August 2011 Color

8/3/2019 August 2011 Color

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PENCINTA ALAMNEWSLETTER OF THE MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY

www.mns.my August 2011

I found out about MNS through the local news-paper. So, I went to the MNS website to explore furtherand found that they actually organise trips to localplaces of interest. I decided on the Tioman trip and

started to write to the organizer, Hui Min. Eventually,I signed up for the trip.

We reached Mersing around 5.30am on Friday,1 July 2011. We took the boat at 6.30am to Juara Mu-tiara Resort, reaching the resort around 9am. Afterchecking in and freshening up, we headed for an earlylunch. After that, we got our snorkelling gear from theresort to practise at the beach before snorkeling fromthe boat at sea the next day. We were very lucky to haveAdeline, an experienced instructor, to guide us on howto snorkel and the do's and don'ts. It was an eye-open-ing experience for most of us.

In the evening, we went for a night trek. Armedwith torchlights, we went into the jungle with somelocal guides, hoping to spot some mousedeer and otheranimals. At one point, the guide asked all of us toswitch off our torchlights. He showed us the reflectionof a mousedeers eyes from his torchlight. We were allvery excited. The trek was about 2 hours long and wewere all quite thrilled.

The next morning, we woke up in anticipationfor a fun day snorkelling out at sea. Our first stop wasthe Marine Park jetty, followed by Coral Island. The is-land took our breath away! The corals and fishes werevery colourful and beautiful. We developed an ex-tremely good appetite, and everyone enjoyed the BBQ

dinner.The next day, we went to Kg. Asah waterfall

by boat. The cool water was very refreshing. With sometime remaining, we headed to the jetty for somesnorkelling. Unexpectedly, we saw many jellyfish inthe water and our instructor Adeline asked us all tocome out to avoid getting stung.

Then, around 3pm, we set off to look for thefamed Rafflesia of Tioman. The guide, Pak Lan, is very

experienced and explained to us about the variousplants in the jungle. We were worried that we wouldnot see a bloom, because these flowers only last for afew days. However, we did see an amazing Rafflesiaflower. No words can describe the beauty of the popu-lar flower. Satisfied, we went back to our resort and dida beach clean-up at the relatively clean Juara beach be-fore dinner. When we finished, we were shocked thatwe had accumulated 7 large bags of trash which consistof mainly of plastic, cigarette butts, tin cans, ropes andstyrofoam boxes.

On 4 July morning, we went to Tekek for someduty free shopping and boarded the ferry back to Mers-ing. It was indeed one of the most enjoyable experi-ences for me and I will definitely be back!

- Article by Effendi Wong Bin Abdullah

My unforgetable experienceat Tioman Island

Members Report

In a somewhat delayed but more environ-mentally friendly change from previous years, wehave now decided to provide the MNS Annual Re-port 2011 in electric format, in keeping with ourmandate as an environment NGO. This years An-nual Report can be viewed and downloaded from ourwebsite at www.mns.my

AGM Annual Report goes green
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Ricoh and MNS have announced a forestecosystem conservation project entitled "MangroveForest Recovery Project" at the Kuala Selangor Na-ture Park with their partnership with Birdlife Inter-national Asia Division.

To work toward achieving a sustainable so-ciety, Ricoh isn't only working to reduce its impacton the planet, but is also engaged in biodiversity con-servation to improve self-recovery capabilities of theglobal environment. Since 1999 Ricoh has beenworking in partnership with environmental NGOsand local communities in nine countries, includingChina, Ghana, Russia, and Brazil, promoting 11 proj-ects particularly focused on forest ecosystems wherebiodiversity is richest. The "Mangrove Forest Re-covery Project" at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park isanother of these, making it Ricoh's 12th project in itslong-term support for building a framework for con-tinuous forest conservation.

The Kuala Selangor Nature Park, which is apart of the North-central Selangor coast, has beendesignated by BirdLife as an IBA (Important BirdArea), and is home to 150 species of birds, small an-imals, fishes, amphibians, and reptiles such as

Smooth Otters, Silvered Leaf-monkeys, Long-tailedMacaques, monitor lizards, lesser adjutants, mud-skippers, and various waterbirds.

The local communities use the Kuala Selan-gor area primarily for nature/cultural-based tourism,recreation and fisheries. However, it is difficult topreserve biodiversity along this coast because themangroves are impacted by illegal mangrove re-

moval and pollution.While sharing the importance of mangroves

along with the local residents, this project whichRicoh and MNS are implementing aims to rejuve-nate the mangrove forests in ten years by startingwith activities that focus on promoting and under-standing of biodiversity conservationand mangrove afforestation.

Ultimately Ricoh and MNSwould like to construct an environmentwhere continuous mangrove conserva-tion activities are sustained by the localresidents, with the goal of registeringwith the Ramsar Convention*1, whichworks internationally to preserve wet-lands especially as waterfowl habitats,and the Partnership for the East Asian-Australasian Flyway*2.

Ricoh has dedicated a websitewww.goecowithricoh.com.my to pro-vide happenings and latest news with re-

gards to the development of this projectwith MNS.

- Maye Yap*1: Ramsar ConventionThis is an international treaty enacted in 1971 toprotect wetland ecosystems. Each country that hasadopted the convention designates wetlandswithin their borders and has them registered with

the Ramsar Secretariat. Plans are then developedand carried out for the appropriate use and con-servation of these areas based on designatedmeasures to promote the conservation of wetlandsand the plants and animals that inhabit them, es-pecially waterfowl.*2: Partnership for the East Asian-AustralasianFlywayThis is a framework for international coordinationand cooperation between major organizations in-

volved in the conservation of migratory birds in the East Asianand Australasian regions. It was established in 2006 by inter-national organizations and NGOs such as the Ramsar Conven-tion Secretariat to construct an international network of important bird habitats and conduct internationally collabora-tive operations to promote public awareness and conservationactivities regarding them.

Ricoh teams up with MNSto rehabilitate KSNP


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Green Living Column

According to a 2004 study from the Univer-sity of Bonn in Germany (Household Technology

department), automatic dishwashers, preferably newenergy-efficient ones, have a lower environmentalimpact than hand-washing dishes in a sink. It wasdetermined that an automatic dishwasher only uses50% of the energy and a small fraction of the water,along with less soap.

This raises many questions and doubts. Thefact that the Bonn study project partners were dish-washer manufacturers also means that we should re-gard the study with healthy skepticism.

The study failed to take into account, for ex-ample, the fact that dishwashing machine detergenttends to be harsher on the environment, and earth-friendly options are not as easily available asbiodegradable and environmentally-friendlier liquiddetergent (Brands available in Malaysia include Bio-Home, Ligent, Ecover and Good Maid Bio).

Also, the study failed to note that it wouldtake a lot of energy and resources to make a dish-washer: steel, plastic, packaging and transportationcosts, not to mention the electricity needed to oper-ate an automatic dishwasher.

No matter which method you choose, hereare green practices which will reduce your home en-ergy and water use when doing your dishes:

When using a dishwasher:1. Studies show that most people pre-rinse dishes be-fore loading them into the dishwasher. Modern dish-

washers, cer-tainly those pur-chased withinthe last 5 to 10years, do a su-perb job of cleaning even

heavily-soileddishes. Dont betempted to pre-rinse dishes be-fore loading.

Simply scrape off any food and empty liquids and letthe dishwasher do the rest.

2. Load dishes according to manufacturers instruc-tions. Completely fill the racks to optimize water andenergy use, but allow proper water circulation for ad-equate cleaning.

3. Wash only full loads. Use energy-saving options,e.g. the "No Heat, Air-Dry" option. Turn down thewater heater temperature.

When hand-washing dishes in a sink:1. When washing dishes by hand, don't let the waterrun while rinsing. If possible, fill one sink with soapywash water and the other with rinse water.

2. Soak pots and pans overnight to make them easyto clean without running the faucet while scrubbing.Whenever possible, use once-used water, e.g. waterfrom washing one's hands or from soaking vegeta-bles and rinsing rice.

3. Wash glassware first, then the cleanest dishes,

leaving greasy dishes and pots and pans to the end.This helps keep your water clean longer and yourdishes grease-free.

4. You do not need to fill a sink with water to haveenough to wash a load of dishes. Setting an appro-priately-sized washbasin in your sink for dishes can

help keep the water you use to a minimum. Or fillthe sink only a few inches full.

5. Use a readily biodegradable dish soap to protectfreshwater resources.

6. Switch to a kitchen faucet with an aerator if yourwater use is relatively high. Aerators reduce waterflow by about 25% and produce a water stream thatis every bit as good for washing dishes, hands, orfruits and vegetables.

7. Do not install or use a kitchen sink waste grindingand disposal unit. In-sink 'garburators' require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerablyto the volume of solids in pipes and plumbing, whichcan lead to maintenance problems. Start a compostpile as an alternate method of disposing food wasteinstead.

No matter which method of washing dishes

you have chosen for yourself and your loved ones,putting these environmentally-responsible tips intopractice will reduce any adverse impact on the envi-ronment, as well as your utility bills.

- Wong Ee Lynn, [email protected]

DishwashersVs Hand-Washing Dishes

Image credits: laundry-and-dishwasher-info.com


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http://www.outdoordynamics.com.my/


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(742912-V)Website: http://www.mymountaingoal.com

Contact : Thong at [email protected]/P : 016-6375622 Off : 03-40248896

Annapurna Circuit trek from 08/11/11 to 23/11/11Duration: 16days. MaximumElevation:5416m. Grade:Medium / Hard.

Walk completely around the Annapurna massif. Trek through low land Brahminand Chhettri villages to the remote Manang village, and down the Kalkigandaki Gorge

(officially deepest George in the World). Cross a 5416m pass-probably the highest youwill ever get without climbing a mountain.Two free training trip will provided for the trip. For further info, please sign

in:- http://www.mymountaingoal.com/AnnapurnaRegion.htm

MT Fansipan and Halong bay Expedition from 15/12/2011 to 21/12/2011

Fansipan is branded "the Roof of Indochina" at the height of 3,143m; Fansipanis to be approved as one of the very few eco-tourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2,024floral varieties and 327 faunal species. It takes 2 days to reach the 3,143m summit, thehighest peak of the Indochina Peninsula.

The Ha Long bay, dotted with 3000 limestone islets rising from emerald waters,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 outstand-ing scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest.

One free Training trip will provided for the Everest Base Camp trip. Furtherinfo please sign in: http://www.mymountaingoal.com/Vietnam_FanHasch.htm

Hornbill Conservation ProjectHornbill Volunteer Programme 2011

Package [4D/3N]Day 1 Arrival in Banding IslandJetty, Gerik, Perak (3.00 p.m.) Boattransfer from Banding Island to Kam-pung Tebang. Introduction and famil-iarization with the indigenous Jahaicommunity at village.Hornbill monitoring (5.30 7.30p.m.) in Kampung TebangDay 2 Hornbill monitoring (6.45 9.00 a.m.) Activities in Kg Tebang orexcursionHornbill monitoring (5.30 7.30p.m.) in Kampung TebangDay 3 Hornbill monitoring (6.45 9.00 a.m.) Activities in Kg Tebang orexcursionHornbill monitoring (5.30 7.30p.m.)Day 4 Hornbill monitoring (6.45 9.00 am) Debrief by Group Leaderand CoordinatorDeparture to Banding Island Jetty

Package 2 [5D/4N]Day 1-3 Follows as per ABOVEDay 4 Hornbill monitoring (6.45

9.00 am) Activities in Kg Tebang orexcursionHornbill monitoring (5.30 7.30p.m.)Day 5 Hornbill monitoring (6.45 9.00 am)Debrief by Group Leader and Coor-dinatorDeparture to Banding Island Jetty

Book a spottoday!
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Eco Kids

The United Nations (UN) International Dayof the World's Indigenous People is observed on Au-

gust 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the worlds indigenous population. This event alsorecognises the achievements and contributions thatindigenous people make to improve world issuessuch as environmental protection.

Who are indigenous people?Indigenous peoples, sometimes referred to as

natives, are ethnic groups who are native to a land orregion, especially before the arrival and intrusion of a foreign culture. They are generally regarded as the"original inhabitants" of a territory or region.

Common characteristicsMany, though not all, indigenous peoples rely

on a subsistence-based way of life. This means theymay grow or raise their own food and other basic ne-cessities, or practice hunting and gathering food andother resources. They lead mostly rural lives, awayfrom cities, although many have been displaced andrelocated to towns and villages. Some indigenous

people settle in a particular territory and are depend-ent on it, as their forefathers have been. Others leada nomadic lifestyle across a large territory. Indige-nous people usually have a closer connection withnature and their particular territory and land thannon-indigenous and urban people.

Orang asli crafts, beliefs and folkloreYou may have seen a Semai (one of the sub-

groups of Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia) rattanIQ puzzle, known as a Jah Re Noi, before. It is madefrom interlooped rattan ("chong"), fitted with a nylon

string. This string must be removed without cuttingor dismantling the rattan snare.

Legend has it that if someone is lost in the jungle due to mischievous spirits confusing them, allthat person needs to do is make and leave behind oneJah Re Noi puzzle and the spirit will get so engrossedin solving the puzzle that it will leave its victimalone.

The HmaMeri (or more com-

monly spelled asMah Meri) arecoastal dwellers andfishermen, residingmainly on estuarineislands near PortKlang such as Pulau

Carey, and around Tanjung Sepat, along Selangors

southwest coast.The "tali jodoh" or "buai latep" is a tradi-

tional Hma Meri's marriage puzzle that was used togauge the probability of one finding a life partner.The object of the puzzle is to bring together the sep-arated pieces (representing the husband and wife)onto the same string.

This International Day of the World's Indige-nous People, please take the time and make the effortto learn more about the indigenous people of Malaysia, their beliefs, their folklore, their culture,and their struggles.

- Wong Ee Lynn, [email protected]

Aug 9: International Day of The World's Indigenous People

Eco Film Festival 2011 offers cash prizes in four(4) distinct categories: Best International Film walksaway with a cash prize of RM5,000; Best Malaysian Film,awarded to a film about, set in, or created by a residentMalaysia takes home a RM3,000 cash award; Best YoungFilmmaker Film (RM1,000) is awarded to a film craftedprincipally by a person under the age of 18. Additionally,each film selected to screen at Eco Film Fest is eligible forthe Jury Award, which offers a RM500 cash prize. Each

winning filmmaker also receives a stunning, handmade,pewter trophy.

Upcoming deadlinesAugust 15th, 2011 - International SubmissionsSeptember 15th, 2011 - Malaysian Submissions

Full details and online submissions atwww.ecofilmfest.my
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Calendar of Activities

August

All events, times and venues are correct at timeof printing. For latest updates, contact yourfavourite SIG, check the MNS website regularlyor join the eGroup by sending an e-mail [email protected]

Dont Leave Home Without ItAll members are required to show their mem-bership cards to participate in any of theBranchs activities. New members who haven'treceived their cards will be required to showtheir membership payment receipts. Lost yourcard? Contact Wee Chin at HQ.

Sat Talk: Agarwood (Gaharu) Trade inMalaysia by Lim Teck Wyn MNS HQ au-

ditorium at 10am.Rising demand for agarwood (gaharu), prob-

lems in monitoring harvests and a persistent illegaltrade threaten the future of the highly prized fragrantwood says a report by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trademonitoring network. Lim Teck Wyn presents thefindings of TRAFFICs year-long study on the agar-wood trade in Malaysia. Samples of (legal) agar-wood perfume, incense and medicine will bepresented during the talk.

Speaker Teck Wyn is a director of an envi-ronmental policy advisory company he co-foundingin 2004. He is trained in forestry and has worked inthe government, private sector and non-profit fields.He is honorary secretary of the Malaysian Nature So-ciety and has authored several publications on bio-diversity conservation. He is campaigning to protectthe Selangor State Park and improve forest lawsthroughout Malaysia.

Please register with Ilyas Sapiyan (email [email protected] or sms to 012 617 5870)

Sun Bird Watching: Old Pump House RoadMNS Selangor Bird Group is organizing a bird

watching trip to Old Pump House Road, near Go-htong Jaya, Genting Highland on Sunday morningof 14th.Aug.11.The event is open to MNS membersonly. Not member yet? You can sign-up & pay-up on

the spot to join.Meet at the car park on the left just after the

Gohtong Jaya roundabout @ 7am sharp. For direc-tion, go to piedfantail.com/birdwatching_where-togo.html for the map.

Bring along a pair of binoculars, drinkingwater & mosquito repellant. Wear dull-colouredclothes, hat & comfortable shoes. Event shall end atnoon.

To register or to get more information,call(after 8pm) or SMS(anytime) Mr Liung at 012-3127998. Hope to see you guys there.

Wed Photogroup Sharing Session: BukitTabur Far East MNS HQ auditorium at 8pm.

Open to all members.Firstly, thank you to all who joined the photo

trip to Bukit Tabur Far East on 12th June! We hopeyou have enjoyed the trip and managed to capture alot of memorable pictures during the trip. However,the journey does not end there. We invite you toshare your photos of the trip and at the same timeenter our mini contest. We are sure that you, afterhaving joined a trip and shot photos, would be veryeager to share out the fruits of your hard work. Andwhat's more? The best 3 photos will be selected aswinners with prizes awaiting.

Secondly, here's how it is done. Please take amoment to understand the following so that you willhave less headache: Select 3 of your best shots fromthe trip. You may use a post-processing software totweak your photos such as cropping, brightness, con-trast, colours, saturation, HDR, panoramic stitchingand etc. but not introduce superimposition i.e. put-ting other things there; or leave them as they are

without modification. Do NOT submit more than 3image files; above that number will be ignored. DoNOT place visible watermarks on the image files.This is to avoid bias in photo judging. Use ONLY theJPEG format. Any other format will automaticallybe rejected and will not be entered into contest.

Please resize your image files to a maximumof 1,024 pixels on the long side. If you do not haveexperience in using a photo editing software, no wor-ries, we will resize them for you.

Photos will be evaluated based on: (1) Rele-vance to theme, if any, (2) Composition, (3) Colour,(4) Lighting and Shadow and (5) Creativity.

Email the 3 image files to [email protected]

Please submit latest by 12 August 2011.Image files submitted after that will be ignored.

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Satt Visit to Pusat Pengurusan Penyu (Tur-tle Management Centre) Kampung Padang

Kemunting, near Pengkalan Balak, Masjid Tanah,Melaka. From 8:30pm to midnight.

Following the success of last years visit, asecond visit to the Padang Kemunting Turtle Man-agement Centre has been arranged, to see the work of the Department of Fisheries, Melaka. It willl includea talk about the turtles, access to the exhibition roomand viewing of hatchlings being released, if possi-ble.

Please note, you need to wear dark clothingfor camouflage purposes, preferably long pants, beequipped with insect repellent and a torch or flash-

light. Members are advised flash photography andflash light will not be allowed during turtle watch-ing or hatchling release.

Numbers are limited, so this trip is initiallyrestricted to members only. So please book yourplace before 13 August 2010, with the number of members wishing to attend.

Meet at the centre at 8:30pm, co-ordinates

North 2 18' 30.89", East 102 4' 30.08"Coordinators: Liza Jaafar on 013-2062525,

[email protected] and Stephanie Bacon on012-2175590, [email protected]

Ful l de ta i l s a re ava i l ab le a twww.MNS-N9Melaka.yolasite.com

Sun Talk: Tropical Peat Swamp Forests:What is their value? by Sonja Raub MNS

HQ Auditorium, 2-4pm.This talk was previously scheduled in July

but was postponed due a clash of dates with theBERSIH rally.

Tropical peat swamp forests (TPSFs) are im-portant wetlands that occur throughout SoutheastAsia. Together Malaysia and Indonesia harbor 63%of all TPSFs worldwide equalling approximately70,015km2. Economically, TPSFs are valued fortheir diverse tree species that can grow up to 70me-ters tall, non-ecomonic values include enhancedwildlife diversity to the presently more exploitedlowland tropical forests.

Tropical peat swamp are self-contained, fedonly by rain and are largely impenetrable due to theirnear-surface waterlevels that create highly poroussurface structure which has previously protectedthem from development. Hardy leaves and acidic

water-logged conditions slow litter break-down innatural peat swamps, causing the accumulation of large stores of detrital carbon, which leads to the for-mation of peat swamp domes over centuries. WhenTPSFs are drained by ditches for agriculture or tim-ber harvesting purposes, aerated peat decomposesrapidly causing peat domes to subside. Drainage anddeforestation turns peat swamps into carbon sources

instead of sinks that release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas (GHG), which leads to global warmingand climate change. The release of carbon is accen-tuated when deforested peat catches fire, resulting inthe large-scale emission of carbon into the atmos-phere. Due to these two events Indonesia ranks as the3rd largest GHG emitter after the US and China. InMalaysia 73% of all TPSFs have been converted toother forms of land-use, primarily into oil palm plan-tations, which require substantial draining of swamps. Government subsidies for oil palm devel-opment help hide the true costs of palm oil produc-tion, where the uncalculated costs of environmentaldegredation would make this crop economically un-feasible. Malaysias remaining 27% of intact TPSFsare now being threatened by illegal logging and fur-ther developement for agriculture. Left unprotected,functional TPSFs may soon no longer exist in South-east Asia.

What are the main issues? Presently we can-not estimate the true value of functional TPSFs, butonly the marketable components that they provide uswith. Indeed, prices for forests and the services theyprovide have grossly been undervalued, however formost forest services there are no ascribed values.Short-sighted econmic schemes only value tangableproducts such as timber and cash crops without cal-culating the real costs for loss of biodiversity, ero-

sion, disturbance to ecosystems, climate change,altered precipitation, changes in hydrology, loss of clean air and the list goes on.

An overview of tropical peat swamp ecologyand key issues facing Southeast Asian peatswampswill be presented during this talk on tropical peatswamp forests.

Speaker Sonja Raub is a PhD candidate at

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Monash University, Malaysia studying the microbialfunctioning and diversity of tropical peat swampforests. She holds a MSc in Environmental Sciencefrom UNESCO IHE, the Netherlands and a BA inZoology & German from the University of Califor-nia, Berkeley, USA. Her interests lie in microbialecology of wetland systems. She has worked profes-sionally for over 15 years as an environmental andexperiential educator and has travelled extensively.

P lease r eg i s t e r wi th I lyas Sap iyan(isapiyan@hotmail or sms to 012 617 5870)

A Date with Turtles MNS Selangor Ma-rine SIG's Project Aware is back again. In-

stead of the usual Beach Clean Up, we will be doingturtle-related activities. Apart from snorkelling andscuba diving, included will be a trip to the turtlesanctuary at Chagar Hutang as well as a talk/turtleawareness activity. Cost is between RM350 toRM390 for snorkelling and RM500 to RM 540 forscuba diving (depending on the room type). Price in-cludes room and meals as well as the boat ride fromthe mainland and marine park fees. Places are lim-ited, so please book early. A booking fee of RM100is requested before 9th August 2011 to confirm the

reservation. Travel to Terengganu will be by bus/carpooling.

For more info, please contact Kana [email protected] or 012-6180024.

MNS 64th Annual General Meeting:Langkawi

MNS Langkawi will be hosting the 64thAGM of MNS. Location: Frangipani Langkawi.There are various packages arranged for members toconsider. To book a place, kindly contact Leong WeeChin at 03-22879422 or email her at [email protected]

A) Package 1 (9-12 Sept 2011, 4D3N) &Package 2 (9 11 Sept 2011, 3D2N) AGM &Langkawi Skybridge Tour & Mangrove Tour

The Langkawi Skybridge Tour takes you on

a cable car ride to the top of Gunnung Matchincang.After the cable car, we drive to Kilim River Jetty, anexploration of a lifetime takes you to an incredible

journey to Langkawis wetlands the mangrove.Discover the unique and pristine environment of themangrove. Wildlife is the abundant. Monkeys, En-gles and numerous others animal make the mangrovetheir home to maintain the delicate balance of theecosystem. Shrubs, herbs, and unmistakably stran-gling figs stretch their roots into the crevices on thesteep surfaces of the caves. Limestone caves in themidst of the mangrove stand before you along thecoastline with breathtaking beauty. You will also ex-plore how mangroves become the perfect environ-ment for the fish farm.

(B) Package 3 (10-11 Sept 2011, 2D1N) AGM(Relax)

This secluded and eco-friendly resort is sit-uated on 400-metre stretch of soft golden sand alongPantai Tengah. They are the first resort in Langkawito implement Green practices to preserve the envi-ronment. Check out the surrounding views of thisresort at www.frangipanilangkawi.com/index.php/the-resort

Trip: Gua Kanthan/ Gua KelawarThose who are looking for a weekend

of caving adventure and education are in for a treat.Malaysian Nature Society Selangor Branch Cavegroup is organising a 2D/1N trip to Gua Kanthan andGua Kelawar in Perak.

Day 1 Gua Kanthan, also known as theCathedral Cave is located on a hill of the same name.The descend to the cave itself is a sight to behold, an

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Further down the road

enormous entrance that welcomes you to its under-ground world. Dramatic displays of sunshine rayscan be seen at various parts of the cave. A stagnantriver runs through the grooved bottom of the cave,adding mystery to the cave. A recently discovered(1997) specie of trapdoor spider, Liphistius KanthanMesothelae, is unique to this cave.

Participants will be staying at YMCA Ipohfor a night before the next day's program. Theevening is free for all to enjoy the best of what Ipohcan offer in its heritage and familiar delicacies.

Day 2 Gua Kelawar, is a combination of alabyrinth and a chocolate factory gone wrong. Thecombination of fun and adventure of this cave hasnever failed to put a smile on faces of anyone whohas a "taste" of it!

Join us for this adventurous experience andeducate yourself on the importance of caves conser-vation.

Departure: Sept 10, 7:30am, meet at Mc-Donalds Centrepoint, Bandar Utama

Fees: RM100 (MNS members), RM170(non-MNS members). Fees include 1 night stay atYMCA Ipoh based on triple sharing, insurance and1-year MNS membership fees for non-MNS mem-bers. Payment can be made via Maybank514084066953 to Miss Yeoh Yin Tuan. Please [email protected] once payment has been made.

Closing date of registration: 23th August2011, limited to 20 pax.

Transport is by self-drive and carpooling.Essentials: Helmet (construction/bicycl e), torchlight

This trip is suitable for both beginners andexperienced cavers. For more information pleasecontact: Mariam (012-3932160/[email protected]) or Dayana (019-2282284/

dayanamn@gmai l.com)

21 Sept Talk: Underwater Photography MNSHQ auditorium at 8pm.

Want to know how photography under thesea is like? Wonder no more. An evening of sharingon underwater photography will be conducted by MrStewart Forbes, who will share with us his vast ex-perience from the sea. Block your date/time for theevening and keep a look out for more details atmnsphotogroup.org.

Chumphon Raptor Watch, Thai-land (Selangor Branch Bird

Group)The Isthmus of Kra in Thailand serves as a

crucial land-bridge for raptors flying away from thenorthern winter to warmer climes in Southeast Asia.During this autumn migration, two of the best sites toview the raptors are to be found near the town of Chumphon, namely Radar Hill and Pencil Hill (KhaoDinsaw). From the top of these hills, the raptors canbe seen flying above, below, as well as at near eye-level.

The journey starts Friday night from KL on atrain to Haadyai and then connecting van to reachChumphon on Saturday afternoon. Return on Tues-day will be also be by overnight train fromChumphon to Haadyai and then a 24-seater expressbus to reach Puduraya Wednesday evening.

Cost: RM500 per person which includes allland transportation and twin-sharing accommodation

(meals not included). For non-member: RM595 (in-cludes a 1-year MNS membership). Contact OmarAbdullah (012 218 6718) or Lee Oon Teik (017 8897510) for more details. Booking is on a first-come-first-served basis with full payment. Cheque to bemade out to Omar Abdullah or direct debit to CIMBTTDI branch A/c 1415 000 632 8085. Please SMSOmar after payment. No refund for cancellation byparticipants.

Pre-trip meeting will be held on Tuesday, 4thOct at 8 pm at MNS HQ Auditorium.

Photography cum Camping Trip:Cameron Highlands

Ever thought of combining photography withleisure camping, travel and food? The end of yearphotography trip features exactly that. What's more?You do all that at the cool and away-from-hectic-city-life Cameron Highlands... during the holidays! Amultitude of photography themes is available for this3D2N highlight trip including landscape, nature,macro and street. Moreover, this leisure and relaxingphotography trip means you can bring your familyalong. Did we say we included in it free-and-easyslots? Imagine taking a few shots of the tea planta-tion in the cool, breezing air while having a hot cupof English tea.

Interested? Then block off your calendar withthe dates. More details coming soon... watch thisspace and keep a lookout for updates a tmnsphotogroup.org.

Oct 14-19

Nov 5-7


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Do you know that all our Assets including banks accounts will be frozen upon Death? With OR Without a WILL!! Howdo you unlock them? A Grant of Probate or Letter of Administration from the High Court. This process applies to

Muslims and Non Muslims.

If you pass on without having a VALID WILL.this is what happens..1. Your Family

Your spouse & children will face cash flow problem because all your bank accounts including joint accounts will be frozen. Your childrens welfare may not be taken care of by the people of your choice

2. The legal Process Delay in distribution due to the legal process (2 - 6 years) 2 guarantors / sureties required (amount equal or more than deceaseds estate) Much more costly resulting in financial burdens to your family

3. Your Asset Distribution (As per Distribution Act 1958 amended in 1997) or (Distribution under Faraid) The law will decide on the distribution of your estate such as house (s), Businesses, bank accounts, shares, etc.

LOVE YOUR FAMILY, WRITE YOUR WILL TODAY AND ENJOY A PEACE OF MIND wherever you may be Travel-ling, Trekking, Caving, Mountain Climbing, Diving, Biking, Camping, etc.Why leave to chance.for more information, please call

MARY OOI Professional Estate Planner (Rockwills Corporation Sdn. Bhd.), Islamic EstatePlanner (as-Salihin Trustee Sdn. Bhd.) H/P: 012-3379906 or email: [email protected]

Love adventures?Enjoy peace of mind for you andyour family by writing your Will today !

Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic floweringplants. 27 species can be found in South East Asia,Malay Peninsular (Peninsular Malaysia and SouthThailand), Borneo Island, Sumatra, and the Philip-

pines. The biggest flower has no stems, leaves or trueroots. This parasite flower spends most of its life asa chain of cells inside the tissue of its host vine.

The forests surrounding the Semai OrangAsli village of Ulu Geroh are rich with RafflesiaCantleyi species.

One of the feature of Rafflesia Cantleyi is itsability to form flowers on the aerial portions of itshost Tetrastigma . Tetrastigma is a genus of plants inthe grape family, Vitaceae.

Due to the short life span of the flower, thetrip to see the flower could only be confirmed one(1) day before the departure date. This was becauseI wanted all the participants to witness a flower infull bloom. The Orang Asli searched for the fullbloom flower and informed me it was good to go. On

Members Report

The Rafflesia of Ulu Geroh5 September 2010, together with 8 members I trav-elled to Gopeng to see the flower.

The journey to Ulu Geroh takes about 45minutes from Gopeng town. Preferable a 4WD to getthere. From the Rafflesia Centre, the Semai peoplelead us to a jungle trek. The trail is call Pacat Trailand it is difficult trek going up steep slopes. The 45minutes trek into the forest, finally lead us to theflower. There was only one (1) full bloom flower but

that was good enough. It had a diameter of 18 inches,the biggest I have seen so far. We spent about 1 hourtaking photos and studying the flower. On the wayback, I spotted few Rajah Brooke Butterflies flying,however didn't see any of them at their site. Weended the trip with a delicious lunch at a Gua Tem-purung restaurant.

- Photo and write-up by Wai Kong

18 inches in diameter


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MNS HQJKR 641, Jalan Kelantan,Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur(just before the Seri Perdana turn-off onJalan Mahameru).M-F 9am-5:30pm.T: 03-22879422. F: [email protected] www.mns.org.myMembership: Leong Wee Chin

MNS LibraryA modest collection of books and periodi-cals is housed at the MNS Headquarters.Only fully paid up members may borrowbooks for a period of two weeks. This pe-riod is renewable. Periodicals are for useonly in the library. Readers wishing peri-odical articles may have them photocopied.A small, but growing collection of booksfor young readers is also available.

JOHOR BRANCHc/o Prof. Madya Dr. Maketab Mohamed,No. 90,Jalan Pulai 50,Taman Pulai Utama, 83100 Johor Bahruwww.mnsj.org.myChair Vincent Chow019-7557755, [email protected] Chairman Wee Soon Chit012-7112112, [email protected] Zalinah Sarpan, [email protected]

KEDAH BRANCHBelakang Hospital, 09300 Kuala Ketil,[email protected] Kalaimani a/l Supramaniam,019-4733505, [email protected] Chair Nordiana Binti Zainordin012-5377914, [email protected] N Ravintharan A/L Narayanan013-5056603, [email protected]

KELANTAN BRANCH204, Jln Sultan Yahya Petra, 15150 KotaBharu, Kelantan E: [email protected] Tan Kee Leong, Michael012-9538858, [email protected] Chair Mohd Razali B Che Ali017-9386015, [email protected] Wong Mei Lin019-9109073, [email protected]

KUCHING BRANCH (SARAWAK)E: [email protected] Cheong Ah Kwan019-8349499,[email protected] Chair Yeo Siew Teck012-8876160, [email protected] Sunita Sara Gill012-4370050, [email protected]

LANGKAWI BRANCH

[email protected] Eric R. Sinnaya019-4499142, [email protected] Chair Teoh Cheng Kung013-4881013, [email protected] Zuraidah Zainal Abidun017-5600384, [email protected]

MIRI BRANCH (SARAWAK)E: [email protected];Blog: mnsmiri.blogspot.comChairman Faye Osman012-3202301, [email protected] Chair Anura Dason012-8783217, [email protected] Puteri Shariza Megat Khalid012-4604609, [email protected]

NEGERI SEMBILAN/ MELAKA BRANCHc/o Cooltek, 350 Jalan Woodland, TiaraMelaka Golf & Country Club,Ayer Keroh, 75450 MelakaWeb: mns-n9melaka.yolasite.com/ Chairman Lim Ming Hui012-2760327, [email protected] Chair Kok Chow Hioong,

013-2929418, [email protected] Stephanie Bacon012-2175590, [email protected]

PAHANG BRANCHF-4-4, Jalan Padang Golf,25050 [email protected]: [email protected] Datin Narimah bt Daud012-7205383, [email protected] Chair Noor Jehan bt. Abu Bakar

019-9525588,[email protected] Chow Mee Foong [email protected]

PENANG BRANCHNature Information Centre (NIC),673-B Jalan Kebun Bunga,10350 Penang. T/F: 016-4840747Open MonSat, 7.30 am 11.30 am(Please phone before visiting).E-mail: [email protected]: www.mns.my/state.php?stid=8Chairman Tan Choo Eng019-4484344, [email protected] Chairman James Ooi Teik Kok012-4452340Secretary Ang Wai Sheng 012-5138319,[email protected]

PERAK BRANCH8 Jalan Virgo, Star Park, 31400 Ipoh

E: [email protected]: [email protected] Leow Kon Fah 019-5634598,[email protected] Chair Lee Ping Kong016-5655682, [email protected] Tham Yim Fong012-5220268, [email protected]

SABAH BRANCHP.O. Box 12377, 88826 Kota Kinabalu,SabahE: [email protected] Anna Wong016-8318339, [email protected] Chair Omar Abdul Kadir019-8110125, [email protected] Maria Joy Rowan019-5348772,[email protected]

SELANGOR BRANCHc/o MNS HQ addressE: [email protected]/[email protected] Gary Phong013-3836288, [email protected] Chairman Wong Ee Lynn013-2286812, [email protected] Gan Li Li012-2074840, [email protected]

TERENGGANU BRANCH1926 Bukit Kubang Jambu,20050 Kuala TerengganuE: [email protected] HjWan Md Adnan017-9861926, [email protected] Chair Anuar Abd McAfee012-9864177, [email protected] Dr Chong Ju Lian013-3055190, [email protected]


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Pencinta Alam is a monthly newsletter made possible by dedicated volunteers and con-tributors from the Malaysian Nature Society.

Accuracy is the contributors responsibility.The Editor reserves the right to edit forlength and content.

Advertising rates: Classifieds: RM5 per

column inch. Quarter page ad: RM30. Half page ad: RM60. All payments must be madeto Malaysian Nature Society SelangorBranch. Please bank in cash or cheque toMaybank MBB account no 014150307352.After banking in, please scan the slip and e-mail it to Bernadette Chin [email protected] or fax her at 03-51928191 (Attention: Bernie Finance).

Discount RatesFor advertisements paid in advance:3 adverts paid in advance 5% off;6 adverts paid in advance 10% off;9 adverts paid in advance 15% off;12 adverts paid in advance 20% off.

Submissions: Articles including the authorand photographers names (max. 500 words),advertisements, digital images (100 dpi & nolarger than 640x480 pixels & separatelyfrom article), etc. must reach the Editor bythe 13th of each month (unless noted other-wise) via the following e-mail address:[email protected].

EditorsIska Hashim 03-20732355Kay Lyons 03-79814271Khor Hui Min 017-8817714

E-copyHelp the environment and opt to downloadthe newsletter from the Selangor Branchwebsite (www.mns.org.my) or the SelangorBranch e-group: groups.yahoo.com/group/To open the pdf file, youll need a pdf reader,such as Adobe Reader (downloadable for

free at www.adobe.com).

TURN YOUR TRASHINTO CASH FOR THE NEEDY

Recycle your trash at the following wel-fare homes and you stop good moneyfrom going to the landfill. Please donate

your aluminium cans, plastic containers, steel cans & paper(glass not accepted) at the following locations anyday from8am-7pm, unless stated otherwise: Klang Rumah K.I.D.S.(3373-3400). Klang St. Barnabas Home (3372-8191). KlangPusat Kasih Sayang (3372-1723). Klang Pusat Cahaya Ke-sayangan (3379-9440). Petaling Jaya Spastics Centre (7958-2393). Puchong Pure Life Society (7782-9391). SelayangRumah Amal Cheshire (6138-7118).

You may also exchange your recycleables for redemp-tion coupons at the following locations: Petaling Jaya TamanJaya, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays , 4:30-6:30pm. JohorBaru Giant Cash & Carry, Plentong. Everyday except Mon-days, 1-6pm.

Please clean and dry all your cans and bottles beforedepositing at these centers. Please bundle and tie all papers.

TrEES (03-7876 9958)[email protected]

www.trees.org.my

The MNS Nature InformationCentre (NIC) is a designated recyclingcollection centre for old computers andcomputer parts by the Penang CityCouncil. Please send your unwantedcomputers and parts to the NIC to besend for recycling by DOE approved re-cycling establishment. Contact Kanda at013-4537992 for more information orcheck out Penang Branch web pages

Computer Recycling CollectionCentre (Penang)

T/F: 03-2287 [email protected] or [email protected]

Open Mon-Fri 0930-1730 hrs, Saturday 1000-1300 hrs. Closedon Sundays & Public Holidays as well as during major MNSevents (e.g. Raptor Watch etc).

Offers a growing selection of books for the nature lover(kids included) and MNS Publications The Malaysian Natu-ralist and Suara Enggang; MNS apparel; outdoor gear (from

Nature Owlet - The MNS Shop

Buff, Coleman, Maglite, Campingaz, Leatherman,Deuter, Mora); sport optics and supports (from Leica,Minox, Meade, Nikon, Swarovski & Manfrotto) andmore.

Members who show their membership cardreceive a discount for most items.

Documents

August 2011 Color