RI's haze shrouded Malaysia<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP): Smoke from Indonesian forest
\nfires shrouded much of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, forcing many
\nresidents to stay indoors.<\/p>\n
Other parts of the country have experienced very poor air
\nquality over the past several days, health officials said.<\/p>\n
Teng Hock Nan, who heads a committee on environment and
\ntraffic management, said the Air Pollution Index reached
\n"unhealthy" levels and visibility dropped as low as 1 kilometer,
\ncompared to normal levels of 10 kilometers, The Star daily
\nreported.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's meteorological department is refusing to release
\nair pollution figures since government officials said publicizing
\nthe pollution index could drive away tourists.<\/p>\n
Over the past decade, Malaysia has periodically been blanketed
\nby huge clouds of smog caused by fires across the Indonesian
\narchipelago. In 1997, the smog paralyzed the region for months,
\nthreatening the health of millions of people in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
Fires in Indonesia, often set by logging and plantation
\ncompanies as an inexpensive but illegal way of clearing land,
\nhave become an annual problem during the dry season in Southeast
\nAsia.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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