Tiger Flashmob hits KL streets

July 30, 2010 : Wildlife activists and the WWF Malaysia staged a flashmob in KL city's shopping and leisure district of Bukit Bintang to campaigning against tiger trade and for the protection of our tigers.



 Check out the video below.






Monyet King says
Although we have the National Tiger Action Plan and the new Wildlife Conservation Act has been passed by the Parliament, a lot lot lot lot lot more work remains to be done.

Why don't you contact WWF and do a bit of voluntary work. Speak to Sara Sukor (Tel : 03-78033772). Also do visit the TX2 website.

39 sites nominated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Thirty-nine properties to be considered for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
Source : UNESCO Heritage Centre, 26 July 2010


Thirty-nine nominations from 33 countries will be considered for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List during the meeting of the World Heritage Committee underway in Brasilia. Three of the countries - Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Tajikistan - have no properties inscribed on the World Heritage List to date.

The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova and Brazil's Minister of Culture João Luiz da Silva Ferreira formally opened the 34th session of the Committee here on the evening of Sunday 25 July. The meeting continues through to 3 August.

In her opening address, Irina Bokova stressed the link between heritage and the world's major development challenges. "I am convinced this Committee can blaze new trails," said the Director-General. "Sites can be testing grounds for innovative protective measures that closely involve communities" and "real laboratories of sustainable development in practice." This is a "message that UNESCO is promoting throughout this International Year of Biodiversity," she said.

The Minister of Culture of Brazil hailed the fact that "heritage is no longer treated in an isolated way" but has become an integral part of national development planning. He also underscored the importance of further improving the representativity of the world's myriad cultures on the World Heritage List.

The 39 nominations submitted this year include 8 natural, 29 cultural and 2 mixed (i.e. both natural and cultural) properties, as well as 9 extensions to properties already listed (see list below).

The Committee will also review the state of conservation of 147 World Heritage properties, including the 31 sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger and another 36 that are causing serious concern. The In Danger List features sites which are threatened by a variety of problems such as pollution, urban development, poorly managed mass tourism, wars and natural disasters, which have a negative impact on the outstanding values for which the sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The World Heritage Committee, responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, comprises representatives of 21 countries, elected by the States Parties for four years. Each year, the Committee adds new sites to the List. The sites are proposed by the States Parties. Applications are then reviewed by two advisory bodies: cultural sites by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and natural sites by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which inform the Committee of their recommendations. The International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ICCROM) provides expert advice on conservation and training in restoration techniques.

The World Heritage Committee also examines reports on the state of conservation of inscribed sites and asks States Parties to take appropriate conservation and preservation measures when necessary. The Committee supervises the disbursement of over $4 million annually from the World Heritage Fund, aimed, among other purposes, at emergency action, training of experts and encouraging technical cooperation. UNESCO's World Heritage Centre is the Secretariat of the World Heritage Committee.

To date, the World Heritage List recognizes 890 properties of "outstanding universal value," including 689 cultural, 176 natural and 25 mixed properties in 148 States Parties.

Natural properties submitted for inscription to the World Heritage List:
• Pirin National Park (extension, Bulgaria)
• Danxia (China)
• Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island (France)
• Phoenix Islands Protected Area (Kiribati)
• Dinosaur Ichnites of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal / Spain)
• Putorana Plateau (Russian Federation)
• Monte San Giorgio (extension of "Monte San Giorgio", Switzerland, Italy)
• Tajik National Park, Mountains of the Pamirs (Tajikistan)

Cultural properties submitted for inscription to the World Heritage List:
• Australian Convict Sites (Australia)
• City of Graz - Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg (extension of the "City of Graz - Historic Centre", Austria)
• Major Mining Sites of Wallonia (Belgium)
• São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão (Brazil)
• Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in "The Centre of Heaven and Earth" (Originally "Historic monuments of Mount Songshan") (China)
• Konso Cultural Landscape (Ethiopia)
• Episcopal City of Albi (France)
• Upper Harz Water Management System (extension of "Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of Goslar") (Germany)
• The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (India)
• Matheran Light Railway (extension of the "Mountain Railways of India") (India)
• Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (Islamic Republic of Iran)
• Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (Islamic Republic of Iran)
• The Triple-arch Gate at Dan (Israel)
• Fort Jesus, Mombasa (Kenya)
• Bikini Atoll, nuclear tests site (Marshall Islands)
• Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Mexico)
• Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the Central Valley of Oaxaca (Mexico)
• Seventeenth-century canal ring area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht (Netherlands)
• Røros Mining Town and the Circumference (extension of "Røros Mining Town") (Norway)
• Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong (Republic of Korea)
• Church of the Resurrection of Suceviţa Monastery (extension of the "Churches of Moldavia") (Romania)
• At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah (Saudi Arabia)
• Palaeolithic Rock Art Ensemble in Siega Verde (extension of "Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley"), (Portugal, Spain)
• The Mercury and Silver Binomial. Almadén and Idrija with San Luis Potosí (Spain / Mexico /Slovenia)
• Sarazm (Tajikistan)
• Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral with Related Monastic Buildings, St. Cyril's and St. Andrew's Churches, Kiev Pechersk Lavra (extension of "Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kiev Pechersk Lavra"), (Ukraine)
• Darwin's Landscape Laboratory (United Kingdom)
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area (re-nomination under additional criteria), (United Republic of Tanzania)
• Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi (Viet Nam).


Mixed properties submitted for inscription to the World Heritage List:
• Central Highlands of Sri Lanka: its Cultural and Natural Heritage ( Sri Lanka)
• Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawaii (United States of America)


Monyet King says
1. There are 890 World Heritage Site. How many have you been to ?

2. Malaysia now has three World Heritage Sites
• Gunung Mulu National Park
• Kinabalu Park
• Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

I think my grandmother’s banana plantation qualifies as one.

and the 2010 Goldman Prize winners are ......

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The Goldman Environmental Prize is the Nobel Prize for the environmental sector. It was established in 1990 by philanthropist Richard N. Goldman and his wife, Rhoda H. Goldman. The Goldman Prize honors grassroots environmentalists from the six regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The Prize recognizes individuals for sustained and significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment, often at great personal risk. The Goldman Prize views “grassroots” leaders as those involved in local efforts, where positive change is created through community or citizen participation in the issues that affect them. The financial reward is a modest $150,000 but international recognition and worldwide visibility is substantial.



The winners for 2010 are (the winners were actually announced in April but the Monyet King has been tardy in posting) :


Africa - Thuli Brilliance Makama

After a grueling three-year legal battle, Swaziland’s only public interest environmental attorney, Thuli Brilliance Makama, won a landmark case to include environmental NGO representation in the Swaziland Environment Authority, reinforcing the right to public participation in environmental decision making. Makama’s success in challenging malpractices in environmental management is a huge step forward in the struggle to include local people in conservation efforts in Swaziland.


Europe - Małgorzata Górska

Małgorzata Górska’s leadership in the fight to stop a controversial highway project led to a significant legal precedent for the environment that resulted in the protection of Poland’s Rospuda Valley, one of Europe’s last true wilderness areas. The Polish courts found that the project violated national laws and thus should not continue as planned. The pressure from both civil society and the EU garnered by Górska’s advocacy finally paid off. In March 2009, the Polish government announced it would not build the Via Baltica Expressway through the Rospuda Valley.

Following this monumental achievement, Górska continued the campaign to halt construction of the expressway through other protected sites: the Knyszyn Primeval Forest, the Biebrza Marshes and the Augustów Primeval Forest. Developers initially ignored strategic assessments that recommended viable, less damaging alternatives for the Via Baltica Expressway. However, on October 20, 2009, the Polish government agreed to reroute the whole controversial section of the expressway, effectively sparing these critical natural areas from destruction.


Islands and Island Nations - Humberto Ríos Labrada

Humberto Ríos Labrada, a scientist and biodiversity researcher, worked with farmers to increase crop diversity and develop low-input agricultural systems, encouraging Cuba’s shift from agricultural chemical dependence toward sustainability. As coordinator of the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences’s Program for Local Agricultural Innovation (PIAL), Ríos now focuses his time on developing Cuba’s sustainable agriculture sector and has engaged in similar farmer-led biodiversity projects throughout Mexico. He often uses his music as a means to engage communities in biodiversity, performing songs that celebrate sustainable agriculture. Recently, the government has called on Cubans to increase their food production throughout the country as a means for economic revitalization. Ríos sees this as an opportunity to further expand his work.


North America - Lynn Henning

Family farmer and activist Lynn Henning exposed the egregious polluting practices of livestock factory farms in rural Michigan, gaining the attention of the federal EPA and prompting state regulators to issue hundreds of citations for water quality violations. Lynn Henning has emerged as a leading voice calling on state and federal authorities to hold livestock factory farms accountable to water and air quality laws. Henning and her concerned neighbors formed Environmentally Concerned Citizens of South Central Michigan (ECCSCM), and they began organizing to bring the CAFOs to justice. Henning and ECCSCM developed a body of data on CAFO operations beyond that of Michigan’s own regulatory agencies. She brought her data and tools to state regulators to encourage them to take stronger enforcement action, sharing her monitoring techniques and aerial documentation. As a result, the authorities levied hundreds of citations against Michigan CAFOs for environmental violations. Henning regularly travels to assist other communities across the country that are challenging CAFOs. Region 5 of the EPA, which serves several Midwestern states, has incorporated some of Henning’s techniques into its own CAFO investigations.


South and Central America - Randall Arauz

Drawing international attention to the inhumane and environmentally catastrophic shark finning industry, Randall Arauz led the campaign to halt the practice in Costa Rica, making his country the international model for shark protection. Arauz, a conservationist who founded the Association for the Restoration of Sea Turtles (PRETOMA) in 1997, has emerged as one of the world’s leading voices working to ban shark finning. As a turtle biologist and conservationist, he worked with the shrimp industry in Costa Rica to reduce the sea turtle casualties associated with trawling. Since the UN recommendation was issued, Arauz has represented Costa Rica at several UN meetings and has called for a complete ban on shark finning. In 2007, he participated in a UN Convention of Migratory Species meeting as an official Costa Rican delegate and was instrumental in the election of Costa Rica as a member of a five-country commission tasked with drafting language for international cooperation for the protection of sharks.


Asia - Tuy Sereivathana

Tuy Sereivathana aka Uncle Elephant introduced innovative low-cost solutions to mitigate human-elephant conflict in Cambodia, empowering local communities to cooperatively participate in endangered Asian elephant conservation. As a ranger with Cambodia’s national parks, Tuy worked throughout the country, connecting with rural communities and learning more about elephant migration and ecosystems. Tuy developed his community-based model, spending time with the farmers in their fields and building their trust. More importantly, he fostered cooperation among the farmers to work together as a community, encouraging them to organize overnight guard groups to protect the fields. Tuy was also able to revive in the communities the national and religious pride attached to the Asian elephant, as many Cambodians revere elephants as sacred Buddhist symbols. Because Tuy understood the dynamics of this environmental problem, he was able to develop simple, effective strategies and practical solutions at the grassroots level.


Since his work began, Tuy has seen significant success. At the start of the decade, elephant killings due to crop raids were not uncommon. As a result of Tuy’s involvement with the project, there has not been a single confirmed elephant death due to human-elephant conflict since 2005. As elephant populations throughout Asia continue to decline, Tuy’s program has brought hope to local communities and bettered the prospects of endangered Asian elephants in Cambodia. Tuy’s model is now being used in neighboring communities and is being considered in other countries with human-elephant conflicts such as Vietnam and Indonesia.





Monyet King says BRAAAAVO to all the winners.

Read my story about the 2009 winners here and here.


Note : All photos form Goldman Environmental Prize website


Monyet King also says
1. The only Malaysian to have won the Goldman Prize is Harrison Ngau Laing. Harrison won the prize in 1990 for his work championing the cause of the indigenous people of Sarawak.

2. I am still thinking of starting a “Planet of the Monyet” award. The award will recognize Malaysians who exhibit the most monyet-like behaviour, appearance or mentality. The grand prize will be a year supply of high-grade pisang rastali. I already have a long list of potential winners. Nominations are welcome.

Exorcising the Devil - the Malaysian way

I did my PhD at the University of Manchester. Sat for (and passed) my viva on 12 May 1997 and flew back to Malaysia 3 days later (and never been back to UK since).

I am not a hard-core fan of Manchester United aka Red Devils (in fact I think English football sucks).  However I did go to Old Trafford to watch a ManU game in 1997 – it was a lot of fun, especially looking what how passionate the fans (peminat, bukan kipas) were. Nowadays. I irregularly keep up with the happenings at the English Premier League, particularly ManU’s performance. This is useful in the social context because given that there are probably hundreds of thousands of Red Devil fans in Malaysia, I can appear fairly intelligent when football creeps up in any conversation.

It therefore came as a surprise (on hindsight, it should not have been a surprise) when recently some religious mullahs took offence to the “Devil” and said Malaysian Muslim should not wear Red Devil’s jersey as this implies that they worship the Devil or Satan and their faith will be affected. Read the stories here, here, here and here. The mullahs also said that people should not wear Brazil, Portugal, Serbia, Barcelona and Norway t-shirts as they had crosses on them. [Note : MK thinks they are complete nuts. Malaysian have been wearing these jerseys for donkeys of years with no ill effect].

Quoting Marina Mahathir “But honestly, are we such a weak people that the wearing of a t-shirt would shake our faith? God must be laughing. Has Saudi Arabia, for many the 'beacon' of Islam, banned any of these t-shirts? Aren't the Arabs trying to buy a football team or two?”

Anyway, I, the Monyet King (MK), thought I should do something to help my countrymen sort out this mess. Using my Manchester connections, I tried to convince Sir Alex Ferguson (AF), to do something. The conversation went on something like this :

MK: Sir Ferguson, some mullahs in my country think that wearing ManU’s jersey will affect the faith of our people. You know, there is “Devil” on your jersey and the Devil is a good friend of the Satan. Devil and Satan are not very good people and they influence Malaysians to do bad things.

AF : (fuming)… you freakin’ morons.

MK : Sir Ferguson, please… this is no joking matter. Not one, not two.. but many mullahs have said this. Wearing ManU’s jersey is equivalent to worshipping the Devil

AF : (fuming)… you freakin’ morons.

MK : Sir Ferguson, please try to understand our predicament. Although Malaysians have been wearing your jerseys since time memorial with no ill effect, there is always a possibility that the Devil in your tshirt could one day turn my countrymen to the Dark Side.

AF : (fuming)… you freakin’ morons.

The rest of the conversation was too explicit to be reproduced here. But suffice to say that I managed to convince Sir Alex Ferguson to do something to help the poor Malaysians whose faiths stand to be affected.

The GOOD NEWS. Effective August 2010, the Red Devils will be called the Red Monyets. The new logo will look like this.

Red Monyets forever !!
Graphics by Monyet 1 @ Jay

Monyet King says

1. People say that these things do not concern  you ..you should stay out . I say nonsense. It concerns me. Anything that makes Malaysians look stupid concerns me. Anything that gives Malaysia a bad name concerns me. These things concern  me.

2. Following the mullahs' theory, may be I should stop flying Air Asia. Some of their planes carry the ManU emblem and I am afraid that my faith may be affected. I could enter the plane as a pious man and come out as a Devil worshiper. Sounds frightening.

Monyet Kings now has a new worry

Some crackpot is going to say that wearing a jersey with a monkey on it is tantamount to believing in Darwinian evolution.

Monyet King has a football joke

Effective this month, all matches involving Liverpool will only be shown on adult/porn TV channels. Apparently, the sight of 11 assholes being hammered for 90 minutes is too explicit for normal TV channels.

What some people were saying today .......

I scratch your back, you give me a sand-mining contract.

Don't blame me. Saiful is the one who taught me to do this


Harga gula dah naik, harga minyak dah naik, harga pisang pun nak naik. Apa la nak jadi dengan nasib kita?

Ohh.... not another Idris Jala's lab. Borrrrrrrring.

Mainstream newspapers are full of s&%$ .... so I am now into the alternative media

Oi... I am the Chief Minister, you are only a civil servant. You better listen to me.

As a responsible politician, I take good care of my constituents.

I am embarrased. Can someone ask Rosmah to stop singing ?

Please...please...please ... can I also get a piece of that project.

Apa pandang-pandang ? You think yours is bigger than mine ? I need a whole big leaf to cover it.

How I wish Pak Lah was back as the PM

Have a good weekend, folks

All photos by Sathya
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Hotter than hell, again.

June, April to June, and Year-to-Date Global Temperatures are Warmest on Record

US NOAA, July 15, 2010

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Department of Commerce, last month’s combined global land and ocean surface temperature made it the warmest June on record and the warmest on record averaged for any April-June and January-June periods. Worldwide average land surface temperature was the warmest on record for June and the April-June period, and the second warmest on record for the year-to-date (January-June) period, behind 2007.

The analysis was made by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center based on records going back to 1880.

The highlights of the findings are : 

Global Temperature Highlights – June

1. The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for June 2010 was the warmest on record at 61.1°F (16.2°C), which is 1.22°F (0.68°C) above the 20th century average of 59.9°F (15.5°C).

2. The global June land surface temperature was 1.93°F (1.07°C) above the 20th century average of 55.9 °F (13.3°C) — the warmest on record.

3. The worldwide ocean surface temperature was 0.97°F (0.54°C) above the 20th century average of 61.5°F (16.4°C), which was the fourth warmest June on record. The warmth was most pronounced in the Atlantic Ocean.

4. Sea surface temperature continued to decrease across the equatorial Pacific Ocean during June 2010, consistent with the end of El Niño. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, La Niña conditions are likely to develop during the northern hemisphere summer 2010.

April – June 2010 and Year-to-Date

1. The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for April-June 2010 was 1.26°F (0.70°C) above the 20th century average—the warmest April-June period on record.

2. For the year-to-date, the global combined land and ocean surface temperature of 57.5°F (14.2°C) was the warmest January-June period. This value is 1.22°F (0.68°C) above the 20th century average.

Polar Sea Ice

1. Arctic sea ice covered an average of 4.2 million square miles (10.9 million square kilometers) during June. This is 10.6 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent and the lowest June extent since records began in 1979. This was also the 19th consecutive June with below-average Arctic sea ice extent.

2. Antarctic sea ice extent in June was above average, 8.3 percent above the 1979-2000 average—resulting in the largest June extent on record.

Monyet King says

This explains the erratic behaviour of many parliamentarians over the past few months. Their brains have been fried.

Still studying nuke option

A report in the NST 20 July 2010

THE government will only make a final decision on nuclear power after studying the findings of the Nuclear Power Infrastructure Development Plan scheduled for completion in 2013.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said the ministry would also conduct a study on the country's readiness and ability to go nuclear with the cooperation of the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and related agencies (which is quite different from his earlier statement saying that the Government has agreed to set up a nuclear plant)

"Among aspects to be looked into include human resource development, legal and regulatory matters, identifying locations, and technological and industrial development," he said in response to Senator Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar at the Dewan Negara yesterday.

Human resources development includes producing nuclear scientists and technologists, he added.

"We have the human resource capacity but the number and capacity must be increased to support the implementation of the nuclear power development programme."

Chin also said a study commissioned to identify suitable locations for nuclear reactors would take into account population density, environment, hydrology, seismic structure, tectonic conditions and geography.

"If the government goes ahead with the nuclear option, safety will be its main feature with all international regulations and standards adopted and strictly observed." -- Bernama



Monyet King says
Read my earlier entries


Should we go nuclear ?
http://planetofthemonyets.blogspot.com/2010/05/should-we-go-nuclear.html


Are we ready for nuclear energy
http://planetofthemonyets.blogspot.com/2010/04/are-we-ready-for-nuclear-energy.html


I am neither a proponent nor an opponent of nuclear energy. Each type of energy has its own advantages and disadvantages and risk factors. We need to investigate all options.

41 years ago - something really special happened

41 years ago, the lunar module Eagle (of the Apollo 11 mission) carrying Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the surface of the Moon (at 20:17 GMT July 20, 1969). Armstrong set foot on the Moon's surface six and a half hours after landing (so he actually set foot on the moon on 2:56 GMT 21 July 1969). In my mind, this is definitely one of mankind’s greatest scientific / technological achievements. Whether you love them or hate them, the Americans whoooped everyone else and landed on the moon first. Come to think of it, it is amazing that they had this technological capability 41 years ago. Read my entry last year in conjunction with the 40 years anniversary of the moon landing.

Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin

I am feeling sick... helllooo, people have gone to the moon and back, the Americans have set their eyes on Mars now, the Japanese recently reached an asteroid and took samples, the Koreans are launching soon, the Chinese have already sent a taikonaut to space.....

WHAT THE #$%&#** ARE WE DOING ???

41 years later – what are we Malaysians doing ? Getting excited over little things. Here are some headings in our newspapers over the past week.

STAR and NST
Many Malaysian men suffer from premature ejaculation
Police wants other outfits to stop using their colors
Govt has never concealed from public that imported Indian beef is buffalo meat
Nek Wook wants a baby
Two Persian cats die in apartment blaze
Row over dual mahjong licence
Ethics code for vehicle repossessors
Stop picking on Umno if serious about Malay unity talks

Utusan
Mat Taib merajuk
Orang Melayu hilang kuasa di PRU13 ?
Suami kahwin lain, isteri diburu Ah Long
Karpal cuti sakit, bicara liwat mungkin tangguh lagi


Tamil papers (translation)
Samy should stay
Samy should go
Samy should stay
Samy should go
Samy should stay
Samy should go

So, when do you think a Malaysian designed and built spacecraft will go to the moon ?




Monyet King says
Planet of the Monyets is now calling for volunteers to participate in POMJOM 1. No cats, please.

Buah pisang, warisan kita

Sometimes we tend to forget things. Often little things. Little things, that are actually part of us, our culture, our heritage, our history. For example, the way  Local Councils  change the names of our streets - all too eager to erase  the past. For example, many aspects of our history are conveniently forgotten and excluded from school textbooks. For example, many perfectly good terms and words in Bahasa Malaysia are substituted with pseudo-English words. Our teh tarik and dodol  are being replaced by frapuccinos and cheesecakes. We eat and import more and more exotic fruits at the expense of our  kampung fruits (many of which are going extinct).
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In our eagerness to move forward, we sometimes fall backwards. In that process, we lose a bit of ourselves, a bit of our soul, a bit of our country. 
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Next time you eat a banana, remember. It is also our heritage.

Monyet King says
If you can't figure out what I am trying to say, it is alright. I don't understand it myself.




BTW, this is how you should really eat a banana. With respect.

Monkey business in the Malaysian Parliament

Planet of the Monyets now has a new competitor. The Malaysian Parliament.

While the monyets and Monyet King are thrilled that our elected representatives have spent a significant amount of time in the Parliament debating about us, we guess the general public must be horrified that our parliamentarians chose to indulge in monkey business rather than engaging in more meaningful debates.


This is the report by Husna Yusop and Hemananthani Sivanandam published in the SUN, 14 July 2010. My comments in red.


KUALA LUMPUR (July 13, 2010): THE house was entertained by stories of wild animals today during the two-hour long winding-up of the Wildlife Conservation Bill 2010 by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas.

Although the bill had been debated by the MPs yesterday, they still intercepted Douglas’ speech and came up with questions on endangered species, including giant lizards, swiftlets, elephants, tigers, gaurs and monkeys. (swiftlets are endangered ??)

The MPs were also tickled when Datuk Bung Moktar (BN-Kinabatangan) made a suggestion for research to be conducted on the octopus, saying perhaps Malaysians can make money from octopus breeding. (someone should conduct research on marriage protocols so that Bung does not screw up the next time he marries)

Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri (Ind-Bagan Serai) talked about the antics of the primates who repeatedly destroy the people’s crops and fruits despite attempts to catch them.

"I’ve tried so many ways to get back at them but was not successful. At one point, I cut out long strips of rubber from old tyres and painted them with stripes to resemble snakes but the monkeys were not even deterred. I repainted the rubber strips with green and yellow stripes but they were not afraid either," he said. (this guy is a genius – candidate for our next angkasawan)

Datuk Muhammad Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) pointed out it is not the primates’ fault that they invaded the plantations and destroyed the plants because human beings have taken over the animals’ hunting ground. (finally someone talked sense)

"We have ill-treated them just because they want to look for food. Maybe there is a way for us to catch them and leave them at a place far away from human habitation," he said. (but not for long)

He related stories about monkeys in Thailand that were caught, have their heads sliced open and their brains eaten while they are alive because of some superstitious beliefs that the brains are an aphrodisiac.

Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Ind-Pasir Mas) had the house in stitches when he suggested that wild animals be tamed and used as tourist attractions (better still, recruit them into Perkasa).

"Does the government have any plans to tame the wild animals? Maybe we can train them to play football and it can be a major tourist draw. Who knows, we can have a Beruk Kelantan team versus Beruk Selangor team at the Bukit Jalil Stadium," he said, to roars of laughter. (how about a match between katak Kelantan and katak Perak ??)

A mischievous Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) quipped that Ibrahim can be their trainer. (Ibrahim Ali is actually their leader)

Douglas said human-primate conflict is a serious issue, which is difficult to control because of its large fast-growing population and widespread location.

As of July 2007, there were 740,000 monkeys in the country, he said. Humane ways are used to cull the large number of monkeys, such as trapping them and relocating them in areas away from humans. "We are looking at setting up a monkey sanctuary. Since we have more than 1,000 islands, we are considering to relocate the primates there," he said (I hope someone thinks through these methods carefully)

Welcoming the suggestion, Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan) said the government cannot simply kill off the animals as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were keeping a close eye on the methods used. (what … if the NGOs were not looking, we can simply kill them off ??)

"We recently had discussions to obtain feedback on tackling this problem and we found that they (the animals ??) want us to cull in a more humane way," he said.

"Previously, there was a proposal to catch the monkeys and export them but a lot of international NGOs were against (the proposal). We realised if we insist, it will affect the country’s image, so we decided to drop it." (bodoh, bangang & bahlul)

After listening to all the monkey talk, Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar suggested that Douglas convene a session with the MPs to talk more about monkeys. (Planet of the Monyets is more than willing to host the session. Free bananas for everyone)


p.s. A new committee was formed after this article was published

The Parliamentary Select Committee on the Proper Conduct on Members of the House. Waiting for the first meeting to start. The chairman apparently has gone missing.

Parliament passes the Wildlife Conservation Act

The Wildlife Conservation Act was passed in the Parliament today. Hooo hooooooooooo. The new bill definitely has more bite than the old Wildlife Protection Act. The penalties are stiffer and the Department of Wildlife and Naitonal Parks (DWNP) will have more powers. The easy part is now done.

Questions abound :

(a) Is the DWNP getting more officers ? Otherwise who is going to enforce the new provisions in the Act ? Perkasa ?

(b) It is a open secret that there is corruption in the "wildlife industry". The new Act does not really address this, does it ?

(c) In the past, many wildlife-related violations have gone unpunished. Can we expect to see changes ?

(d) I have been for so many inter-agency and stakeholder meetings for various wildlife and biodiversity related matters. The representatives from the DWNP are usually the quiet timid folks who often sit quietly and rarely assert themselves. In the process, wildlife always does not get the attention it deserves. Without substantially building the capacity of the DWNP, I worry that the new law don't help very much.

(e) Can we expect to see better regulation of the many zoos in this country  ?


Yes, today we can celebrate the passing of the new Wildlife Conservation Act. In the midst of celebrating, we must not forget that many things are still broken in the "wildlife industry" and need major repairs. I leave you with the this video as a reminder.






Monyet King also says
If you read the new Act carefully, clause 7.1.3 clause 2(b) part 3 says that the monyet is now officially the King of the Jungle.

Trek to the Everest Base Camp 2011

My wife and I and a few friends are planning to trek to the Everest Base Camp (5360m a.m.s.l.) April-May next year. All of you are invited to join the trip. Just send me an email if you are interested. I would like to limit the group to a maximum of 8 persons. April/May offers the best weather for the trek to the base camp.

Mount Everest seen from the Base Camp

The base camp (called the South Base Camp) is located in Nepal. There is another base camp, called the North Base Camp, which is in Tibet (since we are not buddies with the Dalai Lama, we are going to the one in Nepal). The base camp is simply a basic campsite that is used by mountain climbers during their ascent and descent to the summit of Mount Everest. The base camp separates the boys from the men. Only the hardcore climbers hike past the base camp. [Note : the base camp is only a pile of ice-cold rocks – there is no pintu gerbang to indicate that you have “arrived”].

The trek to the base camp is a non-technical climb. What this means is that you can hike to the base camp without having to use any fancy climbing gear. Just like Gunung Kinabalu – but more challenging (but more rewarding as well, I guess).

How do we go there ? First of all, we need to go to the airport and catch a plane to Katmandu, Nepal. From Katmandu, we need to take a 30-minute flight to Lukla (2680m), a small town in the Himalayas. From Lukla, we walk to the base camp – a total distance of 48 km – which should take us about 8 – 10 days. Along the way, we will pass by and stay at several villages including Namchee Bazaar (3440m which is considered as the Sherpa heartland), Tengboche (3870m), Periche (4240m), Lobuche (4930m) and Gorak Shep (5160m). Gorak Shep is the last post before the base camp. The return journey should be shorter.

NamChe Bazaar

The complete trip Katmandu – base camp – Katmandu will take between 18 – 21 days, depending on the weather and the ability of the trekkers to acclimatise to the high altitude, etc.

I have been thinking about this trip for the past two years – and I keep thinking about it everytime I reach the peak of Mount Kinabalu. Over the past two months, I have been thinking about it even more. Two weeks ago, I chatted with Razim Faris, our company’s travel agent who was part of the Malaysian Everest expedition two years ago (as a support climber, he spent three weeks at the base camp). According to him, he thoroughly enjoyed the trip and said “it was a life-changing experience” – and he highly recommends the trip to anyone who is reasonably fit [p.s. at the first glance, Razim does not look very fit himself].

The question everyone asks – how fit do you have to be ?. There are two aspects to this. First, is the fitter you are, the easier the climb. If you can hike about 8 – 10 km in a day, I think that should be sufficient [note : at Kinabalu, most people cover the 6 km from foothill to Laban Rata in about 6 hours]. The second aspect which is more complicated is the ability to adopt to the high altitude with low oxygen levels. High level of fitness is not a good indicator of ability to acclimatise. The only way to do it is to trek slowly and take adequate rest along the way. The 18 – 21 days needed to complete the trip include a few days of rest to acclimatise to the altitude.

Altitude sickness is common problem that affect almost all climbers. Apparently older people acclimatize better than the young ones. There are obviously other health risks as well (slow blindness, getting kicked by a yak, etc). Apparently the yaks do hurt a lot of people who get into their way.

I am a yak. Don't mess with me.

Another common question is how much does it cost. According to Razim, it should cost about RM 8000 per person from Katmandu. This includes domestic airfare, food & accomodation (20 days), guide, porters (and yak charges) and entrance fees.

There is obviously plenty of logistics to sort out but most of them can be easily handled as there are numerous tour companies in Katmandu. Guides, porters, yaks, satellite phone, tents, food, shelter, water - all can be organized at Katmandu or Lukla. I will be using my travel agent who also handled the previous Malaysian expedition to the Everest summit.

If you are interested to learn more about the trek, the following are blogs/reports of people who have been there before.
 


http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Himalayas/blog-464106.html

http://fv2009.com/2009/07/16/everest-base-camp-trek-a-view-of-the-top-of-the-world/

http://blog.ghac.in/2009/09/everest-base-camp-trek-june-2009.html

http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/43387/Everest-Base-Camp-Trek-Day-1-67

http://www.alanarnette.com/alan/ebcfaq.php

You can also read about it at wikipedia.


So, let me know if you are interested. There is still plenty of planning to be done and 8 – 9 months to get fit.


Note : All photos from wikipedia


Monyet King also says
1. There are no monyets along the way to the base camp. According to unsubstantiated local sources, the yaks don't like monyets.

2. If you make it to the base camp, the Monyet King will grant you PKMY which carries the title Batuk. (PKMY = Pingat Keberanian Monyet dan Yak)