HAZE 2013

Oh No! Time of the year to inhale these air borne particulates in our already overly polluted lungs.

The haze this year has hit an all time high, breaching the 300 PSI in Singapore recently. Since Singapore is just next door to Johor Bahru, I am pretty sure the level is similar in some areas.

Picture showing the haze in JB

This is of course not the right time to go jogging, hiking, cycling and exercising in the open. Do it at your own risks. I also pity those who will be exposed to this health hazard in their own homes, especially the young and elderly ones.

Electricity consumption is going to hit an all time high for most household, not just to avoid the high temperatures we are facing but also from the haze. How lucky you are if you are working in the air-conditioned offices, thus avoiding most of the hazard of inhaling these pollutants.

Now the big question that lingers on my mind, when this happens (and it happens like clockwork every year), what do our government do when it happens. Talk? Discussion with the neighbor? Inform the public on the PSI levels? What more can be done? 

How is that the government cannot solve this annual problems with our neighbour after all these years? Where is the ASEAN spirit? Low cost agriculture resulting in high medical costs for the rest in the neighboring region? Furthermore, some if not all of our own Malaysian or Singaporean companies may be the culprits. Is there any way the governments get involve and solve these problems once and for all. Our health is at risk here. Many of our industrial and service sectors are affected, e.g. tourism, agriculture, construction etc etc plus the health costs to the country and individuals, not just Ringgit and sens.

Do not just talk! NATO. Action speaks louder than words. Do something concrete! 

Now, do we have to face this in 2014?