YOURSAY 'Our gov't has given up finding solutions - they go through the motions like before, until the problem ‘burns' itself away after a month or so.'

Rain eases haze but Port Klang remains hazardous

Ferdtan: The life of the rakyat is cheap. That is what we perceive from the lukewarm response from our government to the haze from Indonesia. Year in and year out, it is still the same answers and responses from the affected countries.

Our government has given up finding solutions to the problem - they are going through the motions (mildly condemning the neighbour and offering to help put out the fires) like before, until the problem ‘burns' itself away after a month or so. Then come next year, history repeats itself.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is a big joke. Nothing gets done through this association.

The leaders in Asean don't talk frankly and they gather periodically just to feel good (and waste public funds to play diplomatic golf). Why can't they put the haze as their top priority when they do meet?

Governments everywhere are the same - they only move when the people are upon them. That is why we must keep up with the people's movement, and peacefully rallying if necessary. That is the only language they understand.

Human Being: This is not a natural disaster. This is the work of unethical men. This is gross negligence which amounts to intentional grievous bodily harm. The guilty parties should be imprisoned for many years as a deterrent to others.

Armchair Newspaper: Haze transcends borders and political divides and we should not blame the Indonesian or Malaysian government.

Unsustainable agricultural practices and land clearance lead to the annual haze season and other environmental problems.

Are our plantation tycoons operating in Indonesia also responsible by their collusion and irresponsible corporate culture that condone and even encourage unsustainable slash-and-burn practices?

These are the deeper and necessary questions that demand answers if we are to move beyond the present "blame Indonesia or Malaysia" mindset.

Ketuanan Rakyat: Corruption at top level - a common problem in Malaysia and Indonesia - is the main reason for this recurring problem.

Unfortunately, there is still a significant amount of support from rural people for the corrupted leaders in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Anonymous_404f: The mainstream media, especially radio, should do its part to update the public regularly on the Air Pollutant Index (API) status and advise accordingly instead of spending time enticing listeners with cash handouts.

Or do they need a sponsor to provide this public community service?

Anonymous #33877536: This haze seems to be an annual festival for Malaysia which the whole nation celebrates. Everybody barks and when the haze goes away, the barking stops. Then, next year, when the haze comes back, the barking starts again.

Anonymous #69337042: #33877536, how could you use the words 'festival' and 'celebrate' to describe the people's reaction to the haze menace?

People are angry and fuming because their health is threatened and they are forced to stay indoors and to take necessary measures to reduce the harm caused by the pollutants.

Amigoes: The most basic requirement of humans - to breathe - is being threatened year in, year out, in the name of big business and gross incompetency of the government due to their glaring disconnect to the real world. Sad, so sad.

Gggg: Those days it was big news when the API was close to 200. Now it's near 500 and yet few people would bat an eyelid.

Soon in the future it may reach 1,000 and politicians will still be having meetings to find a solution.

Gov't not doing enough to control mask prices, says DAP

Anonymous #45522856: I just went to one pharmacy and the price for a 3M N95 mask is RM9 per piece - a 300 percent increase from the normal RM3.

Ah Gu, Ah Beh: Not only free helmets, free T-shirts and in Air Putih, free food for weeks on end before the election.

Now I don't see them distributing free masks in the market when the health of the rakyat are at stake.

Supercession: Umno has not lifted a finger to ensure the availability of N95 masks. Unsurprising, really, seeing that it is utterly inefficient in ensuring the well-being of the rakyat.

Jing: Can anyone help check whether the rakyat can institute a case to sue the companies involved and the Indonesia authorities for damages for losses and suffering cause by their greed and inaction over the years?

These companies will only feel the pain when they have to pay millions of dollars in compensation.

Odin: Here's a suggestion. Buy one of those masks worn when handling hazardous substances. It is light and small but very effective in filtering out microscopic particles and even poisonous vapours and gases.

I paid only RM6.50 for mine. It is seven years old now and still in perfect condition. After all, you don't wear it daily but only when you get the special gift from Indonesia.

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