Of haze, hype and hypocrisy

by Martin Jalleh

The haze is here again. It hovers over, haunts, and hides Bolehland, turning parts of the country into a hellhole.

The citizens of Bolehland find it hard to understand. How can this be still happening considering its long recurring history of over 30 years.

Almost every year our neighbour seems indifferent to high-handed and heedless companies hell-bent on burning their forests thereby turning the whole region into a humongous hotspot.

And almost every year the government would shout itself hoarse that it would use every means to halt the haze. But hark it has been a mere hue and cry…nothing more.

Indeed it has been more hype than hope when it comes to handling the haze. In spite of the hosts of committees and collaborative efforts, the truth hangs heavily before us….

The current haze makes it very clear that the Asean Working Group On Transboundary Pollution which first met in 1990 has all along been only hot air over hotspots.

The current haze also reduces the National Committee on Haze, set up in 1991, to nothing more than just hogwash or a high-level hoax.

Equally obvious is the fact that the Early Warning Committee set up in as early as in 1992 has been but pure political propaganda and sheer humbug.

Based on the severity of the current haze, it is evident too that the Air Pollution Task Force set up in 1993 has been hibernating.

The current haze is an indication that the Clean Air Action Plan which the then Cabinet froze in 1994, because it felt that Malaysia’s air “had yet to reach a serious air pollution level”, has since remained on hold.

Judging from the current situation, the Haze Action Plan approved by the then Cabinet in August 1997 has also proven to be but a high-sounding plan with hollow promises.

Alas, the current haze bears all the hallmarks of a government having been very contented for 22 years in making a big hoo-ha over the haze, dishing out hazardous hype when handling it and leaving everything to happenstance?

Will Pak Lah, be like his predecessor, in sending a horde of high officials who will accept Indonesia’s humble apologies, hum niceties and nonsense, cook up some half-baked solutions, hold hands, hug, and return home happy…till the next haze?

Or will Pak Lah have the courage to put a stop to the hullabaloo, hold the Indonesia government responsible for the impact of the curent haze on our country, and also ensure a curb on homespun pollution?

12 August 2005