How Long Are We To Live With The Haze?

By Melati Mohd Ariff KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- While the Air Pollution Index (IPU) has been improving over the last few days, that does not mean Malaysians can sigh in relief and say that it is the end of the haze episode. This is because the haze that came all the way from Indonesia could return again, polluting the air not only in Malaysia but also across other neighbouring countries in the region. It appears that the haze that appears periodically is here to stay. Though it causes serious implications to the health of citizens across the region and the economies of nations, there appears to be no solution in sight. While the Indonesian authorities have stepped up the fight against forest fires in West Kalimantan more than 1,000 hotspots have been identified early this week in Sumatra, at the other end of the Indonesian archipelago. THE SAME OLD STORY The haze appears to be a recurring event. S.Piarapakaran, President of Association of Water and Energy Malaysia (AWER) shared that the hazy woes in fact dates back to the 1990s. His early experience with haze happened during his schooldays, during his lower secondary years, around 1993 or 1994. Over the last 10 years he has taken up the matter seriously, much in his capacity as an environmental activist. "Big scale land clearing affects the water cycle. The situation deteriorates when the wind direction changes and the changes in the rainfall," lamented Piarapakan. A colleague of mine Ravichandran D.J. Paul shared that he too had to endure the haze while in Kuching of east Malaysian state Sarawak in 2001. The haze then was due the clearing of forest by farmers for cultivation using the cut and burn method. The haze was so bad that Malaysia Airlines had to cancel 70 flights to Sarawak. It has been 14 years since then and the haze has been recurring without any solution in sight. Some even jokingly say that after the hot season, the rainy season, its the haze season in Malaysia. WHEN IS THIS NIGHTMARE TO END How long more are we to endure with this cross border haze nightmare? Will this problem prolong up to our grandchildren or great grandchildren's generation? Will our coming generations inherit a host of respiratory ailments due to the haze? Why is it so difficult to solve the haze problem, after all this while the local authorities have identified the cause of the haze and the culprits behind it? "When Singapore and Malaysia raise their concern, the standard reply that we receive is that the culprits are Singapore and Malaysia owned companies. Come next year, it will be the same reply like what it has been all these years. "Whether the company from Malaysia or elsewhere, the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) has to be enforced in line with the agreements and international laws," said Piarapakaran. As this article is being written, a Malaysian company is among the 20 firms being investigated by the Indonesian authorities for causing forest fires that contributed to the haze in the region. THERE HAS TO BE EARNESTY Malaysia and Indonesia are expected to meet on Sept 25 to seek a solution on the haze woes. It was reported that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed and it would be effective for five years. However, one should note even before this there was an MoU signed in 2013 for the same problem but the outcome has been disappointing. We hope to see a more effective MoU to solve the haze problem once and for all and there is no need to sign further MoU in the coming years. It is hoped that the meeting will not only propose ways to tackle forest fires but also wanton open burning. Maybe more drastic action should be taken other than just the enforcement of laws to stop illegal burning of jungles. "Malaysia could impose economic pressure. Name and shame the parties responsible in burning down jungles. If their palm oil or agricultural produce is barred from being sold in Malaysia, they will lose out economically. "The same sanctions could be extended through the ASEAN, European Union and UN framework to ban their products in the international market. "This is the most effective way to tackle the haze problem," said Piarapakaran adding that the Malaysian government has to claim back all the expenses incurred in healthcare and losses suffered by businesses due to the haze, the cost involved in cloud seeding and etc. (This commentary is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect BERNAMA's stand or views on the matter) --BERNAMA