Unhealthy air and haze fail to deter visitors at Melaka tourist spots

 Souvenir and handicraft shops remained open as usual, while few tourists and traders were seen wearing face masks.

Smoke pollution obscuring the view around Banda Hilir, Melaka, which continued to attact visitors despite the haze. (Bernama pic)

MELAKA:

Tourist spots around Banda Hilir here have continued to draw visitors despite unhealthy air pollutant readings (APIs) since Thursday due to smoke pollution from transboundary haze.

Tourists were still visiting popular attractions such as the Stadthuys and Jonker Walk, and souvenir and handicraft shops remained open as usual.

However, few tourists and traders were seen wearing face masks to protect themselves from the effects of unhealthy air quality.

Former civil servant Asmah Zulkifli, 66, from Kuala Lumpur, said the haze had not deterred her and several friends from visiting tourist attractions, including the Stadthuys, after attending a friend’s wedding reception in Bukit Katil here.

“If not for the wedding, we wouldn’t have come to Melaka. Since we are here, we decided to drop by Banda Hilir. Even though it is hazy, this area is still attracting many visitors and remains lively,” said Asmah, who will return to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

She said they planned to visit several other tourist attractions if the haze did not reach hazardous levels.

Trishaw peddler Azhan Fikry Munawir, 28, said tourism activities in the area remained lively, with local and foreign tour groups continuing to visit.

“Perhaps, to the public, the impact of the haze is not like Covid. Besides, tourist areas in Melaka are still operating as usual. Trishaw peddlers have to be more careful because we spend longer periods outdoors and are more exposed to the health effects,” said Azhan, who has worked as a trishaw peddler for 10 years.

Souvenir trader Amalina Zulkifli, 34, said the haze had not deterred tourists from visiting the city, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site together with George Town.

“There are many tourists around this area today. Yesterday there were slightly fewer, perhaps because it was a working day and the API reading was higher than today,” she said.

Air pollution readings in Melaka declined compared with yesterday but remained in the unhealthy range as of 5pm today, with Alor Gajah and Bandaraya Melaka each recording 164, while Bukit Rambai recorded 163. - FMT