The Star 25 Oct 15;
PETALING JAYA: At least three sporting events have been cancelled due to the haze.
Among them was the Sultan of Selangor Cup clash between Selangor and Singapore which was scheduled for yesterday at the Shah Alam Stadium.
Organising chairman Tan Sri Abdul Karim Munisar said the cancellation of the 14th edition of the annual tournament was due to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s concern.
“Tuanku instructed the cancellation as he is concerned about the health of the players, the students and the public,” he said.
Abdul Karim added that the organising committee had been working closely with the Selangor State Health Department on monitoring the air quality and the decision was made after Shah Alam recorded an API reading of 138 at 5pm yesterday.
He added that next year’s competition would remain in Selangor and the sponsorship from this year would roll over accordingly.
“Local councils that purchased tickets will receive replacements in the same number for next year’s competition without extra cost.
“Spectators who had bought tickets can choose to get replacements for next year’s competition or a refund,” said Abdul Karim.
Also cancelled was the Department of Environment’s (DOE) MTB Eco-ride at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park yesterday.
However, 700 cyclists who had registered for the 25km race, carried on.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Hamim Samuri, who was supposed to flag off the race, said the ministry and DOE had to cancel the event as they did not want to risk the health of the cyclists.
National women’s mountain bike rider Masziyaton Mohd Radzi said she was disappointed but was glad that everyone continued on.
“For me this is part of my training and I am glad we got to finish it.”
The “2015 Batik Fun Walk” starting at the Malaysia Tourism Centre in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, today has also been cancelled.
The walk has been rescheduled for Dec 13 and all participants of the programme had been informed about the postponement.
The Fun Walk involves a 2.3km walk with the participants dressed in batik.
Smoke gets into our eyes – and mood
CHRISTINA CHIN The Star 25 Oct 15;
Respiratory ailments are the least of our problems as the prolonged haze starts to affect workers’ productivity and mental health.
SINCE the hot and dry season started in June, the country has experienced hazy days, culminating in the recent prolonged spell that some experts claim could last until March.
Besides falling ill, Malaysians have had to put up with cancelled flights and schools closing. Now, as Indonesia’s fires continue to rage on, depression, anxiety and low productivity have set in.
Accountant Sam Yong, 30, hasn’t been out jogging for weeks and the lack of exercise has taken a toll. Not only has her cholesterol spiked, she feels suffocated.
“I just go from home to the office and back every day. No fresh air. My movements are limited and I feel mentally trapped,” she sighs.
Copywriter Shireen Chen, 37, is tired of waking up to grey and polluted skies. Feeling demoralised and unproductive, her creative spark is dimming.
“I just don’t want to get out of bed. When I’m driving to work and see skyscrapers hidden in smog, my heart just sinks. Now I understand what my friend meant when she said she left the UK because of the depressing weather.”
Workers resent having to work when schools are closed as they are also affected by the unhealthy Air Pollutant Index, observes Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan, noting that trade unions have called for unrecorded leave to be allowed on such days.
“Staff seem less active. They’re uncomfortable. The hot and humid weather makes it worse.”
Malaysian Mental Health Association deputy president Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj says the prolonged hazy skies can certainly cause people to become less productive and even depressed.
Productivity, he says, will decrease, especially among those whose livelihood is jeopardised by environmental hazards. The impact of the haze, however, is not only on productivity for the whole nation, he adds.
“Besides great financial implications, there’s the impact on physical and mental health. People suffer from psychological distress because their physical health has been compromised. Those already suffering from anxiety and depression are likely to see their condition worsening.”
Some Malaysians become depressed, similar to what Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) patients in countries with four seasons experience, says Universiti Malaya associate professor and consultant psychiatrist Dr Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin.
He recently treated a patient who was feeling depressed and under the weather because of the prolonged haze.
When the weather or season changes, moods are altered because sleep patterns are disrupted, there’s little sunlight and it’s gloomy outside, he adds.
“It feels like winter but minus the cold. Those vulnerable to mood disorders find it especially tough to cope with the uncertainty of when the hazy veil will lift. One day you read that the haze will go away soon. Then, the next you hear that it’ll linger on till next year. The unpredictability is upsetting and can lead to depression. Even you and I can get depressed in this environment.”
Shedding some light on SAD, Dr Andrew says it’s depression that comes with shortened day light. This usually occurs during winter when there’s less day light, he explains.
Less melatonin, which is linked to depression, is produced. So, this leads to people feeling low, he says, adding that the haze is not known to cause SAD but the gloom brought about by the haze can be a contributing factor to low moods, less motivation and increased anxiety.
Those suffering from anxiety disorders or depression are likely to have their symptoms exacerbated.
“There’s also a psychological component linked to certain medical conditions like bronchial asthma and eczema. People with these conditions will be more psychologically distressed as a result of their physical symptoms worsening,” he says.
Even children who may initially be excited with schools closing will face more stress later when their academic performance is compromised, he suggests.
“Those in danger of having their exams postponed will also suffer from performance anxiety as they would have lost the momentum in their studies. The overall poor performance of Malaysian students will limit their competitiveness internationally when they score lower in their university entry qualifications.”
Staff take unplanned leave because of unscheduled lesson disruptions, Shamsuddin laments. As a result, companies experience a drop in productivity.
“More employees, especially working parents with kids in kindergartens and primary schools, applied for emergency leave recently. They have to take care of their kids at home.”
Parents shouldn’t cause their children unnecessary anxiety, advises Hospital Penang child and adolescent consultant psychiatrist Dr Lai Fong Hwa.
Kids, he says, observe and behave the same way their parents do.
“If the parents are down, moody and worried, the child will also feel and act like them.”
While the negative physical effects of the haze are undeniable, he says a person’s psychology can make it worse.
“While the haze may make you uncomfortable, your mental state can make you feel sicker. You will begin to feel your nose itching, your eyes watering and your throat becoming sore if you constantly think about these haze-related symptoms.”
He tells adults not to worry the kids.
“Taking the necessary precautions to keep the children healthy is fine but don’t fill their minds with negativity.”
The haze, Dr Andrew says, can cause people to display irritability and low tolerance for one another as well as lead to behavioural changes.
Feelings of anxiety, low motivation, low mood and uncertainty, can result, he says.
“Poor visibility may make motorists more agitated and this can result in road tantrums.”
Unfortunately, you can’t just snap out of these feelings. You can only minimise or avoid the cause, he points out. Maintaining interaction with family and friends is important, he says, but people should also try to minimise unnecessary exposure to the haze and wear appropriate masks and protection. Keep well hydrated, he offers.
“Those with breathing problems and anxiety or depression should be especially careful. Be aware of the possible effect of the haze on your psychological state and avoid stressful events that may have a cumulative effect on such pre-existing conditions,” he says.
Create a happy surrounding indoors by using lights, suggests Dr Amer, advising people with a family history of depression to get checked.
“Stop smoking. Exercise because it raises your endorphins and your spirits!”
Ultimately, Dr Andrew hopes every possibility is explored in the Asean spirit to overcome the problem. Serious, concerted effort from all stakeholders is a must, he stresses.
Schools closed, but lessons go on
The Star 25 Oct 15;
IPOH: Schools might be closed due to the haze, but the learning continues!
SMJK Sam Tet principal Lau Swee Mun said pupils here were receiving homework from their teachers via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platform.
“We have been doing this since Thursday – after the prolonged temporary closure of the school.”
Lau said only language-related subjects like English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese were sent to the students via the VLE platform.
The VLE platform is under the iBestariNet project of the Education Ministry, planned to provide online learning for pupils.
Despite having no classes, Lau said that the school library was still open for the pupils.
In PETALING JAYA, students are also receiving their homework online.
Parent Edward Neoh Chuan Tat, 50, was glad his 13-year old daughter from SMJK Katholik could retrieve and do her homework even though she was not at school.
Neoh, who is also the adviser of Jia Zong, an association made up of parents from Chinese schools, said his daughter would only need to sign in to the VLE every day at home to check whether teachers had uploaded homework for them.
The best part, he said, was that parents were given their children’s usernames and passwords, allowing them to check if their children’s homework were completed.
“I hope more schools can adopt the platform to reduce the impact of haze on our children’s education,” he added.
24 areas with unhealthy air quality
The Star 24 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: Twenty-four areas in the peninsula recorded air quality at the unhealthy level as at 5pm Saturday.
Pasir Gudang in Johor still had the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading, at 147, followed by Port Klang (146); Malacca (138); Shah Alam (135); Banting and Larkin Lama, Johor (133).
Other areas with air quality in the unhealthy range were Putrajaya and Bukit Rambai, Melaka (both at 132); Kota Tinggi, Johor (130); Kuala Selangor (129); Muar (128); Port Dickson (127) and Seremban (126) while 24 other areas API readings at the moderate level.
An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and 300 and above, hazardous.
North-east wind to blow haze away
The Star 25 Oct 15;
SERDANG: The expected onset of the North-east monsoon wind looks set to bring about a gradual decline of haze levels in the country.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Hamim Samuri said the change of wind pattern would see the haze in Kalimantan and Sumatera blown to the Indian Ocean.
“Based on satellite images, it seems North-east monsoon winds from South China Sea have returned,” he said.
Hamim added that when that happened the haze was expected to remain for one or two more days, provided there was no more tropical storms, like the ones in the Philippines.
He was referring to tropical storms Koppu and Champi that have drawn winds from Indonesia to Malaysia in the past week.
“Though officials in Indonesia have said it would take three months to put out the fires, the change of wind directions should benefit us.
“We hope the wind from the north-east will continue but we cannot guarantee that there will be no more tropical storms as they are hard to predict,” said Hamim.
Bernama reports that 26 areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings with the highest at 152 in Pasir Gudang, Johor, as at 1pm yesterday.
According to the Department of Environment’s (DOE) portal, other areas with unhealthy API readings were Port Kelang (146), Kota Tinggi (144), Shah Alam (139), Larkin Lama, Johor (138), Bandaraya Melaka (134), Putrajaya (132), Banting, Selangor (132), Bukit Rambai, Melaka (131), Kuala Selangor (130) and Petaling Jaya (125).
In Seremban the API was 129, Muar (124), Port Dickson (123), Batu Muda (120), Cheras (119), Nilai (118), Tanjung Malim (117), Langkawi (110), Bakar Arang, Alor Setar (109), USM, Penang (107), Kangar (107), Alor Setar (107), Seberang Jaya (106), SMK Tanjung Chat, Kota Baru (105), and Seri Manjung (101).
Only two areas, Labuan and Limbang, Sarawak, registered healthy air quality at 45 and 39, while other areas recorded moderate API readings.
An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100 moderate; 101 to 200 unhealthy; 201 to 300 very unhealthy and 300 and above hazardous.
The public can visit the website at http://apims.doe.gov.my/v2 to know the current API readings.
Haze: Better API readings around the country
New Straits Times 25 Oct 15;
KUALA LUMPUR: The air quality in the country continues to improve, with 12 areas recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings at 9am today, from 28 areas yesterday.
Pasir Gudang in Johor, which recorded the highest API of 154 yesterday, recorded a turn for the better with a reading of 111 today.
The haze also improved in two other areas in Johor- Kota Tinggi and Larkin, recording a moderate API reading of 84 and 98 respectively, as compared to 147 and 138 yesterday.
Port Klang had the most unhealthy air quality today with a reading of 134, followed by Shah Alam (126), Banting (118), Petaling Jaya (112), Putrajaya (110), Port Dickson (108), Seremban (106), Kuala Selangor (106), Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur (106), Malacca City (102), and Bukit Rambai in Malacca (102).
Thirty-eight other areas recorded moderate air quality. While, Miri and Limbang entered the blue zone, recording good air quality with a reading of 50 and 44.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department had yesterday told the New Sunday Times that the northeast monsoon winds would be able to push the haze out, bettering the country’s air quality.
