Smoke From Indon Fires Headed For Malaysia, Singapore (fwd)

["M.G.G. Pillai" <pillai@mgg.pc.my>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 06 Mar 2000 02:44:09
From: tapol@gn.apc.org
Reply-To: "Conference act.indonesia" <indonesia-act@igc.org>
To: Recipients of indonesia-act <indonesia-act@igc.org>
Subject: Smoke From Indon Fires Headed For Malaysia, Singapore

From: TAPOL <tapol@gn.apc.org>
Subject: Smoke From Indon Fires Headed For Malaysia, Singapore

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Associated Press
March 5, 2000 

Smoke From Indonesian Fires Headed For Malaysia,Singapore

SINGAPORE (AP)--Smoke haze was blowing toward Singapore and Malaysia Monday, 
as brush fires on the neighboring Indonesian island of Sumatra appeared to be 
increasing, officials said.

"Satellite pictures have indicated some increase in the fires in central 
Sumatra. We've seen some smoke blowing toward peninsular Malaysia and 
Singapore," Singapore Meteorological Service spokesman Wong Teo Suan said.

Smoke pollution from illegal land-clearing fires in Indonesia has become an 
annual problem during the region's midyear dry season. The situation was 
disastrous in 1997, when thick haze caused health problems and hurt tourism 
in Singapore and parts of Malaysia.

"We're expecting some slightly hazy conditions over Singapore and the central 
and southern parts of the Malaysian peninsula for a few days," Wong told The 
Associated Press.

"If the fires continue to spread, it could get worse," he said.

The exact number of fires in Sumatra wasn't immediately known, but Wong said 
satellite pictures showed that "hot spots" appeared to be increasing.

"There are quite a number of them," he said. "It seems that they have 
increased Saturday and Sunday."

Singapore monitors Indonesian forest fires by satellite as part of a regional 
cooperation program.

Singapore's latest available Pollutant Standards Index, taken over a 24-hour 
period ending late Sunday, stood at 49.

A reading of 50 or below is considered "good," while higher than 50 is 
"moderate" and higher than 100 "unhealthy."

The PSI reading for Monday wasn't immediately available, Environment Ministry 
spokesman Billy Chew said.

Winds from the southwest on Monday were likely to change direction over the 
next three days, blowing the smoke away from Singapore and the Malaysian 
peninsula, Wong said.

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TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904   Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong 
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