Fishermen worry over haze

Fishermen worry over haze

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Authorities have so far denied reports of a
growing haze, but many Malaysian fishermen refuse to risk their
lives and are staying ashore, news reports said Saturday.

The fishermen are worried that poor visibility at sea will
cause them to ram each other's boats, Tan Seng Bu, chairman of
the Parit Jawa Fishermen's Association, was quoted as saying by
the New Straits Times daily.

"We expect worsening conditions due to the prevailing wind
which will bring the haze in from Sumatra," Tan was quoted as
saying.

Visibility in the Malacca Strait, which separates peninsular
Malaysia from the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is now about two
nautical miles during the day, the New Straits Times reported.

A gray pall has hung over the skyline of Kuala Lumpur, the
capital, for several days, keeping some residents indoors for
fear of health problems.

Science, Technology and Environment Minister Law Hieng Ding
insisted earlier this week that the air quality in Malaysia was
still "good." But the meteorological department has refused to
release air pollution figures.

The environment ministry of Singapore, just south of Malaysia,
said earlier this week that it had detected over 90 hot spots in
central Sumatra. Hot spots are areas where the temperature is
abnormally high, generally indicating a fire.