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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

Malaysia Orders Hush on Haze

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Forest Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises

http://forests.org/

11/8/97

OVERVIEW, SOURCE & COMMENTARY by EE

Malaysia has again shown its inability to address environmental issues

in an open and reflective manner. The Malaysian government has

ordered scientists and environmentalists at state sponsored

universities to not comment on the thick haze that has blanketed the

country. So rather than face up to unsustainable tropical forestry

and agricultural practices being practiced locally and regionally, as

well as being disseminated world-wide by Indonesian and Malaysian

timber companies; the reaction is knee-jerk totalitarian censorship.

The Asian economic miracle, as with previous American and European

"economic development", has been achieved through clearly

unsustainable resource harvest and environmentally degrading

industries. No economic and social advancement is possible when the

ecological systems upon which we all depend have been lost.

g.b.

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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:

Title: Malaysia Orders Hush on Haze

Source: The Associated Press

Status: Copyrighted, contact Source for permission to reprint

Date: November 6, 1997

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Fearing damage to its multibillion-

dollar tourist industry, the Malaysian government has told scientists

and environmentalists at state-funded universities to stop commenting

about the country's haze problem, local newspapers reported Thursday.

The Cabinet has ordered the experts to stop talking to the press and

making public statements on the thick smog that has made the air in

large parts of the country unbreathable, the dailies said, quoting a

top official.

Comments by the specialists had been distorted by foreign media,

marring Malaysia's image and discouraging tourism, Education Minister

Najib Abdul Razak told a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, the Star reported.

``Some are speculative findings and if allowed to continue could bring

negative effects, especially on tourists,'' Najib was quoted as

saying.

But he insisted the experts had not been muzzled completely.

``This does not mean the academicians cannot communicate with the

press, but in sensitive matters, such as the haze, the Cabinet

recently decided that only higher authorities are allowed to make

statements,'' he said.

Written orders had been sent to state-funded universities, he said.

The ban did not cover experts working in private institutions.

Tourism last year replaced petroleum as Malaysia's second-largest

foreign exchange earner, bringing in about $4.5 billion.

There are no reliable estimates on the decline, but in the resort

island of Penang, 180 miles northwest of Kuala Lumpur, hoteliers said

occupancy rates fell from 80 percent to 30 percent because of the

haze, which started rolling in four months ago.

The Cabinet's move raised concerns among some local newspapers.

``While we talk about nurturing a scientific and technological

society, we are either unwilling to share the knowledge or putting

barriers to its dissemination,'' said A. Kadir Jasin, editor of the

New Straits Times in a comment published in his daily.

``It is a step backward and a shortsighted decision,'' he said.

Skies in many parts of the country are still gray because of the smoke

from Indonesian forest fires. On Thursday, the haze over Kuala Lumpur

and some parts of the country improved two days after the air

pollution index surpassed the ``unhealthy'' 100 level.

The smoke billowing from fires set by villagers and companies in

Indonesia have darkened skies in Singapore as well as Malaysia. They

have even polluted the air as far away as Thailand, causing an

increase in respiratory problems among residents.

The problem has been exacerbated by the delay in seasonal rains that

might have helped douse the fires.

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