Malaysia to launch long-delayed biofuel mandate in 2011

(Reuters) - Malaysia has asked petroleum companies to bear the extra cost of selling diesel blended with palm oil from June next year to kickstart sales of the green fuel after a four-year delay.

The world's No.2 palm oil producer has struggled to implement a mandate to push the blended fuel and support the palm industry first introduced in 2007 as the government was reluctant to subsidize biofuel blends to match diesel prices at the pump.

Commodities minister Bernard Dompok said on Wednesday that the green fuel, a blend of five percent palm and 95 percent diesel petroleum, will be introduced in stages in the central states on the mainland.

"The (biofuels mandate implementation) will support palm oil prices and will enable planters especially the smallholders to reap economic benefits," Dompok said in a statement.

Eventually, the mandate will be extended to other Malaysian state and will take up half a million tons of the Southeast Asian country's total annual crude palm oil production but no timeframe was given.

Traders said the announcement briefly supported Malaysian crude palm oil futures before market players turned their focus to lower crude oil and soyoil markets.

"The government has been flip-flopping over this issue. It gives a good support base for the market but it remains to be seen if it will actually be implemented," a trader with a local brokerage said.

Dompok said the government will bear the cost of developing six petroleum depots with blending facilities at a cost of 43.1 million ringgit ($13 million).

Petroleum companies including state oil firm Petronas as well as oil majors like Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil and Caltex will have to subsidize palm-based biofuel blends at the pump, he said.

Petroleum diesel retails at 1.70 ringgit ($0.498) a liter, a price that is regulated by the government and among the lowest in Asia. Any increase in petroleum prices is politically sensitive.

Local biofuel manufacturers say blending 5 percent palm biofuel into diesel increased prices by 0.02 to 0.06 Malaysian ringgit a liter over petroleum diesel.

Dompok said Malaysia has approved 56 licenses for biofuel production, for total capacity of 6.8 million tons.

In 2009, Malaysia produced 227,457 tons of palm based biofuels that garnered export earnings of 604 million ringgit ($182 million).

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S'pore, M'sia make progress in efforts to improve links and connectivity

SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia have made progress in several areas to promote links and improve connectivity.

These were highlighted at the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) meeting for Iskandar Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Malaysia's Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Singapore's National Development Minister, Mr Mah Bow Tan.

Also present were the Chief Minister of Johor, Mr Abdul Ghani Othman and Singapore Minister for Transport, Mr Raymond Lim.

The JMC reviewed the progress achieved so far by the joint Work Groups on Transportation, Immigration, Tourism, Environment and the Iconic Project.

The JMC has made significant progress in terms of enhancing connectivity between Iskandar Malaysia and Singapore.

On the transportation front, a One-Stop Service Centre in Johor Bahru has been set up for Malaysian and Singaporean public transport operators.

Another eight new bus routes between Singapore and JB will be launched.

Improvements to Cross-Border Taxi services are also being studied.

On immigration, the criteria for frequent traveller applicants for the Malaysia Automated Clearance System has been set at four times a month.

The Immigration Work Group also announced the implementation of 24-hour operations by Malaysian customs for all inbound and outbound lorries travelling through the Tanjung Puteri Cargo Complex.

The JMC also discussed several joint collaboration projects.

The Tourism Work Group agreed to adopt a themed approach in jointly marketing a dual destination experience with possibilities in sports, edu-culture and MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions).

The work group also shared the progress of the joint feasibility study to develop and market a transboundary, joint eco-tourism attraction involving Singapore's Sungei Buloh. - CNA/vm
 

5年後的新山、新加坡會有怎樣的變化呢？

A Message from Heart to Heart: H2H Qinghai Earthquake Aid

Greetings dear friends!

News have come in that there is a very serious earthquake that has devastated Qinghai, Yushu County. As far as we know, there are already over 1,400 people dead and more than 11,000 people injured and there may be more of both.

We are trying to raise fund from our Heart to Heart friends & well-wishers for the disaster area. Any amount will be gratefully accepted and appreciated. Whatever your donation, it will be personally handed to them by our Heart to Heart volunteers.

Modes of Donation:

- Cheque: Cross to "Teresa Hsu", indicating "Qinghai Earthquake Relief" at the back and mail it to: Ms.Teresa Hsu, Heart to Heart. No. 130 Hougang Avenue 1, Singapore 538900.

Cash: 

Personally at: Heart to Heart No. 130 Hougang Avenue 1, Singapore 538900. Ph: 6289 0924

ATM Transfer/Internet Banking: 

To Teresa Hsu's UOB Hougang Branch Saving Account No: 933 117 132 4

Warm Regards

Teresa Hsu & Sharana Rao

Heart to Heart

男人、女人

（圖片來自網上）

1月05日〔水星?教宗〕 代表人物： 黛安基顿
反应灵敏，做任何事都非常专注和认真；敏感、实际，个性独立，
能够独立完成事情；碰到挫折很快就恢复，重新再开始。
优点是直觉能力佳，好奇心很强，喜欢学习和吸收知识。
缺点是过於自负，不愿求教於人；固执，缺乏弹性。

4月7日〔海王星?战车〕代表人物：柯波拉
充满热忱、活力、精力和创造力；喜欢冒险，追求各种梦想和挑战，
尝试新的生活方式；喜欢旅行以增加见闻。
优点是充满活力和想像力，意志坚强，可以克服一切因难。
缺点是脾气暴躁，容易生气；缺乏耐性，不切实际。

-終-

Go green and save money

The onus is on us to contribute to a greener and healthier environment. StarBizWeek looks at some of the ways we can adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle.

SCIENTISTS and environmentalists are pointing to the drastic climate change and weather-related natural disasters happening around the world to substantiate their claim that global warming is worsening and we urgently need to conserve our natural environment.

Just think about the extraordinary dry spells we have been having so frequently in Malaysia.

Herein lies the importance of a green reform. While most people will agree on its importance, many are just not practising an eco-friendly lifestyle.

The main barrier in going green is the wide perception that such a lifestyle is inconvenient and costly as most eco-friendly systems and products are expensive.

But at the household level, going green does not necessarily have to cost a bomb. Just a fundamental change to one’s lifestyle can go a long way. Most of the time, it helps us save money too. Lets look at some age-old tips to be eco-friendly in a purse-friendly way.

Reducing utility bills

For a start, one can conserve electricity and water to reduce utility bills.

Some basic steps include ensuring all electrical appliances are switched off when not in use (most appliances still consume electricity even when on standby mode), replacing conventional electrical items such as light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, and by not letting the tap run incessantly especially when brushing teeth, washing hands, rinsing dishes and cleaning fruits and vegetables.

Clean water is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity nowadays, so recycle water whenever possible.

For instance, the water used for washing vegetables and clothes can be re-used to flush the toilet, among other things.

Harvesting rainwater for watering plants or outdoor-cleaning is also another wise option.

Think before you throw

It is always good to think twice before throwing anything away. By reducing waste, less will be going to the landfill.

For example, food waste can be used as fertiliser as it contains nutrients and minerals that can be easily absorbed by plants.

What’s more, by doing so one does not have to spend money to buy synthetic fertilisers anymore. Requesting for less packaging when shopping is also one way of doing more for the environment. One can use reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping for groceries.

And for those who shop in Selangor on Saturdays (which is observed as “No Plastic Bag Day”), one can avoid paying 20 sen for each plastic bag used.

To prevent having more trees being chopped down, one can start by consuming less paper.

Going paperless

Going paperless can help cut paper usage and ink. For instance, ATM receipts and emails do not have to be on hard copy unless absolutely necessary.

Whenever possible, one should try using both sides of the paper when printing documents.

Another way to recycle is to use the clean side of used paper or post-it notes. This way, one can save on stationery expenses.

Driving less is also eco-friendly too and helps reduce one’s petrol expenses. For those who may find this impractical, why not consider carpooling with a friend.

For short distances, walking is the most ecological mode of transportation and a healthy form of exercise.

Nevertheless, whichever eco-friendly mode of transport one opts for, it is always important to exercise vigilance in view of the rising crime rate in the country.

The list of eco-friendly tips that we have here is not exhaustive. There are certainly many other ways but the onus is on us to contribute to a greener and healthier environment.

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我就先從這幾樣開始，讓環境更綠、更健康。

-終-