KUCHING: Outdoor workers in the state capital are taking precautions and adjusting to hazy conditions as hot and dry weather is expected to persist in Sarawak.
For boat operator Ahmad Junaidi, the haze is becoming a near-annual challenge at this time of year.
“It’s like July and August are now the hazy season, although the haze this time is not as bad as in previous years,” he said.
Ahmad wears a face mask when ferrying passengers across the Sarawak River in his sampan, locally known as a penambang, and keeps extra bottles of water and a compass on board.
“During the very bad haze in 1997, one penambang travelled in the wrong direction because the operator could not see where he was going. So now I have a compass ready whenever it becomes hazy,” he said.
Food delivery rider Mohd Harith Bidin has also seen his workload drop significantly, from about 30 orders a day to just over 10 in recent days.
“People don’t seem to be ordering food during the haze. Maybe it made them realise that it’s healthier to cook at home,” he joked.
Mohd Harith said he made sure to stay hydrated while working outdoors, although he did not usually wear a mask as he felt the conditions did not affect his breathing.
Street cleaner Fatimah Nor said she was accustomed to working in hazy conditions.
“I’m wearing a mask now because I have a cold, not because of the haze,” she said, although she hoped the air quality would not deteriorate further.
Contract gardener Nurul Amelia Samsuddin said the haze made working conditions difficult, but she still had to water plants and trim grass.
“I wear a mask and drink plenty of water,” she said.
Trader Hashim Ismail said he also had to continue selling vegetables despite the conditions.
“But the conditions are challenging. The air smells of smoke, while sweat in this weather clings to your skin,” he said.
Kuching was among eight areas in Sarawak with unhealthy air quality yesterday, recording an Air Pollutant Index reading of 170 at 2pm.
The other areas were Serian at 182, Samarahan (169), Sri Aman (162), Sarikei (158), Bintulu and Mukah (both 151) and Sibu (104).
The Malaysian Meteorological Department said the conditions were being influenced by southerly winds and the still-high number of hotspots in Borneo.
