Malaysia, Indonesian smoke emergency in the state of Johor. The clouds hanging over the southern part of the Malyasia peninsula are not heavy with rain (we are in the dry season), but with smoke, coming from the nearby Indonesian island of Sumatra. The smoke is the result of the fires set in the forests of Sumatra to free up vast territories which will then be used to plant palm plantations, the oil of which is massively exported, or trees, such as acacia, from which to obtain the pulp for paper production. Wild deforestation – often illegal, but still tolerated – is changing the face of the island and has raised a wave of protests from environmental organisations.
The problem of clouds of smoke has become chronic for the state of Johor and Singapore, and occurs every year in the period between June and September, when the absence of rain makes the air almost unbreathable. The Malaysian government was forced to declare a state of emergency on Sunday after Environment and Natural Resources Minister G. Palanivel announced that the presence of pollutants in the air in the Muar and Ledang areas has exceeded the maximum limit of 750 units, when an excess of 300 units is already considered highly risky. The population was asked not to leave their homes, pending instructions from the National Security Council. The Indonesian authorities have discharged part of the responsibility on the multinationals Sime Darby and Wilmar Group, one from Malaysia and the other from Singapore, accusing them of being involved in the fires.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/malaysia/2013/06/23/381923/Malaysia-declares.htm
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