Environment across Malaysia
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Rare bowmouth guitarfish recorded in Singapore waters after nearly 30 years
A rare bowmouth guitarfish was officially recorded in Singapore waters for the first time in almost 30 years, after fishermen filmed one near Pidok jetty on 29 October 2022. The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum published a report on the sighting, and researchers warn that if the species dies out, an 88-million-year evolutionary lineage would be lost.
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European heatwave cuts Belgian potato and dairy output, Asia exports at risk
A summer of temperatures near 40°C in southern Belgium has cut cattle fertility, raised mortality and reduced milk output by about 5 per cent, with farmers reporting income falls of up to 40 per cent. Smaller potatoes and apples threaten Belgium's processed-fries exports, of which East and Southeast Asia take 8 per cent, while France's corn harvest is forecast to drop 35 per cent. Europe's dairy industry says supply to Asia should hold for now.
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Transboundary haze cited as a major long-term risk factor for lung cancer in Malaysia
The Lung Cancer Network Malaysia warns that seasonal transboundary haze and long-term PM2.5 exposure are significant contributors to lung cancer risk in Malaysia. The group urges preventative measures and calls on Malaysia, as ASEAN chair, to push regional action at health minister level.
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Sewage discharge turns Pantai Panjang waterway black, Terengganu DOE says holding tanks not treatment
A waterway at Pantai Panjang on Pulau Redang has turned black and foul-smelling, with pollution linked to sewage overflow from nearby resorts. The Terengganu Department of Environment says holding tanks used by resort operators do not meet the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009, and the state says the problem has persisted for years despite RM100,000 spent on a temporary diversion.
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Sabah records 1,551 open burning cases since March
Sabah recorded 1,551 open burning cases between March 1 and Sept 13 this year, according to the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department. Bush and cogon grass fires made up 1,012 cases (65.2 per cent), followed by forest fires with 381 cases (24.6 per cent). Director Mohd Pisar Aziz urged the public to avoid open burning during dry weather and said the department will strengthen hotspot surveillance and operational readiness.
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Anwar raises cross-border forest fires with Prabowo at BRICS dinner
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim raised the issue of cross-border forest fires and the West Asia conflict in informal talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit dinner in New Delhi. Anwar also renewed his invitation for Prabowo to visit Malaysia to finalise pending bilateral matters. Recent reports show a sharp spike in forest and peatland fires across Kalimantan and Sumatra.
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Indonesia keeps 53 aircraft on standby as 592 hotspots detected
Indonesia is keeping 53 aircraft on standby to fight forest and land fires even as hotspots decline in Central and West Kalimantan. The Forestry Ministry recorded 592 high-confidence hotspots nationwide as of Sunday night, with Central Kalimantan highest at 89, followed by South Sumatra with 49. Three CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Japan are reinforcing water-bombing operations.
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MSU hosts two-day SDG-ESG symposium at Shah Alam campus
Management and Science University (MSU) and Times Higher Education held the two-day SDG-ESG Synergy Symposium from 3 September at the Performing Arts Theatre on MSU's main campus in Shah Alam. The event brought together leaders and experts from higher education, government and industry to discuss the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles. MSU also reported 950 documented SDG initiatives between 2022 and 2025.
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Bowmouth guitarfish filmed at Bedok Jetty, first Singapore record since 1995
A bowmouth guitarfish was filmed by anglers at Bedok Jetty on Oct 29, 2022, and formally documented in a report published by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum on Aug 31. It is the first confirmed record of the critically endangered species in Singapore waters since a specimen was netted off Marine Parade in 1995.
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Report: East Asian coral reefs hold steady as world's reefs shrink
An Aug 31 report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network found coral cover in the East Asian seas - including Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - has held steady over four decades, bucking the global decline driven by frequent marine heatwaves. Singapore-based researchers who contributed to the report say reefs in the region may carry heat-tolerant traits or microbes.
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Anwar and Prabowo meet in New Delhi: talks on forest fires and Iran war tensions
Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met on September 12 on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi to discuss severe forest fires and Iran war tensions affecting the region. Smoke from fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan and Sumatra has pushed Malaysia's air quality to unhealthy levels, with Sarawak's Serian recording the highest API reading of 178. Anwar will next travel to Kerala before departing for the Maldives on September 14.
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MTPIN member urges Malaysia to act early on Super El Nino risk
National Climate Change Action Council (MTPIN) member Mogesh Sababathy has urged Malaysia to take early action against a possible Super El Nino. He warned that prolonged heat without rain could strain water supply, food, public health and the economy. He proposed coordinating planting schedules, checking irrigation systems and supporting farmers.
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Windstorm damages roofs of three longhouses in Bawang Assan
A strong windstorm and heavy rain hit longhouses in Nanga Tutus, Bawang Assan, this morning, damaging roofs and facilities and affecting nine households. Building materials for roof repairs were provided to the families after Bawang Assan assemblyman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh visited the site to assess the damage.
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Fisheries Dept probes claim red-bellied piranha caught at Klau Dam, Raub
Pahang's Fisheries Department is investigating a fisherman's claim that he landed a red-bellied piranha at Klau Dam in Raub. Officers will visit the site this week to verify the presence of the invasive species, which is banned in Malaysia. Concerns were raised by a freshwater life monitoring group that the fish may have been released irresponsibly and could breed there.
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Karnataka minister admits Bengaluru sewage flows into Cauvery
Karnataka's environment minister Ramalinga Reddy has publicly admitted that only 53 percent of Bengaluru's daily sewage is treated, with the remaining 47 percent flowing untreated into the Cauvery and Thenpennai rivers towards Tamil Nadu. With Tamil Nadu's case before the National Green Tribunal due for hearing, he said 43 new treatment plants are being arranged.
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JKR denies Cameron Highlands bypass project caused Tanah Rata floods, landslide
The Public Works Department has denied that the Cameron Highlands bypass project caused flash floods and a landslide in Tanah Rata last Friday, saying no physical construction has started. It said the project is still at the design and assessment stage, and that the flooding at MARDI's agro-technology park and the small landslide on Jalan Tengkolok were on secondary roads outside the main project alignment.
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Lab results awaited after mass fish deaths in Sarawak River near Kuching Waterfront
Large numbers of fish were found dead along the Sarawak River near the Kuching Waterfront and Kampung Gersik-Boyan on Saturday morning. State agencies including NREB, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Fisheries have taken water and fish samples for laboratory analysis. Deputy Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the cause cannot yet be speculated on and promised a thorough investigation.
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Leatherback turtle lands and lays 81 eggs at Rantau Abang beach
A leatherback turtle came ashore and laid 81 eggs at Pantai Rantau Abang in Dungun early this morning, the second such landing in Terengganu this year. The eggs were handed to the Fisheries Department for incubation at the Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation Centre hatchery and are expected to hatch in 50 to 70 days.
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Ipoh mechanic photographs Kinta Valley limestone hills before they vanish
In Ipoh, 43-year-old mechanic Ching Boon Tat has spent years photographing the limestone hills, caves and rivers of the Kinta Valley, fearing they could disappear. He founded Kinta Valley Watch in 2018 to document the landscape and raise awareness, and says his photographs are a record of what was there.
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Ipoh karst, cave heritage under threat from development, say activists
In Perak's Kinta Valley, activists are raising awareness of the need to protect limestone karst landscapes and caves from uncontrolled development. Kinta Valley Watch's Ching Boon Tat is documenting the hills, while cave guide Mohd Zairis Abdul Rani highlights fossil and habitat discoveries. The inaugural International Day of Caves and Karst, declared by Unesco, is being marked today.
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Nepal floods separate over 500 children from their families
Floods that struck the Nepal-China border on Aug 26 have separated more than 500 children from their parents, according to an initial assessment by NGO Save the Children. Nepal's disaster agency reported 1,385 bodies recovered and 5,130 people still missing, while the government pledged a US$6.5 million scholarship fund for affected students.
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Malayan tiger Yong Choh released into Tasik Kenyir
A female Malayan tiger named Yong Choh was released back into its natural habitat at Taman Negara Terengganu, Tasik Kenyir on 6 September after rehabilitation at the National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Sungkai. It was captured in Kampung Choh, Sungai Siput, Perak on 22 July 2026 following human-wildlife conflict. The article also discusses post-release monitoring challenges and lessons from tiger conservation programmes in Russia and India.
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Himalayan flash flood kills 1,420, scientists trace cause to glacier collapse
A flash flood at the Nepal-Tibet border on 26 August 2026 killed 1,420 people as of 11 September. Studies found the magnitude 5.2 tremor came from a rock and ice avalanche near Langtang Lirung, not an earthquake. The wave of water, ice and boulders travelled 22 km at an average 193 km/h, leaving downstream residents little time to escape.
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Asean haze pact needs stronger political will, say experts
Experts in Kuala Lumpur say the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution is weakened by consensus decision-making, non-interference and a lack of political will. They call for faster regional response, better information-sharing and accountability, after the prime minister said the mechanism needs review as Indonesian forest fires continue to affect Malaysia.