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2019 Haze in Tawau

The Tawau Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has advised fishermen and passenger boat operators to be alert and take safety precautions during the haze that has begun to hit the region’s waters.

The haze situation could lead to limited visibility. All maritime users must take precautions in Tawau waters which is also the route for commercial vessels and big boats.

Boat operators were advised not to use a maximum speed if their visibility is limited.

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Air pollution from burning forests in Indonesia has grown so bad on the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia that maritime operators need to exercise caution due to the restricted visibility conditions.

Indonesian plantation owners and farmers fueling the haze with giant forest fires, which are typically set in order to burn off natural habitat but sometimes grow out of control. In Indonesia, over two million acres have burned in recent weeks, and Singaporean environmental agency NEA says that it has identified nearly 1,300 hot spots - fires - in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

The fires have sent air pollution levels soaring in nearby Malaysia and Singapore: More than half of Malaysia's states and territories have logged "unhealthy" air quality levels over the past day, with pollution levels registering up to four times worse than Beijing's.

In Sarawak, Malaysia, where the haze has been especially bad, Deputy Chief Minister James Masing told the Malay Mail that Indonesia's government should buy face masks for Malaysian citizens. "Until they suffer economically, they will not take our complaints seriously," Masing said. Over 400 schools have been closed in Sarawak due to concerns over air pollution and health.

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