By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 31: Anxiety and frustration are mounting in Serian as the haze worsens, with the Air Pollution Index (API) soaring above 300, putting the town firmly in the hazardous zone.
In a statement, Serian District Council (SDC) chairman and political pundit Dato Peter Minos said residents are no longer simply questioning how bad the haze is, but how long they will have to endure it.
“Serian has suffered the worst brunt from the haze—the worst among all other divisions. Naturally, there is anxiety, alarm, and even fear.
“Nobody is blaming the government. But people are unhappy with Indonesia, as to why they aren’t doing much to put out the fires in Kalimantan,” he said.
He went on to say that some commented that Indonesia should be made to pay for what Sarawakians had to endure during the haze, including medical bills, losses in tourism revenue, school closures, cancelled events, and job disruptions.
“These are the real losses that the Indonesian authorities must bear in mind,” he said.
Minos went on to say that in Sarawak, when an open fire breaks out, authorities will act immediately.
“Why can’t Indonesia do the same? It seems that they are not that serious about stopping any fire outbreaks. They have more money and workforce than Malaysia,” he said.
He went on to say that all that can be done now is advise people to stay calm and hope better days are coming.
As of 10am today, Serian recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 475—placing it in the hazardous level and making it the highest nationwide.
In addition, Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman also recorded API readings exceeding 300. — DayakDaily
