Onus is on the rakyat to protect themselves from the haze

WE find ourselves enveloped once again in a familiar, choking grey blanket. As the Air Pollutant Index (API) climbs past the “Unhealthy” 150-mark in areas across the Klang Valley, the collective sigh of frustration from the rakyat is palpable. This is not a new problem. It is a recurring public health crisis that has disrupted our lives for nearly three decades.

What has been done over these decades? On paper, a great deal. The landmark Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) was signed in 2002, establishing a regional and international framework to prevent and monitor transboundary haze pollution as a result of land and/or forest fires.