SDSWR2017: Media Coverage

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) held our 4th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources on 6 April 2017 at the St. Regis Singapore, on the theme of “Inclusive Collaboration: Working Together for Sustainable Value Chains”. We shared some of the media coverage last week, on South Sumatra Governor H.E. Alex Noerdin’s pledge that there will be no haze from his province, and the SIIA’s plans to release a report on green finance in collaboration with the UN Environment Inquiry and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Here’s more coverage of the dialogue, including Bahasa Indonesia and Chinese media.

Singapore lauds Indonesia`s efforts in handling forest fires

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Singapore (ANTARA News) – Countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are contributing to achieving a smoke-free zone by 2020, and Indonesia has taken countermeasures to handle land and forest fires in several hotspots during 2016.

“Indonesia has taken positive steps in addressing several hotspots during the past year. In 2016, there were hundreds of hotspots. This number decreased as compared to that in 2015 during which the number of hotspots had reached several thousand,” Singaporean Minister of Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli stated at the 4th Singapore Dialogue for a Sustainable World Resources in Singapore on Thursday (Apr 6).

Full Article: ‘Singapore lauds Indonesia’s efforts in handling forest fires’ [Antara News, 7 April 2017]

‘Singapore lauds Indonesia’s efforts in handling forest fires’ [Tempo.co, 8 April 2017]

‘Singapore lauds Indonesia’s efforts in handling forest fires’ [Sustainable Management of Peatland Forests in Southeast Asia, 8 April 2017]

Malaysia prefers to use diplomacy to fight haze-causing fires

By Andrea Soh

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MALAYSIA has decided that diplomacy is a better option than enacting a law similar to Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act after observing the city-state’s experience.

The country had in 2015 said it was studying the possibility of also introducing a law to punish companies responsible for haze-causing fires in Indonesia. But Singapore’s experience has prompted Malaysia to reconsider whether to press ahead with it, said Malaysia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar.

“If you look at the experience Singapore has… the implementation of the law is not as simple as we consider it to be, because you need the person to be in Singapore before you can take action,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 4th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources.

Full Article: ‘Malaysia prefers to use diplomacy to fight haze-causing fires’ [The Business Times, 7 April 2017]

100 pct SFM certification in Permanent Reserve Forests by 2025

By Peter Sibon

KUCHING: Malaysia has set a target of 100 per cent forest certification for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in Permanent Reserve Forests by 2025 through its various initiatives such as Goal 2, Target 4 of the National Policy on Biological Biodiversity (2016-2025).

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, in revealing this, said Malaysia was among the top-notch countries in the world practising SFM management.

“On top of that, Malaysia is recognised as one of 12 mega diverse countries in the world, and blessed with vast areas of natural ecosystems. With this natural heritage interlinked with our rich cultural diversity, Malaysia believes that eco-tourism is one of sectors that has enormous potential for a new economy and wealth-creation,” Wan Junaidi said in at the recent ‘4th Singapore Dialogues for Sustainable World Resources 2017’ organised by Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA).

Full Article: ‘100 pct SFM certification in Permanent Reserve Forests by 2025’ [The Borneo Post, 9 April 2017]

Has the conversation about palm oil moved from environment to people?

By Hannah Koh

The debate surrounding the palm oil sector’s sustainability is moving from the environment to focusing on social issues, say industry practitioners at a conference in Singapore last week.

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Rashyid Redza Anwarudin, vice-president and head of sustainability reporting and social performance at Malaysian plantation owner and palm oil giant Sime Darby commented: “What we’ve seen in the last three years is a shift from an interest in the palm oil sector’s environmental issues to social issues. There is more interest in how Sime Darby is performing in human rights, sexual harassment and management of foreign workers.”

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Noting a similar increase in pressure over social and labour issues, Wilmar International’s general manager – group sustainability, Perpetua George, credited it to the progress made in environmental conservation.

She said that while deforestation was a relatively well understood issue, labour exploitation was “undefined” by comparison.

Full Article: Has the conversation about palm oil moved from environment to people? [Eco-Business, 12 April 2017]

Other Coverage (No online version available)

‘Malaysia Works on Guidelines for Bauxite Industry, Minister Says’ [Bloomberg, 7 April 2017]

BBC World News segment [BBC News, 7 April 2017]

Bahasa Indonesia Coverage

‘Alex Noerdin jadi pembicara kunci di The 4^th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resource’ [Indopos, 6 April 2017]

‘Bicara di Singapura, Alex Noerdin dijuluki “The no fire governor”’ [Kompas, 6 April 2017]

‘Singapura juluki gubernur ini “The no fire governor”’ [Tribun Medan (Source: Kompas), 6 April 2017]

‘Singapura tak lagi menyebut Alex Noerdin sebagai gubernur asap’ [Republika, 6 April 2017]

‘Gubernur Sumsel Alex Noerdin dijuluki “The no fire governor’” [Tribun Sumsel, 7 April 2017]

‘Dijuluki “The no fire governor”’ [Sumeks, 7 April 2017]