deal with petroleum shortages. They hoped to sign the pact next year,
replacing the 1986 agreement. - Sharon Vasoo and Jason Lee

Greenpeace: No Safety Sureties For 'ring Of Fire'

Aug 24 2007 (TODAY)

Environmental group Greenpeace urged South-east Asian energy ministers
yesterday to scrap plans to harness civilian nuclear power for the region,
citing safety concerns and weapons proliferation risks.

"It is a dangerous and costly choice to secure energy in the region
because nuclear power plants pose risks in the long term," said Ms Nur
Hidayati, a climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace South-east Asia.

"Our region is very dynamic - geographically we are located around the
Pacific 'Ring of Fire' and we are also the meeting point of several major
tectonic plates," she went on. "You cannot guarantee the safety of the
nuclear power plant in this volatile region."

Greenpeace activists also said the region does not have the expertise and
the trained personnel to operate nuclear power plants, and warned of the
dangers that plutonium - a key ingredient for making a nuclear bomb -
could get into the wrong hands.

Greenpeace said Asean states also lacked experience in storing and
disposing of radioactive wastes. - Agencies

Singapore urges ASEAN partners to tackle energy, climate issues

By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia
23 August 2007

SINGAPORE : Singapore is urging its ASEAN partners to tackle issues of energy security and climate change.

Speaking at the ASEAN Energy Meeting in Singapore on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar outlined four key areas for the region's energy priorities.

One area is to adopt and encourage energy efficiency so as to help cut energy needs.

Another critical area is the development of a competitive regional energy market.

This will hopefully mean better access to energy supplies and the transfer of new energy technologies.

Prof Jayakumar believes investing in R&D will also reduce CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions.

But he said ASEAN countries must also promote a clean environment and find ways to protect forests, rivers, lakes and air quality.

With Singapore taking over the ASEAN chair recently, he said energy and climate concerns will feature in themes for upcoming summits.

"ASEAN's continued growth and prosperity hinges upon managing the competition for resources through cooperative efforts such as joint exploration and development of energy resources, more integrated markets, and sharing of expertise and technology," said Prof Jayakumar, who is also Singapore's Law Minister and Coordinating National Security Minister.

"Although the challenges are immense, they are not insurmountable if we can strengthen our cooperation, so that the region as a whole can benefit," he added. - CNA /ls

APEC meeting to address broad range of issues

By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
20 August 2007

Trade liberalisation and trans-border threats including terrorism and pandemic diseases are some of the issues that will top the agenda at this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit.

Speaking ahead of the September meeting in Sydney, the APEC Secretariat says the 21 leaders from APEC economies are expected to call for continuing support for the next round of WTO Doha round of talks.

The Doha Round has come to a standstill due to differences between some countries on eliminating trade barriers to agricultural produce and manufactured goods.

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy is also scheduled to attend the APEC meeting in Sydney.

The Secretariat says there will be discussions on how to accelerate the process of regional economic integration and structural reforms.

Climate change is expected to be another major topic at the summit.

Colin Heseltine, Executive Director, APEC Secretariat, says: "APEC for some years, especially through its energy working groups, has had climate change on its agenda, issues on clean development, sustainable development and energy security and all these issues have of course touched on the issue of climate change.

"I think what is happening this year, because of the global concern, the global interest in climate change, you are seeing APEC itself, APEC leaders in particular,...giving quite high priority to this issue." - CNA/ch

Regional Haze Dialogue works on new strategies to fight climate change

20 August 2007 (CNA)

SINGAPORE : Representatives from five South East Asian countries along with Japan and Australia took part in a Regional Haze Dialogue in Singapore on Monday.

The Dialogue was co-organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies of Indonesia and the Institute of Strategic and International Studies of Malaysia.

They are coming up with fresh strategies they hope their governments can adopt to address the global climate change issue.

This month marks the 10th anniversary of the record haze that blanketed much of Southeast Asia.

And thanks partially to luck with wet weather, forecasts of another bad fog-out have failed to materialise so far this year.

But experts are warning against complacency.

Drawing links between forest fires and global climate change, the experts emphasised how the recurrence of carbon-rich haze caused by illegal fires in Indonesia's vast tropical peatlands may help fuel global warming if left unchecked.

The meeting comes ahead of November's ASEAN Leaders Summit in Singapore and the UN-sponsored Bali Climate Change conference in December.

In a statement following a one-day dialogue here, the delegates acknowledged some "positive steps" taken by Indonesia to deal with the problem, but said Jakarta and the region needed to do more.

Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs, says: "All the participants at the dialogue really welcomed ASEAN's focus on the environment. They were quick to say that if we look at our region, there are many issues on the table.

"But the haze and the underlying causes of deforestation and unsustainable development of the economy like palm oil - these really are issues that must be first and foremost when the ASEAN summit talks about the environment. Because when the summit meets, this gives us the opportunity for leaders at the very top to really set a very strong political tone and help coordinate the different agencies of forestry, agriculture, economics with this environment issue."

Singapore may be spared from haze this year: NEA

By Foo Siew Shyan, Channel NewsAsia
06 July 2007

SINGAPORE: Singapore may be spared from the peak of the haze that is currently shrouding Sumatra and northern Malaysia because favourable weather conditions are expected for the rest of the year, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

NEA is forecasting a slightly wetter-than-usual weather from now till September.

The El Nino situation, which brought with it drier days last year, is not expected to kick in this time round.

Joseph Hui, Director General, Environmental Protection, NEA, said: "This year, the forecast is that we are likely to get neutral or weak La Nina. La Nina is slightly wetter than usual, so with this forecast, the likelihood is that we will get slightly more rainfall than last year."

Singapore has been spared from the smog so far as the prevailing south to southeasterly winds have kept the smoke away.

The same wind direction is also expected over the next few days.

But in the long term, other forces may come into play.

Wong Chin Ling, Chief Meteorological Officer, NEA, said: "It's difficult to know when and where the fires will occur. Fires are essentially started through human activities."

Singapore has come up with a masterplan to help Indonesia's Jambi province to tackle the haze and reduce slash-and-burn activities, and work is underway to formalise the agreement with Indonesia.

Mr Hui said: "We are actively involved in working out this letter of intent. We are waiting for them to come back to us and hopefully finalise it soon."

A meeting of environment officials from both countries may be held as early as next week.


- CNA/so

Haze in two weeks' time?

By Nazry Bahrawi in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau, TODAY
20 June 2007

Somewhere on an open airstrip in Riau, an airplane is ready to spring into action as a fire-fighting machine. The AT602 plane, used more frequently to spray fertiliser on plantations, can also carry about 2,400 litres of water — enough to help douse fires in the haze-prone region.

But, it hasn't been busy on that front lately. Its owner, pulp and paper manufacturer Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (April), had offered to share the one-seater plane with the Riau authorities to control fires about three months ago. The firm has yet to receive a reply.

"We proposed it in March this year but they (the Riau government) haven't signed it yet. They probably will once the fire starts," said Mr Brad Sanders, head of fire and safety at the Singapore-based April.

And that would be soon — the haze period is slated to start in two weeks' time. Officials from five Asean countries, including Singapore, are in Jambi to hear how Indonesia plans to tackle the problem this year (see box).

Forest fires in parts of Indonesia, such as the Riau and Jambi provinces in Sumatra, are largely the cause of the transboundary haze that had hit Asean in the past few years. Last October, Singapore's haze situation reached unhealthy PSI (Pollutant Standards Index) levels — between 101 to 200.

With two weeks left to the dry season, farmers in Riau are preparing to clear their lands using the inexpensive slash-and-burn method — inevitably leading to forest fires — again.

Last year, the province recorded almost 9,000 hotspots, said Mr Sanders. But only about 2 per cent of these took place within April's plantation areas, which measures more than twice the size of Singapore.

And this is not solely because of their fire-fighting capabilities, which includes another 70 full-time fire-fighters, 20 pick-up trucks, an airboat and a helicopter, said Mr Sanders. This, he believes, is also due to April's active attempts to provide economically viable avenues for locals living in its jurisdiction to steer clear of slash and burn practices.

He said: "We help communities develop small profitable enterprises such as haircut shops and honey production. So, people have other sources of income other than the agrarian-based one. There will be a lesser chance of them resorting to slash and burn."

But there is only so much one company can do.

A large part of the problem in tackling the haze situation boils down to bureaucracy and a lack of political will — at all levels. "In Indonesia, there is really no system in place to respond to all the sources of fire at one time. The problem here is that the people want the fires to burn. They are lighting them on purpose to clear the land. ... It's a conundrum," said Mr Sanders.

He also cited the inefficient use of two fire-fighting airplanes that the Indonesian government leased from Russia late last year: "By the time they (the airplanes) arrived, the rainy season had already started. They spent US$5.2 million ($8 million) and it wasn't used effectively, unfortunately."

Mr Fitrian Ardiansyah, programme director of climate and energy for WWF Indonesia, believes Indonesia's commitment to reduce the number of hotspots by 50 per cent this year is a "big challenge".

He told Today: "Transforming political pledge to action on the ground requires more than just willingness. Infrastructure and coordination to prevent and fight fires need to be under one command. Nowadays, the blame game is still happening among different sectors and levels — that is, between the central and local governments." - TODAY/sh

FINGERS CROSSED IN JAMBI

It has promised to reduce its hotspots by 50 per cent this year.

And today will see Indonesia updating its immediate neighbours of its progress towards achieving this objective.

Representatives from five Asean countries – Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia – are in Jambi to attend the third meeting of the sub-regional steering committee on the transboundary haze pollution.

Singapore's Minister of Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim – leading the Singapore delegation – told reporters last week that he hopes Indonesia can keep their promise.

He also said that Singapore had submitted to Indonesia a haze masterplan that covers fire prevention and suppression, legislation and enforcement as well as regional and international collaboration.

But Indonesian Forestry Minister M S Kaban was quoted by its national news Antara as saying that he had not received the proposal.

Singapore submits haze masterplan to Indonesia

By Foo Siew Shyan, Channel NewsAsia
14 June 2007

SINGAPORE: Singapore has submitted to Indonesia its masterplan on how to help the country fight its haze problem.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said Indonesia has been briefed and he would be going there next week to attend the third Ministerial Committee Meeting on haze.

Various initiatives covered under the masterplan include helping the Jambi province tackle and prevent forest fires.

Dr Yaacob said he hopes Indonesia can implement the masterplan soon.

To get this working, various partners like non-governmental organisations need to come on board.

Also on the agenda is to persuade Indonesia to deliver on its proposed initiatives.

Dr Yaacob said: "For example, in their plan that was announced this year, they will try to cut back on 50 percent of haze site. I hope they can keep to their promise. I think I will also impress upon other ministers to work together with our Indonesian colleagues to make sure that the masterplan gets implemented."


- CNA/so

Rising egg prices mainly due to rise in temperatures

By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia
07 June 2007

SINGAPORE: Egg prices have risen for the second time this week, but industry players say the recent bird flu outbreak in Malaysia's Selangor state is not the main reason.

Each egg now costs one cent more, and suppliers here blame it on the weather.

Rising temperatures have affected the supply of chicken feed, they say, and hens are laying fewer eggs.

All these mean higher costs for suppliers, part of which has been passed down to the consumer.

Eggs now cost between 17 cents and 18 cents each.

Singaporeans consume 3.6 million eggs a day, of which 70 per cent are imported from Malaysia.

But eggs from Selangor take up only six to seven per cent of the local market, so the Eggs Import Association feels the impact of the ban on prices here is not severe.

A bigger worry, it says, would be an outbreak in Malacca, where Singapore gets some 60 per cent of its eggs. - CNA/yy

Thais May Declare Emergency As Haze Blankets North

14 March 2007 (TODAY)

BANGKOK - Thailand may declare an environmental emergency in tourist
hotspot Chiang Mai and two other northern provinces after thick smog
blanketed the region, the country's Environment Minister said yesterday.

Mr Kasem Snidwong Na Ayuttaya said air quality in three provinces was
double the hazardous level due to widespread forest fires and blazes
started by land-clearing farmers. The elderly and children were urged to
stay indoors, with some 5 million people in eight northern provinces
affected by the haze, the health ministry said.

Air quality is measured in micrograms per cubic metre, with 120 considered
hazardous. Measurements of 240 and 290 micrograms per cubic metre have
been recorded in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun, Mr
Kasem said. "If the situation does not get any better, we will have to
invoke emergency law, which will restrict people's activities," he added.

During an environmental emergency, the authorities would be empowered to
evacuate towns and villages, as well as stop farmers from starting fires.
The Cabinet is due to meet soon to decide what measures to take.

Visibility was down to 1km in the north of Chiang Mai province yesterday,
while residents in Chiang Mai city have been wearing masks, with some
reporting health problems.

Chiang Mai province is one of Thailand's top tourist destinations.
"Absolutely, the haze will affect tourism because it happened so
suddenly," said Mr Kajohnwit Boonsom, vice-president of the Chiang Mai
Tourism Business Association. - AFP

Finally, Asean Taking Serious Steps To Stop Haze

Sujadi Siswo
sujadi@mediacorp.com.sg
2 March 2007 (TODAY)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - Environment ministers from the Association of
South-east Asian Nations (Asean) have agreed to clean up their act to stop
haze from neighbouring countries polluting the region.

Singapore's plan to collaborate directly with a province in Jambi, Sumatra
to tackle forest fires has inspired the grouping to focus on such projects
with a view of replicating it in other areas in Indonesia.

Asean Environment Ministers have had regular meetings to discuss ways to
tackle the annual haze sparked by forest fires that has been plaguing the
region for the last 12 years.

Dozens of committees and task forces were formed but very little was
achieved.

Forests, peat lands and plantations in Indonesia continue to be razed,
sending smoke annually into neighbouring Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.

Said Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's Environment Minister: "To put it in
simple words, we need to clean-up our act and get things going.

"First of all, reduce the number of committees and meetings, focus on the
haze agreement, develop the work plan and start implementing things on the
ground."

This renewed sense of urgency has also seen Indonesia coming out with a
plan of action to tackle forest fires in its territories.

Jakarta is confident that its US$150 million-plan ($229 million) can halve
the incidence of forest fires this year.

But there are still obstacles ahead.

Indonesia and the Philippines has yet to ratify the Trans Boundary Haze
Agreement.

The Haze Fund has also not taken off, with most member countries saying
they are still considering making the voluntary contributions.

Indonesia Aims To Cut Forest Fires By Half This Year

1 March 2007
By Sujadi Siswo
TODAY

BRUNEI - The Indonesian government said yesterday it hoped to reduce the
annual incidence of forest fires by half this year.

Mr Rahmat Witoelar, the Indonesian Environment Minister, said that his
country has come out with a multi-million dollar plan to tackle the fires.

However, he added that Indonesia could do with more assistance to tackle
the menace.

"I think it is our primary responsibility that Indonesia has funding of
its own," he told Channel NewsAsia. "But we welcome other sources of
funding, whether it is international or bilateral to supplement what we
need."

He was speaking on the first day of a two-day Association of South-east
Asian Nations environment ministers meeting here.

Indonesia is confident that the comprehensive plan, which includes
reaching out to thousands of farming communities in Sumatra and
Kalimantan, will be able to reduce the forest fires by half, he said.

Singapore will be assisting the Indonesian government by working in Jambi,
Sumatra, to help local authorities tackle the problem at its roots.

Said Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's Water Resources and Environment
Minister: "If we are able to develop the plan and get local ownership
quickly, that means building capacity at the local area, over the long
run we are confident we can reduce the problem.

"In the short term, I think we have to be very realistic, there are gaps
especially in terms of capacity. Funding is a major concern."

Malaysia is considering a similar approach.

The haze was particularly bad last year, prompting the five affected
nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand - to hold a
sub-regional meeting to find a solution.

The choking haze, the result of "slash and burn" activities by farmers and
others in Sumatra and Kalimantan, usually envelops the region around the
third quarter of the year.