A few more photos have emerged from a group of hikers and nature lovers showing the extent of degradation on Bukit Relau.
Public hearing for Seberang Perai Local Plans coming up
The public hearing for the draft Local Plans for Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Tengah will be held on 26 November – 9 December 2013 at the Mawar Room at MPSP on the mainland.
Cable cars will push Penang Hill visitors beyond 10000/day threshold
A proposal for cable car lines from the Youth Park, Botanic Garden and Teluk Bahang has been tacked on to the draft Special Area Plan for Penang Hill, which is being touted as a “green, heritage destination”. There is concern, however, that this could add to traffic congestion around the Youth Park/Botanic Garden area while pushing visitors well past the 10000 people/day carrying capacity of the Penang Hill summit, as gazetted in the existing Penang Hill Local Plan.
Climate change influenced Typhoon Haiyan
Some scientists are making the link between climate change and Typhoon Haiyan. Unfortunately, much of the corporate media remain largely silent about the link, perhaps because large corporations which contribute advertising revenue to the media, are among the major culprits of greenhouse gas emissions.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald:
Professor Will Steffen, a researcher at the ANU and member of the Climate Council, said scientists understand how a hotter, moister climate is already affecting storms such as Haiyan.
“Once [cyclones] do form, they get most of their energy from the surface waters of the ocean,” Professor Steffen said. “We know sea-surface temperatures are warming pretty much around the planet, so that’s a pretty direct influence of climate change on the nature of the storm.”
Data compiled from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows sea temperatures were about 0.5 to 1 degree above normal in the waters to the east of the Philippines as Haiyan began forming. The waters cooled in the storm’s wake, an indication of how the storm sucked up energy.
Francis lashes out against corruption
The Bishop of Rome, Francis, has railed against corruption again, severely chastising those who donate to the church on the one hand while stealing from the state and the poor on the other.
Forum in Penang today: ‘Return of preventive detention?’ (Reminder)
Aliran is holding a public forum on the implications of the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act and the Penal Code on 12 November in Penang.
‘Super typhoon Haiyan is not a natural disaster’; it’s climate change
The strongest typhoon ever to make landfall in recorded human history – so strong that if there was a Category 6, it would have fallen squarely in that box – is not a natural disaster. Instead, the Philippines’ lead negotiator to the UN climate talks in Warsaw, Yeb Sano, has firmly linked the devastation in his country to climate change.
So why aren’t more of the corporate media highlighting this crucial angle? Is it because the corporate sector is responsible for a lot of the greenhouse gas emissions?
‘Devotees of goddess of kickbacks’ bring home ‘dirty bread’: Francis
The Bishop of Rome, Francis, has condemned the culture of bribery and corruption as serious sins that rob people, including the children of the culprits, of their dignity.
‘Distressing’ photos of ‘Botak Hill’ (Bukit Relau)
A group of nature lovers and hikers sent in these photos of the degradation of Bukit Relau following hill-top land clearing which they described as “distressing”.
When will Penang Structure Plan, Local Plan be tabled for public review?
Today is the last day for submitting questions for the next Penang State Assembly session in November. Activist Tan Seng Hai approached a couple of elected reps to raise a question as a matter of urgent public interest.