Sabah Position As No. 1 Oil Palm State in Malaysia In Jeopardy?

Stephanie Lee reported in the front page of Daily Express (Nov 21, 2011) titled "Sabah palm oil at risk":

"Kota Kinabalu: Members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) who breach rules by developing oil palm in areas of high conservation value will not be issued with the RSPO certification - and this may jeopardise Sabah's position as the No. 1 oil palm State in Malaysia and hugely dependant on the commodity for revenue."

How so? "RSPO Malaysia Secretary-General Darrel Webber... (learned) that the Sabah Forestry Department was having a tough time cracking down on people who keep clearing Class One forest reserves to plant oil palm by claiming native customary rights." read on...

Points:

1. Sabah is no. 1 (means biggest) palm oil state in Malaysia.
2. Palm oil is one of the source of revenue. [Supporting Source: Insight Sabah: Sabah Budget 2011 - Spending Big For Growth (Roll down to paragraph 5)]
3. Sabahan palm oil growers (dubbed "faux natives" meaning they claim to have NCR of the land they're clearing) have been allegedly clearing class 1 forest for palm oil planting (which gives hard time for the Sabah Forest Department to crack) so they;
4. Breach (one or few of) RSPO rules (on restriction on not to develop palm oil industry in high conservation value areas e.g. Class 1 forest) and thus;
5. RSPO would not issue RSPO certification(s) to the alleged parties (in other word they will be "greylisted", not "blacklisted" mind you) and thus;
6. No sales/trades of palm oil and its products maybe conducted (between the "whitelisted" members of RSPO) and thus;
7. Would generate less revenue and thus:
8. Point No. 2 would be jeopardized because of it. Hey, how about point No. 1?

Have I listed all points from the two paragraphs above? I would like to think so. However, few things don't feel right. For example:

1. Forest clearing (including clearing Class 1 forest for any purpose, and for palm oil planting/development for any other forest class) has been happening since 'eternally' but no action has been taken, or at least enforcement is inconsistent... [Sorry no source supplied.] Only now RSPO 'learned' or mention about it?
2. RSPO certification is almost meaningless. Why? Even "certified" members can still breach (and sell palm oil product). [Source] Even "greylisted breachers" can still sell their products through (not-so-sincere) whitelisted members. [Hearsay, sorry no source]
3. RSPO certification is for 'so supply chain can be traced on each level/facility that uses "certified oil"'. No system is foolproof, it can be fooled! [No source supplied]
4. Ah, NCR (native customary rights) is a sensitive things to discuss here. But Sabahan knows better that some NCR rightful owners got "owned", some got their rightful NCR after sooooooo long (sorry can't help myself :)), some not-so-right NCR holder got their NCR somehow, some NCR got "cancelled" by government after introductions of some enactments. [Not related but still a Source]

RSPO is a not-for-profit (whatever it means) association that unites stakeholders from seven sectors of the palm oil industry - oil palm producers, palm oil processors or traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation NGOs and social or developmental NGOs - to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil. [Source]

According to RSPO website, Malaysia has the highest number of members by country.

In the end, I ask myself, is Sabah Position As No. 1 Oil Palm State in Malaysia In Jeopardy? Not likely if we consider the "hugeness" of palm oil plantation. We still have big companies here "doing" palm oil as opposed to "NCR" claimers clearing forest for palm oil, but of course I'll defer to Stephanie can show me if the "NCR" claimers' lands are larger than the big boys' lands. Compared to revenue to Sabah from tax of crude palm oil (CPO). A "decertification" might affect revenue but not so much due to "resourceful" (would/might-be) greylisted members of RSPO...

New Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) Not So Low-Cost

Check this news:

"... speculation is rife that the cost of KLIA2 (the new LCCT) has increased significantly from the initial estimates of between RM2 billion and RM2.5 billion... to more than RM4 billion..."

The first LCCT costs about 300 million.

"(However MAHB official asserts that) even if there was an increase in expenditure in constructing the KLIA2, it would not affect the passengers nor the airlines... "

The Edge Malaysia Daily (TEM) disagrees, saying that "a costlier airport would mean MAHB has to increase its charges — including airline parking and landing fees and airport taxes — to recoup its investment."

In which MAHB brushes aside as unfounded concerns: "aeronautical charges (are) already set in stone (regulated) (but/and) subject to review every 5 years."

As recent as Nov 15, 2011, passenger service charges (PSCs) a.k.a. airport tax passengers need to pay had been increased from RM25 to RM32 at LCCT KLIA and Terminal 2 Kota Kinabalu; and from RM51 to RM65 in other airports. Okay, I should add after 9 years of 'nagging' to increase PSC rates (by MAHB to the government). [Source] AirAsia & MAS were not keen to collect PSC on MAHB's behalf...

Also, "Landing and parking charges will rise in three stages over three years — landing charges will be 9% while parking charges will be increased by 18% per year."

On Sep 21, 2011, RM10 fee for conventional counter check-in was imposed by AirAsia. However, passengers have the alternative of web check-in, mobile check-in or kiosk check-in which are free of charge. [Source]

My humble thought:

A) I somewhat agree with TEM, even though they say no passengers nor the airlines would be affected, but in the not-so-far future, who might know?
B) If AirAsia & MAS go ahead with their "not to collect PSC on MAHB behalf". I see:

1. MAHB would have to open PSC counter themselves;
2. Passengers would have to pay PSC themselves. [Pro: No need to pay if cancel flight, no need to wait for weeks for PSC refund. Cons: Waste time to queue, might get lost as well. :D Ugh, they would setup kiosk &/@ web/mobile pay you say?]

KY Chua travels with AirAsia (rarely) but doesn't mind to pay the PSC if the process is simple, simpler & simplified (not to mention, not so expensive, cheap, cheaper or cheapest). Heck, he doesn't even mind to pay for the RM7 hike in airport tax (and the RM10 conventional counter check-in fee) as long as the service is good. But then, he's not that "berwang". So, he would settled for low cost of everything. :D

Interesting articles from YB Wee Choo Keong's blog: MOT: Airlines must refund Airport Tax to no-show passenger.

Yoong Hero, oops, I mean Young Hero :D

Saw this on TV yesterday. Text modified from The Star:

Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah weighs only 28kg weigh and 1.24m tall... She is the youngest gold medalist in SEA Games since its inception in 1959. And, oh, she's only 8-year-and-4-month-old when she won the gold for WOMEN Waterski Tricks Event. (Bold and EMPHASIS is mine) ;)

The Yoong family certainly breeding heroes. :D So, congratulation to our young hero.;) Read her resume here (updated as of 31st July 2011).

[Added on 23 Nov 2011]

It seems that former F1 driver Alex Yoong and Philipa Yoong both won golds as well. Also congratulations for the not-so-young heroes. :) [Source]

Revival On 11.11.11.

Read this in The Star Online titles What were you doing at 11.11am on 11.11.11?
Excerpts:

PETALING JAYA: 11.11.11, a once-in-a-century date. We asked readers, via email, Twitter and Facebook what they were doing at 11.11am on this day...

The rest of the story goes on to list selected answer from interviewees. The answers ranging from (can be simplified as) "Nothing" (important) to "Something"... :) Just click on the link above to read more. :)

As for me, I'm cleaning up my long and almost forgotten blog (more than 2 years!) and drafting this very post though it's a very short one. :D I doubt anyone will want to know why I didn't blog these 2 years. :) But briefly explained, my access to internet was limited and/or inconvenienced, my commitments were on something elses: works, jobs (I know, I mentioned it already :)), relationship, etc. :)

Anyhow, happy sextuplet "1" or 11.11.11 (or decuplet (ten) "1" if you include the time e.g. 11.11.11, 11:11am OR duodecuplet (twelve) if you include the seconds as well e.g. 11.11.11. 11:11:11 am. ) to you and myself. ;)

Happy Birthday to My Niece

My Mom and Amber Chua, 1-year-old yesterday (Birthday: 18 Aug 2008)

Endemic "Pig's" Flu - A Pessimist Thought?

First of all, I apologize for not updating this blog. The apology is mainly for myself for breaking the promise I made myself. However, I do have valid reasons but that is irrelevant now... No, it wasn't due to FaceBook. :)

Secondly, what happen to Swine Flu term? I noticed RTM and TV3 and Astro Awani and others no longer use it... Well, some international medias still use it though. Supposed the Art Minister say something I wasn't aware of. *shrug*

---

Now the title, when WHO announced Influenza A(H1N1) Spread Cannot Be Stopped in July this year, I fear this may become a reality. Will a pandemic (global) become an endemic ("local" - note the quote sign) eventually?

Definition of "endemic":

1. a disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location;
2. of or relating to a disease (or anything resembling a disease) constantly present to greater or lesser extent in a particular locality

Definition of "pandemic"

1. an epidemic that is geographically widespread; occurring throughout a region or even throughout the world
2. (epidemic over a wide geographical area) "a pandemic outbreak of malaria"
3. (existing everywhere) "pandemic fear of nuclear war"

---

Related posts:
Piggy Flu
Piggy Birdie Homo Flu

New Place

Just moved here (from Tawau to Kota Kinabalu (KK)) since Friday. Today is my 3rd day since then. ;) Tomorrow will get to new work place. :) Will tell you later...

Friday
Just arrived at 4.30AM at Inanam Bus Terminal. Feeling nausea and had stomache. I actually vomitted thrice. Must be something I ate. :D So, I rested for the whole day...

Saturday
Went to Inanam (Kolombong?) Giant Superstore to give some "kiriman" from Tawau from my GF to her youngest bro. Didn't meet him though, just her GF, Gie. Turned out Gie worked there.

Walked around the "tamu" at the Giant. Never thought there was "tamu" there but there really is. The "tamu" is on every saturday. Selling all kind of stuffs from traditional and "more modern" food/drink, clothes, "branded" stuffs (imitation branded stuffs), stuffed animals and actual animals (pets, non-pets a.k.a. small size farm animal e.g. chicks), pot plant, fertilizers etc.

All the while I was talking on the phone to my GF. :D I promised to call when I went home but small things led to another small things, the point is, I forgot to call her... So she got so pissed of and not picking up my phone till 10PM. *sweat* Only able to get to her at Midnight... Well, at least she forgave me. ;)

Sunday
My family plan to visit my 3rd bro’s new house (on renovation now). Ops blackout, saving, saving… Hi there again. :) Will be updating again, with pix hopefully…

I apologize for writing these crap, no I don’t! :D You all have a nice day. ;)