Thread by @SpeakUpAtWork

I see a lot of Malaysians and Singaporeans complaining about the haze (toxic smoke that blankets South East Asia nearly every year, since 1997 or before). How about doing something about it. Here are some suggestions...:

FIND OUT. There is data everywhere. Besides DOE, @Greenpeace is a good place to start. There is data showing API readings, heat maps etc. But there are also a lot of gaps.

@Greenpeace As citizens, you have every right to demand answers. Ask the Malaysian and Indonesian governments: where is the burning, on whose land?

@Greenpeace What causes the fires? 1. Peat (which causes smouldering underground and breaks out into fires, due to removal of moisture underground) - how did wet land become peat?

@Greenpeace 2. Slash and burn by small holders? (a bit like the Amazon) How about educating them on more sustainable methods.

@Greenpeace 3. Illegal clearing and burning, perhaps on land owned by palm oil conglomerates? Legally, they are responsible for what happens on their land. They need to act.

@Greenpeace 4. Poverty? Considering that the South East Asian rainforest, much like the Amazon are considered "lungs of the world", what are we doing to convince the developing world that they should contribute to sustaining these lungs?

@Greenpeace 5. Big companies like oil palm owners? I am tired on Malaysian companies hiding behind Indonesian facades - we need names, transparency ... where are the investigative journalists?

@Greenpeace 6. Corruption? I'm glad @jokowi has done so much to clamp down on illegal burning after the 2015 BIG Haze, but there is much more. We need to continue the pressure. I hate name and shame, but perhaps only that works. @globalwitness @anticorruption

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption Learn about the laws. What happened to the ASEAN Transboundary Pollution Agreement (or am I imagining one). Singapore has a TBPA - how well does it work? @malaysianbar drafted one, will @yeobeeyin table it? Our right to sue for pollution across the borders.

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin AND - Something every person can do: Pressure retailers. Tell them you don't want any product which burns our forests. Half the supermarket has palm oil. ASK - which ones have @RSPOtweets - where the entire supply chain of palm oil is produced sustainably.

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets I'm conscious that our Love Our Palm Oil Minister (thanks @KiuJiaYaw) needs to do some serious rethinking. Stop cosying up to the palm oil lobby and hold them accountable instead. Pressure them to be sustainable.

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw What is our health data @DrDzul - have hospitals and clinics recorded higher respiratory symptoms since the Haze began? What is the impact of API over 150 on a person's health, deaths? Do we have stats?

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw @DrDzul How is tourism affected during the haze season? Lower bookings? How about flight cancellations? @MAS @AirAsia. Is anyone calculating the damage to various industries?

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw @DrDzul @MAS @AirAsia Does MEF have data on MCs - how many people call in sick since the Haze began? Has productivity dropped? How about previous haze seasons? @mkula.

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw @DrDzul @MAS @AirAsia @mkula We need to understand how this haze which happens for weeks/months impacts the environment, health and the economy @theothernadster @IMMikhailHafiz @idlanzak @yinshaoloong @tangtkk

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw @DrDzul @MAS @AirAsia @mkula @theothernadster @IMMikhailHafiz @idlanzak @yinshaoloong @tangtkk Has @yeobeeyin brought in scientists, engineers, lawyers, geologists, climatologists, environmentalists to discuss solutions? Short, medium and long term solutions. Perhaps offer help to Indonesia? @khorreports

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw @DrDzul @MAS @AirAsia @mkula @theothernadster @IMMikhailHafiz @idlanzak @yinshaoloong @tangtkk @khorreports What citizens need to do is: Demand real data, ask for transparency, demand sustainable products, pressure companies involved in deforestation and burning, hold politicians accountable, lobby your MP. Make noise.

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw @DrDzul @MAS @AirAsia @mkula @theothernadster @IMMikhailHafiz @idlanzak @yinshaoloong @tangtkk @khorreports What reporters need to do: investigate (deep) and report. We need hard facts, not soundbites from politicians @tashny @jsadiq @marclourdes @SharaadKuttan @zurairi @MelGohCNA @melisa_idris. Want some leads? I can DM you.

@Greenpeace @jokowi @globalwitness @anticorruption @malaysianbar @yeobeeyin @RSPOtweets @KiuJiaYaw @DrDzul @MAS @AirAsia @mkula @theothernadster @IMMikhailHafiz @idlanzak @yinshaoloong @tangtkk @khorreports @tashny @jsadiq @marclourdes @SharaadKuttan @zurairi @MelGohCNA @melisa_idris

https://twitter.com/SpeakUpAtWork/status/1173245764388233216