Beleaguered Sarawakians are bedding in for long battle with haze
As the Klang Valley battles with high API readings and closed schools, a compatriot from Kuching, Sarawak tells just how hard life has been since the haze descended more than a month ago.
"Even though cloud-seeding is done daily, it just rains for 10 minutes and then stops...
As the Klang Valley battles with high API readings and closed schools, a compatriot from Kuching, Sarawak tells just how hard life has been since the haze descended more than a month ago.
"Even though cloud-seeding is done daily, it just rains for 10 minutes and then stops.
"The source of the haze is still rampaging fire. By the time it burns out... how many people will have suffered?" Kuching resident Azah Zamhari told Malaysiakini.
Azah, in her mid 30s, has two young children and two elderly parents to look after.
"Right now, I'm not working. I am taking care of my mom who has been afflicted with a stroke.
"All the schools have been closed due to the weather since Sept 10. Thankfully now almost all schools have a WhatsApp group informing whether the school is open or not.
"Some parents have had to take leave to take care of their children, but a majority have no choice, but to bring the children to work!" she said.
As bad as it is, and right now Kuching has a very unhealthy API level of 208, Azah (above) is aware that things are worse in outlying areas.
"In town it's okay, but in the kampung areas, there is no water. The Kuching water board sends water supply every two days, I heard," she added.
Yesterday's Sri Aman API figures were hazardous, spiralling to over 400.
It's a double blow for some 100,000 folks in the Sri Aman area, who besides having to deal with the choking haze situation, now find themselves facing a shortage in the water supply.
“The affected water plants are Bayai, Stumbin, Seduku, Lingga, LDS, Engkilili, Melugu and Pantu, all of which are at critical levels following the hot and dry weather for the past one month,” said Sri Aman Rural Water Supply Department engineer Adzahari Baini.
Azah said another trend is that not only are people following API figures closely, but they are questioning whether the official figures are valid.
"We think the haze is worse than the figures reported," she said.
People are sharing explanations as to why, and also articles which indicate that Kuching recently earned the shocking distinction of being “the most polluted city in the world."
Today, Malaysian firms implicated as contributors to the ongoing haze crisis were warned by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to put out the fires in their plantations or be prepared to face legal action.
“We think that we should publicise the actual effects (of haze) more through government statements, and show where the hotspots are.
“We also want to take action against Malaysian companies which have estates outside Malaysia, which are contributing towards the haze because of burning in their estates," he said.
Sarawakians are clear that the source of the haze is forest fires in Kalimantan, but there is no point getting upset if leaders can't fix these issues.
"Indonesians are frustrated with themselves. My maid is from Singkawang, Kalimantan. Her family says there is no water at all there. Majority of the haze comes from Kalimantan," Azah said.
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