[587] Of Malaysia offers Indonesia aid and what Malaysians should do
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Malaysia offered on Wednesday to help neighbour Indonesia extinguish forest fires that have smothered Kuala Lumpur in a thick pall of smoke for a week, aggravating traffic and health conditions.
It's about time and Indonesia better accept it.
In any case, there was a short rain just now here in Kuala Lumpur. Unfortunately, the rain did little to relieve the worsening condition. The haze has been relentless.
And while the government finally seems to be crawling in the right direction, we as Malaysians should help out. Instead of moaning how bad the situation really is, start out by not driving and take up public transportation instead. Or at least carpool. If you are whinning but still drive an SUV even to get to the nearest convenience store, just stfu because you have just forfeited your right to bitch.
Another thing we could do is to inform our reps of ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and how Indonesia has yet to ratify it.
MAlaysia should offer the firefighting services. They should pay for the cost. This is not charity.
A big country like Indonesia that can provide us with so much labour force, cannot even put out fires on their own????
By fooji, at 10 August, 2005 06:54
malaysia help indonesia so many time ..wut for ...better solution is to sue them!whose health is indonesia spoiling?theirs in java or sumetra..or west malaysia island?
By noprojects, at 10 August, 2005 06:55
Car emissions contribution to the haze is nil, otherwise it would be haze all year round. In fact, driving is more healthier - it's air-conditioned. No busstop is, neither are most LRT stations and Komuter stations. Plus, on most buses, most of the air circulating comes from outside, not from the airconditioning system.
So do your health a favour - drive that SUV to the grocery's down the road.
By Rajan R, at 10 August, 2005 07:26
Helping Indonesia should be a priority - for our sake, not for the sake of Pontianak experiencing equally bad haze.
But the thing is, this is becoming a yearly exercise since the Reformasi. Force them to sign some sort of treaty giving Malaysian environmental law and agencies control over Sumatra and Kalimantan until they can take over. Don't care about their sovereignity - if they can't take care of their own land, why should they deserve it?
By Rajan R, at 10 August, 2005 07:31
actually, car/other vehicle emissions do affect air quality. It's just that you can neither see nor smell them - just like carbon monoxide.
and while driving with air-conditioner on is healthy, it's somewhat similar to the case of tragedy of the commons - there is certain externalized cost.
By __earth, at 10 August, 2005 12:21
