Environment Minister Datuk Seri S. Palanivel and even the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should be censured for failing to ensure that the Royal Address delivered by the Yang di Pertuan Agong at the opening of the 13th Parliament this morning address the government’s agenda on the haze emergency.
In a constitutional monarchy, the Royal Address at the opening of Parliament outlines the government’s agenda for the coming year. The Royal Address is prepared by Cabinet Ministers outlining the government’s legislative agenda and their national priorities.
It is not that the haze emergency occurred only last night, catching the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers by surprise so that they could not incorporate the government’s concerns, agenda and priorities in addressing the haze catastrophe in the Royal Address.
The country has been haunted and hounded by the haze catastrophe for a week, with thousands of schools closed in the past week throughout the country, affecting the lives, health and livelihood of millions of Malaysians in various parts of the country, starting from Johor Baru and Muar in the south and moving progressively northwards to Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Pahang and Penang with the change of winds from the raging peat fires in Riau and Sumatra.
It has been estimated that if the haze catastrophe persisted until September, it could cost the Singapore economy up to $(S)1.2 billion in economic losses.
The haze crisis in 1997 lasted about three months and cost Southeast Asia an estimated $9 billion from disruptions to air travel, health expenses and other business impacts.
What is going to be Malaysia’s economic cost of the present haze catastrophe?
In failing to address the haze issue in the Royal Address this morning, the Environment Minister and the Malaysian Government is sending out a wrong message to the Indonesian Government that they are not very serious in wanting Indonesia to live up to its ASEAN responsibilities to take meaningful and effective action to control the latest transboundary haze disaster from undermining the lives, healthy and economy of millions of people in the three ASEAN countries.
#1 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 25 June 2013 - 7:41 pm
///the Environment Minister and the Malaysian Government is sending out a wrong message to the Indonesian Government that they are not very serious in wanting Indonesia to live up to its ASEAN responsibilities….///
Patronage politics is blocking the way to further action.
#2 by worldpress on Tuesday, 25 June 2013 - 10:29 pm
Can’t those stupid voter head understood that they don’t care about you, your health, your condition, your safety.
You can not face the fact that they do not care and love you at all
You are nothing but just stupid head their votes could be bought with lie at cheap cheap price
#3 by tuahpekkong on Wednesday, 26 June 2013 - 10:35 am
We have a special relationship with Indonesia. We have to be diplomatic with this special friend and don’t upset him too much. Our special friend is big and powerful and we must show sufficient respect and deference to him. When he is upset he may throw a tantrum, like refusing to allow his workers to come and work here. If that happens, who is going to harvest oil palm fruit in the plantations? Many of our housing projects, high rise buildings and shopping malls under construction now may have to be abandoned. Remember when he got upset and stopped sending maids here, what happened? Ask our fishermen fishing in the Straits of Malacca and they shall be able to tell you more about this special friend.
#4 by cinaindiamelayubersatu on Wednesday, 26 June 2013 - 11:15 am
bila negara yang diketuai kerajaan yang lousy, lousy lah jawabnya…
11.10am cuba dapatkan api terkini dari laman doe tapi tak keluar keluar…
hari isnin sekolah di KL dan selangor tutup walaupun api di tahap tidak sihat…
hari selasa sekolah di selangor dibuka walaupun api di tahap sangat tidak sihat…
kementerian kata sekolah otomatik tutup bila api cecah 300…
apa ni, bangunlah….
#5 by good coolie on Wednesday, 26 June 2013 - 12:16 pm
We Malaysians suffer equally from the haze. Hooded Haze blows with his mouth to choke the lungs of the humble peasant in their hovels, as well as those of kings in their castles (copycatted from Horace).
Also, Bumiputeras as well as Bumi-nonputeras suffer equally from Egalitarian Haze . Let us co-operate with the Government and not turn air-pollution into a political issue. Let us help each other in whatever little way we can. Medical staff, we are counting on you.
Fight on, Malaysians!
#6 by Cinapek on Wednesday, 26 June 2013 - 12:32 pm
It is not the short term economic loss that is most damaging. It is the effect the haze has on the health of the young and the people in the long term that is most worrying. We could be paying a hefty price for the damage to the health of our people both in terms of debilitating illnesses and loss of productivity over the long term.
And these concerns are not helped by the attitude of senior Indonesian ministers such as that Agung Laksono who. instead of offering solutions to a problem in their own backyards, chided others for criticising them for the inability or lack of will to solve the problem. Kudos to SBY who had the grace to apologise to those countries affected but clearly he is only one voice and can do little if they have people like Agung responsible to solve the problem. Come next year we will be talking about the same haze problem again if such people are tasked with tackling this problem.
Why can’t Indonesia accept help to put out the fire? Even their own people in Riau are suffering. Malaysia and Singapore are only a short an hour or two flying time away and will be more than willing to send in their water bombers or cloud seeding planes to assist.
When a Singapore minister visited Jakarta recently to discuss the haze problem, he was accorded the honour to meet SBY and deliver a letter from the Singapore PM. I understand when Palanivel wanted to visit Jakarta on a similar purpose, the relevant Indon officials were not free to meet him and he had to postpone the trip. This says it all.
#7 by pulau_sibu on Wednesday, 26 June 2013 - 12:50 pm
do we still remember Taib Mahmud haze trip to canada many years ago? His machine is never seen!
I am sure Kit Siang and other DAP politicians have forgot about this and let Taib be a free man.
#8 by Winston on Thursday, 27 June 2013 - 7:43 am
Indonesians are very strange creatures!
Their government just raise the bus fares by the equivalent of ten Malaysian sen and they’ll all rush out into the streets and riot!
But if they are choked by the haze, they all take it as some sort of a game!
Like small kids playing in flood water!!
Yes, it’s way, way past time to put a complete halt to the haze!
And don’t expect our government to do anything about it.
Neither will the Indonesian government.
In fact, the latter even called the Singaporeans childish when they complained about it!!
And lest not forget that this health destructive, man made haze, has been around for two decades!
So, where’s the will to stop it?
As long as their cronies can make plenty of money, they won’t bother!
And as for their not sending maids or construction workers over, we must not let them use this as an instrument of blackmail!
Go source for them in other countries.
But in the meantime, train our own people to take over these jobs.
Also let’s face reality.
Haven’t we been hearing that their country’s economy have been getting better and their people would soon be EMPLOYING MAIDS instead of sending out maids to other countries?
So, sooner or later, we have to face reality!
Now, back to the haze.
Since our own government is in cahoots with their Indonesian counterpart, don’t expect them to take action.
And judging from the reaction of the Indonesian government, their government is as crazy as ours!!!
They even called the Singaporeans childish for complaining about the haze!!!!
So, why don’t the opposition try to work with the Singaporean government to bring a halt to the haze?
Looks like that is the only way!
#9 by Winston on Thursday, 27 June 2013 - 8:55 am
Well, well, well.
After the rains last evening (26/6/13), the haze has dissipated somewhat.
But don’t be happy!
It can come back with a vengeance in the next instant.
We must not lessen out resolve to put a complete halt to it once and for all.