Heat, haze, drought: Malaysia’s El Niño reckoning

A video circulating online (see above) shows how economies worldwide are set to suffer under El Niño. Malaysia will not be spared.

Climate change and El Niño have already destabilised many parts of the world. Malaysia is feeling it too.

Heatwave and drought

People in Malaysia are already complaining about the heat. Haze is making the air harder to breathe. Droughts now look possible.

Farm produce will take a beating. Even small home gardens are feeling the strain, let alone large plantations and seasonal crops.

Cloud seeding seems to be the only solution on offer.

The federal government’s debt is already RM1.3tn. Climate change could push it higher still, as an increasingly import-dependent economy – costlier food and fuel imports, a weaker ringgit, and mitigation costs like cloud seeding and flood relief – pressures the government and the people to spend more.

Public health is at risk too. Extreme heat and haze put extra strain on the heart and lungs. This lands hardest on an ageing population with already-rising rates of heart disease, diabetes and cancer – leaving hospitals short of treatment options and beds.

We may not be able to change the course of El Niño through nationwide prayers. But the country can take proactive steps to soften its impact.

Protecting outdoor workers

One immediate priority is the tens of thousands of outdoor gig economy workers, especially delivery riders, who contribute significantly to the economy.

We need to look seriously at their working conditions. More than anyone else, they are exposed to air pollution, scorching heat and unstable weather as El Niño takes hold.

The transport and human resources ministries could work together on measures to protect these workers from the sun and haze.

We also need to educate the public on personal safety measures to protect health and wellbeing. This should be done consistently, through campaigns involving both the public and private sectors.

Schools should act too. Beyond limiting children’s exposure to haze and rising temperatures, they should teach pupils why the environment matters, not just for people’s health, but for the nation’s long-term wealth.

Saving the green lungs

We also need to pull the brakes on deforestation to make way for unsustainable mega-projects. These projects should instead be required to include forests, wildlife, trees, parks and green spaces.

We cannot keep claiming that felled timber earns money. That same timber, once lost, deepens the effects of climate change and El Niño, and can cost lives, crops and property through floods, droughts and fires.

Local councils should also stop their knee-jerk reactions, felling trees indiscriminately wherever foliage is seen as a safety risk. Smart pruning would reduce the risk while still adding value to the environment.

We should spare the green lungs in developed areas from being preyed upon. Too often, these spaces are cleared by greedy developers and turned into concrete jungles. Abandoned projects could instead be reviewed and repurposed as new green lungs.

We are not in a position to wait and see. We cannot react only once the crisis becomes full blown.

Our immediate national priority is to brace for the impact of El Niño. That also means politicians must stop their never-ending jostling for power, and unite instead to strengthen the country’s ability to tackle climate change.

Support Aliran's work with an online donation. Scan this QR code using your mobile phone e-wallet or banking app: