They could face up to 15 years in jail and heavy fines if found guilty of breaking Indonesian laws that ban starting forest fires.
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The thick, dirty white haze also blanketed many parts of Malaysia, with 30 out of 52 air pollutant stations recording unhealthy air levels, including in Kuala Lumpur and the administrative capital, Putrajaya.
Singapore’s air quality was considerably better on Thursday after torrential downpours the past two days, but race officials have warned that conditions could change quickly.
Indonesia has been battered by such forest fires since the 1990s, as the ensuing haze shrouded neighboring ASEAN countries and caused losses of billions of United States dollars.
Before he declared the environmental emergency, Arsyadjuliandi and several officials – including Riau Police chief Brig.
Singapore GP race organisers have issued a statement saying that there are no plans to deviate from the weekend’s racing schedule.
Meanwhile, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar was quoted as saying that the local authorities in Riau had been instructed to open health posts.
Its haze caused by brush fires – including many set on purpose-and illegally- to clear land to plant crops-largely palm oil and some timber operations.
Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Jaafar recently said he would meet with his Indonesian counterpart on September 18 and may sign a new pact to solve the haze problem. South Sumatra alone has reported 22,585 cases of acute respiratory tract infections since Friday.
A cloud of haze caused by farmers in neighbouring Indonesia has been hanging over the city state.
A number of outdoor events have also been affected.
Singapore’s schools will suspend outdoor and physical activities when pollution levels are in the “very unhealthy” range, the education ministry said, and will consider closing primary and secondary schools when it reaches a “hazardous” level. Last Sunday’s Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society Race Against Cancer was called off, while the organisers of the POSB Passion Run for Kids cancelled the 10km category and Kids’ Run from its line-up after the three-hour PSI hit 147.
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This year it has resulted in some flights being delayed or canceled, but the race authorities have said it could only threaten the event if “visibility, public health or operational issues” developed.
