What Say?

Explain this
(Article from the New Straits Times, 12 August 2005) This is simply unacceptable. How can this excuse saying that "it is a lifestyle that cannot be changed" be used? It is like saying we have been going to war with spears and stones for centuries, therefore we cannot switch to guns as it is difficult to stop using our own sticks and stones. It is somehow very illogical to be unable to educate the planters to switch to less destructive methods of land clearing as Indonesia has such a huge population. They are able to recruit more law enforcers as their economy is now improving. Indonesia is a member of the OPEC and therefore they have the energy to conduct surveillance. Malaysia is also an agriculture country. We have long forbid slash and burn methods even though there is a handful who are still ill-informed. Did our agriculture activities suffer? No! In fact, it flourished as there is less pollutants in the air which inhibits proper plant growth. If Indonesians cannot change their ways, why on earth do we provide help to them? It is clearly wasting our efforts as well as risking our firemens' lives. Maybe if we could hold our breath for a longer time, we should wait until there's nothing left to burn in Sumatera. Only then, the air will clear. For a very long time.

Traitors
Oi! These people are overboard! How can our own countrymen across the Straits do this to their homeland? Don't they know what is happening here? Malaysian cops should hop over there and throw all of them into jail, lock up their businesses and fine them. This is very shameful, with the fact that everyone is pointing their fingers at the Indonesians. These Malaysian firms better stop this heinous act as the world thinks we are actually self-destructing. What a shame.