Malaysia Moves to Prevent Smog at Brunei SEA Games
8/3/99
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Title: Malaysia Moves to Prevent Smog at Brunei SEA Games
Source: Reuters
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: August 3, 1999
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Tuesday it would
step up the fight against man-made fires to help prevent smog from
smoking out the Southeast Asian Games in neighbouring Brunei. The
Bernama news agency said Kuala Lumpur would cooperate with Brunei to
ensure clear skies at the August 7-15 games in the oil- and gas-rich
sultanate on Borneo Island.
Bernama quoted Malaysia's Environment Minister Law Hieng Ding as
saying that authorities in the east Malaysian states of Sabah and
Sarawak bordering Brunei, where over 100 hot spots caused by
plantation fires have been detected, had been told to step up
enforcement on open burning. Offenders would be fined.
Brunei government sources on Friday denied reports that the nation
had threatened to sue Indonesia for the smog, caused mostly when
plantation owners slash and burn rainforest but also by small farmers
burning off, say authorities and environmentalists.
The smog has reappeared recently over parts of Malaysia, Singapore,
Brunei and Indonesia, sparking fears of a recurrence of the smoke
pollution crisis that scared off tourists and caused health problems
throughout the region in 1997.
Meteorological authorities in Malaysia and Brunei had forecast slight
visible haze on Tuesday.
But Law said air quality in most parts of Malaysia was not a concern.
``The air quality up to yesterday was so far okay with all 28
monitoring stations recording moderate readings, and some even
good,'' he said.
Law said he has told Indonesian environment authorities of Malaysia's
concern on the smog threat but that they did not specify the steps
being taken to stem increasing forest fires.
``They responded a few days ago noting our concern and promised to
take whatever action they can,'' he said.