LETTER | In the past month pollution in KL has frequently been worse than Beijing's. With no forest fires burning in South East Asia it is time to accept that the city’s pollution has no external source. This pollution comes from traffic. We need to talk about pollution, the effects it has on our lives, and ways to address it.

Pollution is measured by particulate matter in the air. The traditional measurement was PM10 – particles smaller than 10 micrometres. These irritate the eyes and nose and can contribute to flu-like symptoms. The modern measurement is PM2.5 - particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or less.

These are especially dangerous as they directly enter the bloodstream. This kind of pollution is linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer. This kind of pollution kills.

PM2.5 has long-term health consequences for all of us. It is especially detrimental to the elderly, and pregnant women, and children. It has been associated with birth defects, poorer academic performance, and premature death. Sadly, our daily commute by car is harming our most vulnerable and loved.

It is also hurting the economy. Pollution affects liveability and investment. Five years ago, KL ranked 25th for the most liveable city for Asian expats, this year the city is 126th. What caused this rapid decline?

Lee Quane, regional director of Asia at ECA International, explains that whilst other locations have improved their air quality, there remains “high levels of pollution in Kuala Lumpur”. When people stop seeing KL as a desirable city to live it is harder to attract international business and foreign investment.

In February, at the World Urban Forum, Kuala Lumpur was equipped with instruments to measure PM2.5. During the past week, PM2.5 levels have exceeded 150ppm. At these levels, children in Beijing are kept inside the classroom during their breaks due to health concerns. (The data is publicly available here, however, there is still no local organisation hosting the data and making it easily accessible to the rakyat.)

Beijing has a population of over 21 million people, a vast industrial complex on its periphery, and numerous coal-burning power plants surrounding the city. KL’s population is a third of that, there is little heavy industry, and there are far fewer power plants in the region. The city is also surrounded by dense forests which play a crucial role in keeping the city habitable.

So why is KL’s pollution level overshadowing Beijing’s? The answer is Malaysia’s dependency on the car. KL’s traffic is the legacy of subsidised fuel, heavy investment in road infrastructure, and inadequate investment in public transport. Malaysian fuel prices remain some of the cheapest in the world incentivising driving. This has fostered a sprawling city as people can afford to drive great distances. Such low density has made the provision of public transport expensive and unattractive.

The more people have had access to cars, the greater the demand for roads become. International research shows that the more roads a city has the worse its congestion. Los Angeles is a classic example. It not only has the most roads in the US but the highest percentage of space given to roads – yet it has the worst congestion. This is because new roads “induce demand” – they invite more people to drive. The first step to fighting congestion is to stop funding it by building new roads.

The new government has elected not to incentivise public transport with the promised monthly pass. Rather, the decision has been made to encourage car use by removing tolls. Further, the removal of GST is set to increase car sales as prices for vehicles decrease as much as RM88 000.

This will bring a surge in vehicle ownership, congestion, and pollution.

The first step to addressing pollution is to stop the increase in car numbers. Other countries have done it: Singapore, which ranks first on the most liveable city index mentioned earlier, have a cap on the number of vehicles in the country. The number of vehicles a person can own should be limited.

New developments should be restricted to two parking bays per unit. These options should be considered if Malaysia is to combat pollution, reduce traffic, and regain its liveability.

Malaysia must act immediately. When pollution is worse than Beijing, the warning signs have been missed. It is time to make some hard decisions. What is more important: our children’s health or our convenience?

To better understand pollution and the effects it has on our health, watch the documentary Under the Dome.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.