Dear Neighbour, Have You Walk The Walk

Azmi's frustration - The Star, 6th Oct 2006

• To put it mildly, the haze has made Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid one frustrated man.
• ”It is outside our control. We can only hope the they can overcome their problems; and we will help by sending our firefighters there if they request for it,” he said.
• Azmi reiterated this many times and said he was sure that the Indonesians themselves were suffering.
• “In fact, I was in Indonesia in June and met the relevant ministers. They told me they had the systems to control the haze. It looks like their system is not effective,” Azmi said.
• Azmi added that the situation could not improve further until Indonesia ratified the Asean transboundary haze agreement. As of March this year, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines had yet to ratify the treaty.

Years after years we waited, especially for Sarawakians that suffer the most during the hazy days. Is our government going to put some pressure on Indonesia, making sure that their system is working effectively to control the haze? We are still waiting, and of cos at the same time, we are still suffering. Where is your promise, Indonesian government? Talk the talk but doesn't walk the walk, how familiar is that.

Malaysians have had enough of haze woes - The Star, 7th Oct 2006

• We've had enough! That just about sums up the feelings of Malaysians when once again they have to bear with the blanket of haze that has left those suffering from respiratory problems gasping for breath.
• Schools in Sarawak will close when the air pollutant index (API) reaches the hazardous level of 300 and above.
• A state disaster relief committee meeting, to be chaired by Dr Chan, will be held next week to discuss the next step of action. He added that the number of respiratory cases was increasing due to the haze.
• The Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board has already distributed more than 200,000 masks to the public.
• Sahabat Alam Malaysia field officer for Sarawak Jok Jau Evong said: “The Malaysian Government must apply constant pressure on Indonesia to take action. We should not make noise only when the haze gets bad.
• “Malaysian authorities must also ensure that Malaysian-owned oil palm plantations in Indonesia are not involved in open burning.”
• Transparency International Ma-laysia president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said the Government should convene an urgent regional conference to discuss the haze in the region and come up with concrete and long-term solutions.
• He also questioned the effectiveness of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution signed in 2002 in tackling the issue. “The agreement is not producing results. Year in, year out, we see the haze continuing to occur due to illegal logging or open burning in Indonesia. What is Asean doing about this?” Navaratnam asked.

"Year in, year out", we are still watching the same episode; schools are shut, masks are distributed, patients with respiractory increased and the typical Indonesian dance carries on. What have you, Indonesian government done to recover our loses? Be it in education, health or tourism. Let's put some pressure on the Indonesian government, we must fight hard to prove out point, and when I say hard, I mean the "hard way" if we have to.

There is no difference if the company involved in open burning is a Malaysian, Indonesian or foreign company. When it happens in Indonesian soil, prosecute them using Indonesia's constitution law. Blaiming the companies from other countries for open burning in your soil makes zero sense to me, it is not their goverment that burned your forest and of cos, they don't run your country! We have offered help to you, and are struggling hard to help ourself in this haze problem. What have you done to help yourself and your neighbours?

Link: Barbarian is in town, The Ultimate Solution, Pray Harder Folks