Having declared emergency status for Muar and Ledang because the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings there have reached the dangerous level of 746 at 7 am today, and probably also for Bukit Rambai and Malacca town with API 428 and 415 respectively at 11 am, the time has come for the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to fly to Jakarta for an emergency meeting with President Yudhoyono on the haze catastrophe choking millions of people in the three ASEAN countries of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
Top of his agenda with the Indonesian President must be the Indonesian ratification of the Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution 2002 which provides for a ASEAN Regional Haze Action Plan with provisions on monitoring, assessment, prevention, scientific research and technical co-operation as well as lines of communication and simplified customs and immigration procedures for disaster relief.
Although the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution have been ratified by nine ASEAN member states, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia has not ratified it.
With the declaration of emergency status in Muar and Ledang, and the possibility of the extension of the status of emergency to other areas severely hit by the haze catastrophe, it is imperative that Najib should take this issue to the highest levels between the two ASEAN countries to find a solution to a perennial problem threatening the health and quality of life of millions of people in ASEAN.
Kit, you just don’t get it! Someone must die first before any action can be taken.
ahh,mahligai aku clear.apa jerebu?nanti aku tiup dia dia tiup aku…
Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya’s response to Malaysian criticism on the haze was to name only eight companies that are contributing to the pollution – all owned by Malaysian investors. So yes the Indonesian authorities should take action against them, but if they are slack –because Indonesian central authority cannot control their provincial authorities slack in enforcement due to corruption- why can’t Malaysian authorities charge and take action against these Malaysian companies?
The argument here is that we can’t because the environmental offence is committed in Indonesia beyond the coverage of our Environmental Quality Act. This is not exactly true. Certain offences (I would think sedition, terrorism, offence relating to trafficking of persons or arms or offences affecting security of Malaysia) are chargeable in Malaysia even if committed abroad. Now this open burning is health hazard and definitely affecting security of every one (from here to Singapore), otherwise why declare Emergency in Muar & Ledang?
The avenue of charging a Malaysian entity (person or company) for committing out of Malaysia something which if committed in Malaysia is a chargeable offence in Malaysia is therefore not closed. We have here an Extraterritorial offences act. Our AG has the power to extend the range of offences committed by any Malaysian citizen or any permanent resident (which I presume will include a corporate entity) in any place without and beyond the limits of Malaysia under any written law by merely certifying that they affect the security of the country and presto bring it under offences under Environmental Quality Act right under the Extraterritorial Offences Act to charge the culprits who are Malaysians not charged by the Indonesians. The Question is: Do you have the political will when these companies are enjoying patronage from the top people here?
Do not daydream; he will not take the trouble to fly to Jakarta to teach his plantation cronies a lesson. On the contrary, he will do whatever he can to protect his plantation cronies. The haze problem will only go away when PR is voted into government in GE14 and when cronyism is wiped out.
The weather in this region is pristine at this time of the year.
With bright sunshine and blue sky.
However, most Malaysians have to close their doors and windows and stay home instead of venturing out and enjoying the fine weather.
Why should millions in Malaysia and Singapore pay the price for the recalcitrance of both the Malaysian and Indonesian governments in solving the problem once and for all.
Perhaps Singapore can spearhead a move to take up the issue in the UN.
At the same time have those offending companies named and have a movement to boycott their businesses.
Any other appropriate action should also be taken.
Corruption in both Malaysia and Indonesia is one of the reasons why the haze returns year after year.
We are hoping that Singapore and Malaysia will jointly charge Indonesia in the ICJ. This problem has gone too far for too long. Indonesia has in its powers to charge and take drastic action against any company conducting open burning. It is only a lame excuse to put the blame to “Singaporean” or “Malaysian” companies every year the issue is brought up. Both the Singaporean and Malaysian governments are partly to blame for they could have also taken drastic actions against these companies on their soil.
///Although the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution have been ratified by nine ASEAN member states, Brunei, Cambodia….Indonesia has not ratified it.///
Of course Indonesia will not ratify it as there is no advantage to do that. The ASEAN Agreement will only work if countries which ratified it agree to lower import duties on each other’s palm oil and timber products and countries which did not ratify the Agreement are slapped with much higher import duties.
Well, well, well.
The whole problem shows up one of the most important short-coming of Malaysians.
They are tolerant to a fault!!
The haze problem has been going on for more than a decade!
And has long become unbearable.
Just like the ruling party that they are having!!!
They have lived with their corruption, scams and scandals for fifty-six years!!
If there is a Guinness World Record For Tolerance, Malaysians would have won hands down!!!!
the time has come for the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to fly to Jakarta for an emergency meeting with President Yudhoyono on the haze catastrophe choking millions of people in the three ASEAN countries of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. – End of quote
Yes, he can fly there.
Have a nice meeting in a haze free area in Indonesia.
Slap each other on the back and congratulate each other on a job well done!
Their crony companies have saved millions by having the most convenient way to dispose of the cleared trees for their plantations!!!
Yes, the people in Malaysian and Singapore will be smothered by the haze!!!
But who in tarnation gives a damn for their suffering!!!
As long as their cronies make plenty of money.
He’ll then come back and talk cock!
Just like his counterpart in Indonesia!!!!
With the declaration of a state of emergency for Muar and Ledang districts, what are the ensuing implications? I read from the Star online that all 211 schools in the two districts have been ordered to close down on Monday. Muar district officer was even reported to have said that people did not have to go to work. Does it apply to private sector employees and is it mandatory? Private sector employers would suffer great financial losses if workers are allowed to stay at home. Would they be compensated? Outdoors or indoors, I don’t think it makes any difference as the polluted air is pervasive. May be the government should provide N95 respiratory masks for free and life should go on normally. Had the wind been blowing from the North West instead of from the South West, the smog would have been blown towards Jakarta and you can expect the Indonesian government to act more decisively and promptly.
Malaysia declares state of emergency over smog in south
@@http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23018947
Najib, listen, listen, listen! The BBC reported that people are angry that the authorities have not been able to address the health hazard.
think the government must tackle this issue asap. if not GE14 will see results from the people power..we will forgive but not forget..