Haze in Serawak hits unhealthy level

Haze in Serawak hits unhealthy level

Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

Haze caused by forest and ground fires from Indonesia's Borneo
island has hit a neighboring Malaysian state, officials said on
Monday.

They classified the situation as serious amid fears the 1997
smog crisis that enveloped parts of Southeast Asia could be
repeated.

Zainal Dahalan, deputy science, technology and environment
minister attributed the haze in eastern Sarawak state to the
cutting of trees and forest clearing by Indonesian farmers and
estate owners ahead of the new planting season.

"The haze level in Sarawak is quite serious. The pollution
index in the state has exceeded 170 (unhealthy)," he was quoted
as saying by Bernama news agency.

Lee Heng Keng, control director of the department of
environment, said six monitoring stations in Sarawak state --
Kuching, Sarikei, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Kapit and Petra Jaya
recorded unhealthy air readings.

"We are monitoring the situation. For now we are advising
people not to engage in strenuous outdoor activities. Drink lots
of water," he told AFP.

"We hope the 1997 haze will not haunt us again," Lee said,
referring to the forest fires that blanketed parts of Southeast
Asia with choking smog in that year.

Lee said currently schools in the state would remain open.

Zainal said Malaysian Environment Minister Law Hieng Ding will
lead a team of Malaysian experts to West Kalimantan later this
week to determine the cause of the forest fires where he would
meet his Indonesian counterpart Nabiel Makarim.

Earlier this month on the sidelines of the Earth Summit Law
voiced Malaysia's concern to Makarim over fresh fires in
Indonesia's Borneo and Sumatra islands blamed on illegal loggers
and farmers.

Law last month wrote a letter to Makarim to complain about the
annual haze hazard, which has also hit Brunei, Singapore and
Thailand.