Malaysia: Worst of haze shifts from Singapore to Malaysia

Worst of haze shifts from Singapore to Malaysia

Malaysian authorities declared a state of emergency Sunday in a southern district where a smoky haze blamed on Indonesian forest fires has triggered one of the country's worst pollution levels in years.

The worst of the smog has shifted from Singapore to southernmost Malaysia, where noxious fumes have drifted across the sea this past week from Indonesia's Sumatra island.

The Malaysian government's index for air pollution reached a measurement of 746 early Sunday in the southern district of Muar. It was far above the threshold of 300 for hazardous air quality.

Authorities were issuing instructions for Muar's residents to remain indoors and for schools to close, Environment Minister G. Palanivel said in a statement on his Facebook page. The district has about 250,000 people, several of whom posted photographs on Twitter showing bridges and buildings enveloped in smog that slashed visibility to barely hundreds of meters (feet).

Air quality reached unhealthy levels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's main city further north, where landmarks like the Petronas Twin Towers were obscured amid hot, humid conditions.

Malaysia's highest recording for the pollution index was 860 in 1997, one of the region's worst years for smog sparked by Indonesian blazes. Palanivel said officials might soon have to implement "cloud-seeding" operations meant to try to chemically induce rain.

Singapore reported pollution readings that fluctuated between "moderate" and "unhealthy" classifications Sunday, far below peak measurements recorded Friday. However, the city-state's officials have warned the respite, which has brought clear, blue skies to Singapore for the first time in nearly a week, might be only temporary because of current wind conditions.

This year's haze has been the worst in Singapore's history, forcing the military to suspend outdoor training, causing the cancellation of sports events and prompting the environment minister to travel to Indonesia to press for stronger action.

Jakarta has sent planes to help douse the fires in Sumatran peat swamp forests and sought to deflect criticism over its response to the environmental crisis. Some officials say Malaysian and Singaporean firms should also be held responsible because they have stakes in plantation land where the fires are raging.

Several of the companies have denied knowledge of fires in their official operating areas in Indonesia. In past years, similar blazes have been illegally set as a cheap method to clear land. Indonesian authorities say they are investigating whether anyone can be prosecuted for the current fires.

Resource from:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/06/24/worst-haze-shifts-singapore-malaysia.html

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Malaysia's April trade grew to RM110.67b

Malaysia's total trade in April grew by 2.5 per cent to RM110.67 billion, compared with the same month a year ago, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) said today.

The growth in total trade was supported by higher trade with Singapore, India, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium and China.

Exports decreased 3.3 per cent to RM55.81 billion against April 2012, while imports increased by 9.2 per cent to RM54.87 billion, the ministry said in a statement on the Malaysia External Trade Statistics here.

The lower exports in April 2013 were mainly due to reduced exports of crude petroleum, electrical and electronic (E&E) products and petroleum products. 

Lower exports were recorded for China, Australia and Japan.

Offtakes of manufactured goods for April slid by 1.5 per cent to RM38.1 billion. 

Major export products for the month were E&E products (RM17.78 billion), liquefied natural gas (RM4.06 billion), refined petroleum products (RM4.08 billion), chemicals and chemical products (RM3.99 billion) and palm oil (RM4.04 billion). 

In terms of imports, Miti said the key categories by end-use were intermediate goods valued at RM34.16 billion or 62.3 per cent of the total, capital goods (RM8.1 billion or 14.8 per cent) and consumption goods (RM3.97 billion or 7.2 per cent).

Meanwhile, Malaysia's total trade for the first four months of the year was valued at RM433.26 billion, up 1.8 per cent over the corresponding period of 2012. 

Exports eased by 2.7 per cent to RM225.28 billion, while imports expanded by 7.1 per cent to RM207.98 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM17.29 billion. 

Among the top five trading partners, expansion in trade was recorded with Asean, with an increase of 4.8 per cent, China at 6.8 per cent, the European Union (five per cent) and the US (0.8 per cent). 

However, total trade with Japan went down by nine per cent to RM45.23 billion. 

According to the statistics, exports of manufactured goods in January-April 2013 decreased by 2.8 per cent to RM148.8 billion, accounting for 66.1 per cent of total exports. 

"The decrease in exports of manufactured goods was due mainly to lower exports of E&E products by 4.6 per cent, primarily storage units for computers. 

"Expansion in manufactured exports was, however, recorded for manufactures of metal aluminium alloy as well as processed food," it said. 

Exports of mining goods rose by 3.4 per cent to RM51.97 billion, while offtakes for agricultural goods contracted by 14.5 per cent to RM22.61 billion. 

Exports of palm oil and crude rubber decreased by 16.8 per cent and 15.4 per cent respectively, contributed mainly by lower prices. 

The ministry said total imports for the January-April period increased by 7.1 per cent to RM207.98. 

The main import categories by end-use were intermediate goods valued at RM124.24 billion or 59.7 per cent of total imports, capital goods (RM32.4 billion) and consumption goods (RM14.47 billion). 

Resource From: 

http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20130607144944/Article/#ixzz2VXv4ooXs

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