The Malaysian Insight

SMOKE from forest fires in 2013 cost the country RM1.57 billion in healthcare and loss of income opportunities, a research paper published last year by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) revealed.

The findings are clearly relevant as Malaysia once again finds itself enveloped in choking smog emanating from Indonesia, said a consumer and environmental group.

It said the substantial economic and health impact on Malaysia should force Putrajaya to introduce laws against Malaysian firms whose operations abroad contribute to the pollution.

The smoke is caused by uncontrolled forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan started by farmers and agri-businesses to clear the land for planting crops such padi and oil palm.

The paper’s authors said Malaysia could do more to help its neighbou combat the annual menace.

The paper titled “The Malaysian haze and its health and economic impact: a literature review”, was authored by Dr Norfazillah Ab Manan, Mohd Rizal Abdul Manaf and Rozita Hod.

Published in the Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, the paper looked at available data on smoke events in 1997, 2005 and 2013.

The 2013 bill was for smoke-related illnesses, cost of medical leave, masks and loss of income opportunities. The last cost the country the most, making up about two-thirds of the total bill at  RM958 million. 

It cost RM410.6 million in healthcare, including medical treatment and hospitalisation and production losses due to medical leave. Masks cost the government nearly RM20 million.

The 2018 paper worked with figures from a 2016 study by academic M. Shawahid titled “The economic value of June 2013 haze impact on Peninsular Malaysia.”

“The Shahwahid study showed that haze had affected the health of the economy in various ways,” the UKM authors wrote.

“This include the cost of illness, cost of medical treatment and hospitalisation, cost of medical-related leave taken as well as purchasing air pollution mask as protection.

“It also affects productivity as a whole when patients lose income opportunities when they are sick and this in turn effects the larger economy.”

The Department of Environment in 2013 faced what it called a “haze emergency” in Muar and Ledang districts when the air pollutant index (API) in those areas reached 500 points –way above the 300 hazardous mark.

Most parts of Peninsula Malaysia also recorded very unhealthy and hazardous levels in June 15-27 of that year.

In a separate 2014 study on the 2005 haze, the UKM authors wrote that RM1.8 million was spent on hospital admissions due to smoke-related illnesses.This year, the pollution has caused 600 schools to close as the API in various areas breached the very unhealthy mark of 200 points.

Sarawak is the worst hit. In Sri Aman, the API has soared well past 400 while state capital Kuching is choking on very unhealthy air.

The Health Ministry meanwhile, announced a 30% spike in conjunctivitis cases.

Consumer Association of Penang president Mohideen Abdul Kadir said although the primary responsibility of dealing with the smoke fell on Indonesia, Putrajaya could still do its part to prevent it from occurring every year.

“Some of our government-linked companies have subsidiaries which operate oil palm plantations in Indonesia who have been caught starting these fires,” said Mohideen.

Putrajaya can come out with a law to penalise Malaysian firms which are caught burning forests, he said, adding that Singapore already had such a law.

“We can do something to prevent these fires instead of just sitting back.” – September 18, 2019.