DAP MP files emergency motion on haze

Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching files the emergency motion at the Speaker's office in order to get the Cabinet to be more aggressive to resolve the haze situation once and for all.

PETALING JAYA: DAP MP Teo Nie Ching today filed an emergency motion at the Speaker’s office to get the Dewan Rakyat to debate the worsening haze condition in the country.

Teo said she was the first to file a motion earlier this morning on the matter under Standing Order 18 (2).

“Hopefully, the Speaker will allow us to debate the matter come Wednesday,” said the Kulai MP.

Yesterday, Natural Resources and Enviroment Minister G Palanivel, after consulting the Education Ministry, announced schools in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malacca and some parts in Johor, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan to be closed today due to deteriorating air quality.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), however, said that airports in the country will continue to operate as usual as the visibility level is still safe.

Teo said that there was a need for the Cabinet to be more aggressive in dealing with the haze menace, which had troubled Malaysians for years.

“The crisis is worsening as more than 1,500 schools all over the country are ordered to be closed, which affects nearly 1.5 million students.

“On top of that, there is a sharp increase, by 70% to be exact, in the numbers of those with respiratory problems seeking medical treatment,” she said.

Teo added that despite the worsening haze condition, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s administration had failed to take serious steps to address the matter.

“The government must have effective meetings with our Indonesian counterpart to resolve this haze problem once and for all.

“If there are Malaysians involved in this, we must take stern action against them,” said Teo.

Palanivel is expected to hold a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart in Jakarta on Wednesday on ways to solve the haze problem.