Health Ministry prepares to face prolonged haze (The Star 3rd October 2015)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has made necessary preparations to face the possible increase in cases of illnesses due to the haze, which is expected to continue for another month.
Its deputy minister, Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said there was enough medicine and face masks to meet the situation.
"There is no need to worry. So far, there is no alarming increase in haze-related illnesses from our observations at hospitals and clinics nationwide," he told a media conference after opening the Organ Donation Awareness Week on Saturday.
On Friday, Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head Willem Rampangilei was quoted by local media as saying that the haze problem, caused by forest and plantation fires in Indonesia, would end in a month with the beginning of the rainy season.

He said with the weather shift, the fires in the peat lands would be put out and the haze, which has plagued Malaysia and Singapore for the last two months, would be eliminated.
In another development, Hilmi said the ministry had not received any report on the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) affecting the current season's haj pilgrims from Malaysia.
He said special teams have been stationed at airports to conduct health screening on haj pilgrims upon their return since the arrival of the first flight last Sept 29.
Friday, 14 of the 287 Thai haj pilgrims were quarantined on suspicion of being infected by MERS on their return to Thailand.
They were quarantined at the Narathiwat Rachanakarin Hospital.
Meanwhile, Hilmi said the Organ Donation Awareness Week was being carried out at 76 locations nationwide from today.
The target is to get 6,000 new organ donors, he added.        
He said that as of August this year, 308,299 Malaysians or 1.1 per cent of the country's population, had pledged to donate their organs.
As of august this year, there are 19,507 Malaysians waiting to carry out organ transplant and most of them are kidney patients, he added. - Bernama

Sarawak set to reach five million visitors despite haze (The Star 27th October 2015)

by sharon ling

KUCHING: Sarawak is on track to reach its target of five million visitor arrivals this year despite hazy conditions in the last two months.
Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state had recorded 3.1 million arrivals up to August.
“With four more months to go, I think we can maintain what we achieved last year. My target is five million and we are all working hard to achieve this figure,” he said when launching the Borneo Talk privilege card.
Last year Sarawak received 4.86 million visitors comprising some three million foreign arrivals and 1.83 million domestic visitors.

Abang Johari said his ministry would continue to promote the state as a destination which offered culture, adventure and nature to tourists.
“We are in a privileged position because of our unity, not only between the races but between nature and human beings.
“We are using this as our branding to promote Sarawak as a unique destination in this part of the world,” he said.
On the privilege card, he said it was a way for industry players to work together with the ministry in promoting Sarawak.
Borneo Talk editor-in-chief Ivy Pan said the card offered its holders discounts and promotions from participating merchants in Malaysia and Brunei.
“This is our way of rewarding readers and supporters who have remained loyal to us over the years. At present we have over 50 merchants partnering with us to offer priveleges on the card,” she said.
She added that new merchants would be added to the list from time to time.
The card can be purchased for RM10 at Borneo Talk’s office at Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce or ordered online at www.borneotalk.com

Nationwide rainfall to bring respite from haze (The Star 13th October 2015)

PETALING JAYA: Heavy rainfall expected across the country will bring Malaysians a few days of respite from the haze.
The Natural Resources and En­vi­ronment Ministry estimated that rain would persist in the peninsula as well as Sabah and Sarawak until Oct 16.
Of all 52 areas monitored, only the air in Banting, Selangor, recorded “unhealthy” levels, reaching an API (air pollutant index) peak of 106 at 2pm yesterday.
Some 13 areas recorded “good” levels during certain parts of the day, while the rest remained “moderate”.

An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates “good” air quality, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy and 300 and above hazardous.
The National Oceanic and Atmos­pheric Administration also found 78 hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Oct 11.
No hotspots were found in Malaysia.
The Regional Haze Map also showed that Kalimantan and Sumatra were both covered in moderate and thick haze, which was found to be heading towards the south of peninsular Malaysia.
Natural Resources and Envi­ronment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that apart from mobilising Bombardier CL415 planes to help put out forest fires, Malaysia will lend its expertise to Indonesia in building tube wells.
“They (the tube wells) serve to control the irrigation of Indonesia’s peat lands, making sure they do not dry up during the drought season,” he said in a statement.
Two days ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak went to Indonesia on a bilateral visit and met with President Joko Widodo.
“Both countries agreed to strengthen co-operation in dealing with the haze problem,” said Dr Wan Junaidi.

Indonesia apologises for haze (The Star 8th September 2015)

by martin carvalho

KUALA LUMPUR: An Indonesian Member of Parliament has apologised for the haze currently blanketing the region.

Hamdhani Mukhdar Said, who is in charge of environment and international relations, said he would raise the issue with the Indonesian parliament for more efforts to deal with the haze situation.
"I want to apologise to the Malaysian people for the haze.

"The annual haze is not intentional but due to the droughts that affects parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan," he told reporters during a break in the 36th General Assembly of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly here on Tuesday.

He said the Indonesian central government has allocated US$1mil to provinces affected by peat and forest fires.
"We will request the government for more allocation to help fight the fires," he added.
The haze afflicting Malaysia is a result of widespread clearing of forests in Indonesia for oil palm plantations.

Businessman wants to sue Indonesia for US$100mil over haze (The Star 23rd October 2015)

SUNGAI PETANI: A businessman made a police report threatening to sue the Indonesian government for nearly half a billion ringgit over the worsening haze.
“If I win the case, I’ll donate the money to needy schools and charitable organisations,” said 52-year-old M. Guna­­se­karan.

The father of three from Taman Kempas here made the report at the Kepala Batas police station in Penang on Wednesday. The report has since gone viral.

When contacted by The Star, Gunasekaran said he was fed up with the worsening haze situation in the country.

He said the haze caused him and his family breathing difficulties.
“I am serious about my report as the haze has taken a toll on my children’s health as well as the public.
“I plan to take up the matter to the International Court of Justice and want to claim US$100mil (RM429mil) from the Indonesian government,” said Gunasekaran whose children are aged between 14 and 18.

He added if no action is taken, the haze, which has been happening every year, will recur next year.
“This matter cannot be taken lightly as thousands of children are affected by the closing of schools.
“If my story is fake, you can sue me, but everyone is affected by the haze, right?” he said.
North Seberang Perai OCPD Asst Comm Azmi Adam confirmed there was such a report.
“We do not stop the public from lodging any report.

“Since there are no criminal elements, we are not investigating the report and will let the complainant pursue his intention to sue the Indonesian government on his own accord,” he said.

Parliament to debate emergency motion on haze (The Star 21st October 2015)

by hemananthani sivanandam

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat will set aside one hour on Wednesday to debate an emergency motion regarding the worsening haze situation affecting the country.
Hee Loy Sian (PKR-PJ Selatan) tabled the motion in Parliament and Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee allowed it to be debated in the august House.

Hee said that the haze had reached serious levels that were not only affecting health, but also tourism and businesses as well.

One hour will be set aside from 4.30pm to 5.30pm on Wednesday for lawmakers to debate the issue plaguing the country.

As of 11am Wednesday morning, several areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.
Among the areas with unhealthy readings are Petaling Jaya (187), Banting (192) and Putrajaya (194).
Port Klang and Shah Alam recorded very unhealthy API readings of 204 and 235 respectively.

More haze-related illnesses (The Star 23rd October 2015)

by amanda yeap

AS MALAYSIA is once again enveloped in a choking haze this month, health clinics in Perak are seeing an increase of patients coming in with haze-related illnesses.
Based on the statistics from the state Health Department’s monitoring of patients seeking treatment at five clinics in Perak, director Datuk Dr Juita Ghazalie said 1,614 patients came in with upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in the first week of October.

“For conjunctivitis, 100 patients came in, while 169 more sought treatment for asthma attacks.
“This shows an increase in comparison to the figures in the last week of September, where we recorded 1,499 patients for URTI, 63 for conjunctivitis, and 153 for asthma,” she said.

URTI is a common viral infection that affects the nose, throat and airways and its symptoms usually include a scratchy or sore throat, sneezing, stuffy nose and coughing.
Some may also experience fatigue or fever, pain in the sinuses, and irritation of tonsils.
Dr Juita urged all parties to avoid organising outdoor events and activities as the five clinics located in different areas of Perak are currently showing unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of Oct 17.

These areas are Jalan Tasek, Ipoh at 136, Kg Air Putih, Taiping at 115, SK Jln Pegoh, Ipoh at 145, Seri Manjung at 114 and Tanjung Malim at 122.
“If outdoor activities have been planned in advance before the haze, it is advisable to postpone or cancel them entirely until the readings improve to below 100.
“Should one persist in carrying on with their activities or events, please have them indoors instead,” she said.

Dr Juita also advised the public to continue taking preventive measures to reduce the negative effects of the haze, which includes using masks and reducing physical activities outdoors.
“Ensure that air in the house or building is clean by reducing the sources of indoor pollution like cigarette smoke, and if you are able to, use air conditioners and air purifiers at home.
“This is because an efficient air filtering system can block out most of the fine particles associated with smoke and reduce the amount of air pollution from outside the house.
“Drink plenty of plain water, at least eight glasses a day, and always remember to wash your hands and face with soap and water after being outdoors,” she said.

Dr Juita added that those who show symptoms such as coughing, colds, asthma, sore eyes, and lung infection should visit a clinic as soon as possible before it worsens.
At the Bercham 1Malaysia Clinic, Kinta district assistant medical officer Zamri Shaari said, out of an average of 200 patients visiting the clinic every day since July, almost 70% of them were suffering from URTI.

“Asthma patients, who usually suffer an attack once every three months, are getting them as frequently as a few times a week now.
“Sometimes, some of our patients also suffer from dry eyes as a result of the haze,” he said.
Asked if there is a shortage of URTI medication at the clinic due to this, Zamri said no, as the clinic already expected to receive a high volume of patients every day.
“Before the haze, colds, coughs and sore throats were also among some of the most common ailments suffered by our patients,” he said.

As for the 1Malaysia Clinic in Station 18, a spokesman from the clinic said they are still receiving a consistent amount of patients coming in with URTI before and after the haze.
“From January to March this year, around 60% of their patients suffered from URTI, while the percentage remained the same from July to September,” said the spokesman.
Meanwhile, Perak Chest Society president Dr Leong Oon Keong said for the last three months, many of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients at his specialist clinic have been attributing their worsening symptoms to the haze.
“These worsening symptoms, known as exacerbation, will cause shortness of breath and change in quantity and colour of phlegm.
“Although it is triggered by bacteria or viruses, it can be brought on by environmental pollutants too, like the severe haze,” he said.
For asthma patients, Dr Leong advises them to download the society’s AsthmaMD app on smartphones to aid them in their asthma action plan as well as to track asthma triggers like allergies, pollens, pollutants and more.
“This app is very handy because by helping patients to keep a journal of their asthma, they can handle their condition well enough on self-medication without needing to visit the doctors,” he said.

Topsy-turvy days due to haze (The Star 22nd October 2015)

KUALA LUMPUR: The sudden closure of several schools in Penang in the afternoon has left many fuming.
Parents, teachers, school transporters and canteen operators were caught by surprise and things got topsy-turvy.
In George Town yesterday, a last- minute directive was issued for afternoon school sessions in Penang to close due to the worsening haze.
Education Department director Shaari Osman said he decided at about 11.30am yesterday to suspend the afternoon session when the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading neared 150 and began sending out the directive by facsimile.

He said the decision was made at the last minute as the air quality started to decrease rapidly from 11am.
Some schools, however, claimed that they only got the directive at about 2pm although the afternoon session began at 1.10pm in some schools.
While some schools, which got the directive earlier, turned away students sent by their parents at the gates, others were caught in a dilemma as they only knew about the closure after all their students had arrived.
At Convent Green Lane (CGL), parents were surprised when they arrived with their children only to be told that the afternoon session had been suspended.
One parent, P.D. Joan, said she even called the school at 12.30pm to check if the afternoon session had been suspended due to the haze but was told that it would proceed.
“When I arrived at 12.50pm with my daughter, a Rela guard on duty told me that there was no school. I then called the school again and was told that they had just received the directive,” she said.
But unlike CGL, many schools in the state only received the directive after the afternoon sessions had started.
SK Seberang Jaya 1 pupils in Taman Siakap on the mainland were seen in their classrooms at 3.30pm.
Pupils of SJK (C) Moh Ghee Pusat in Perak Lane were also seen leaving the school about 2pm.
When contacted, the clerk confirmed that the school received the directive late.
Izeham Abd Hamid, the father of a Year Four pupil, expressed disappointment over the last-minute announcement.
“Action needs to be taken early. There is no need to wait until the situation gets critical to close the school.
“Many parents are working and not everyone is available to pick up their children at the last minute. Schoolbuses also have other passengers to ferry,” he said, adding that the directive should have been issued before the session started.
A canteen operator, who declined to be named, said a lot of food ended up going to waste due to the last-minute notice.
“The school informed us after 1pm, but it was too late as we had already prepared the food,” she said.
A total of 95 school sessions were stopped in Penang yesterday.
The closing of schools is a reflection of what has been happening on the ground daily in the last few months since the haze took over the Malaysian sky.
Many schools in other states, including Selangor, the Federal Territories, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak, have been closed since Monday.
In those four days, parents and teachers have not been getting proper updates and have to painstakingly check many avenues to see if the schools are going to be open or closed the next day.
The daily routine then continues with them making arrangements for babysitters, cancelling transports or applying for emergency leave.
In Kuala Muda and Yan, Kedah, many parents were unaware that schools in the two districts were closed due to the haze.
In Johor, teachers handling the Sijil Peperiksaan Malaysia (SPM) subjects are complaining about having to race against time to make sure their students are well-prepared to sit for the exam early next month.
Today, schools in Penang, Putra­jaya, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Kedah, Perlis, Negri Sembilan and some areas in Pahang and Sarawak will remain closed.

Law to nab haze culprits under way (The Star 22nd October 2015)

by sira habibu

PETALING JAYA: A new law similar to Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act is being drafted in Malaysia to bring to book local companies setting forest fires abroad.
Natural Resources and Environ­ment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the proposed law was necessary to ensure that offenders causing transborder haze did not escape with impunity.

“I have directed the ministry’s legal adviser to prepare the framework with the technical team before forwarding it to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for fine-tuning prior to tabling the draft Bill in Parliament,” he said.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali confirmed that the proposed law may be modelled on the Act passed in Singapore last year.

“The A-G’s Chambers will wait for the ministry to refer to them,” Apandi told The Star.
Wan Junaidi said he had directed the ministry’s legal adviser three weeks ago to prepare the framework for the new laws, as Malaysia currently did not have jurisdiction to take action against local companies committing the offence abroad.

He said it was part of a two-pronged strategy being undertaken to facilitate legal action against those responsible for causing haze.
Malaysia has also suggested including another legally binding clause in the proposed bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Indonesia, which is yet to be ratified, to refer breaches in agreement to the International Court of Justice.

Wan Junaidi said resorting to legal action would be most effective in tackling the long-standing woe that has taken a toll on the entire population in the region.
He added that statistics from the Indo­nesian authorities showed that most of the culprits involved in torching forests were smallholders (97%), compared with big corporations which made up only 3% of the cases.

Haze: Don't blame, Indonesia doing all to fight fires, says DPM (The Star 22nd October 2015)

by jastin ahmad tarmizi

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will not pressure Indonesia over the worsening haze as it has shown its commitment to tackle the problem, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).

The Deputy Prime Minister said it was not fair the blame Indonesia on the issue as Indonesian leaders had already asked for assistance from neighbouring countries to fight the raging fires in Sumatra.

"It is not fair for us to blame Indonesia. Instead we have to assist them to overcome this problem which is a transboundary problem," Dr Ahamd Zahid told a press conference at the Putrajaya International Security Dialogue here on Thursday.

Dr Ahmad Zahid added that he had personally given his suggestion on how to tackle the fires to Indonesian leaders.

The haze which has led to air quality reaching very unhealthy levels in the peninsula was caused by widespread clearing of oil palm plantations in Indonesia.

No yellow haze, says DOE (The Star 21st October 2015)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of the Environment (DOE) has denied the existence of the "yellow haze" phenomena as is being spread on social media.

DOE said its monitoring of the haze situation in the country found the concentration of carbon monoxide was low and did not cause the phenomena.

"The reading on the carbon monoxide concentration is less that the Recommended Malaysia Air Quality Guidelines, that is below 30 ppm (1 hour) or 35 microgrammes per cubic metre (1 hour).

"It does not cause the yellow haze phenomena," DOE said in a statement in clarifying the false information being spread on social media.


DOE drew attention to the fact that the Air Pollutants Index in Malaysia was the best yardstick for measuring the main pollutants in the atmosphere which are fine dust with size less than 10 micrometres (PM10); carbon monoxide; sulphur dioxide; nitrogen dioxie and ozone, in accordance to international standards. - Bernama.