The Star 19 Sep 15;
SHAH ALAM: A total of 221 Malaysian students were evacuated from Pekan Baru, Indonesia, in view of the continuing haze.
The first batch of 120 students from the State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim and Pondok Pasentren Al Baidha arrived yesterday, three days after they were taken out of their learning institutions.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the Government decided to evacuate the students when the Air Pollutant Index touched 980 on Monday.
“It is a normal evacuation process under such circumstances.
“We are glad that it went smoothly and the Indonesian government was very cooperative,” he said after receiving the students at the Royal Malaysian Air Force airbase.
He added that there was no serious illness reported among the students.
Another batch of students arrived at midnight.
Haze: 221 students evacuated from Sumatra
L SUGANYA The Star 18 Sep 15;
SHAH ALAM: A total of 221 Malaysian students have been evacuated from Indonesia in view of the worsening haze situation in Sumatra.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the government decided to evacuate the students when the Air Pollution Index reading touched 980 on Sept 14.
An API of over 300 is considered hazardous.
"It is a normal evacuation process under such circumstances. We are glad that it went smoothly and the Indonesian government was very cooperative," Reezal said after receiving the students at the Royal Malaysian Air Force airbase in Subang on Friday.
Reezal said there was no report of serious illness among the students.
"As far as we know, there has not been any case of illness caused by the haze. Everyone looked to be in good spirits but I can't say for sure," he said.
The first batch of 120 students from State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim and Pondok Pasentren Al Baidha arrived on Thursday.
The ministry had also provided buses to Kuala Lumpur Sentral, TBS and Pudu Raya where the students can take buses to return to their hometowns
First Batch Of Malaysian Students Evacuated From Pekanbaru, Indonesia Arrive Friday Night
Bernama 18 Sep 15;
SHAH ALAM, Sept 18 (Bernama) -- The first batch of 116 Malaysian students and four children who were badly affected by the haze in Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia arrived at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang, here, at 8.45pm.
The group was ferried in an RMAF C-130 Hercules aircraft following the the severe haze in the district with the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in Riau reaching a dangerous level exceeding 1,000.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the second group of Malaysians comprising 101 students would be brought home and were expected to arrive before midnight.
However, the arrival of the second batch would much depend on the current haze situation at that place, he told reporters, here, Friday night.
"The total number of Malaysian students in Pekanbaru is 230 and we have brought home 221 people. They are the students of a maahad (religious) school and a university there.
"There are nine students who refused to return for several reasons. We will not force them but advise them to take care of their health and safety."
He said the students would only be allowed to return to Indonesia after the situation improved.
Meanwhile, Pondok Pesantren Al-Baidha', Pekan Baru student Muhammad Nabil Faiq Muhammad Fairul, 17, who has been studying there since last year, said the haze situation was very bad compared to last year's.
"However, I am grateful because so far, I have not suffered from any health problem due to the haze as I will always cover my mouth and nose if I had to do outdoor activities," he told Bernama.
Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim (UIN-Suska) student Nurul Rabiatul Adawiyah Aman, 22, said she would experience itchy eyes, each time she went out for classes.
Nurul Rabiatul Adawiyah, who is in the seventh semester of a syariah and law course, said the Malaysian government as well as the university always provided them with information on the haze situation so that she and her fellow friends were fully prepared to face any possibility.
-- BERNAMA
Malaysia flies its citizens out of polluted Pekanbaru
thejakartapost.com 18 Sep 15;
The Malaysian Consulate in Pekanbaru, Riau, has started flying the 120 Malaysian citizens living there out of the area to escape the smog that has blanketed the region for the last few weeks.
"It is a cautious measure given the Air Pollution Standard Index [ISPU] has already passed the hazardous level. We will pick up [the citizens] using a military aircraft based at Subang Airport in Malaysia," said Malaysian Consulate staffer Antoni on Friday as quoted by Antara news agency.
Of the 120 Malaysian citizens living in Pekanbaru, 86 are students, 10 are teachers and the rest are their partners and children.
The citizens gathered at the Malaysian Consulate in Pekanbaru prior to departure from Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru.
"We have received instructions from the Malaysian government to come home due to the high level of hazardous jerebu [smog] in Pekanbaru," said Ahmad Akifahmi who lived there as a santri (devout Muslim) at the Islamic boarding school Pondok Pesantren Al Baidha. (kes)(++++)
Wisma Putra sets up operations room to monitor haze in Indonesia
The Star 18 Sep 15;
PUTRAJAYA: The Foreign Ministry has set up an operations room to monitor the haze situation in Indonesia and to assist affected Malaysians in and around Riau Province.
The operations room can be reached at 03-8887 4570 or via email at dutyofficer@kln.gov.my
An operations room at the Malaysian Consulate in Pekanbaru has also been opened and can be reached at +62 761 856 166/67 or via email at mwpekanbaru@kln.gov.my.
