Kuala Lumpur is 2nd Friendliest City in the World

Hey, no haze today, not here on the peninsula and cleaner air too over at East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Check our the map below..

Back to Kuala Lumpur, did you know that KL has been voted the 2nd Friendliest City in the World? This is according to Bigseventravel.com

Says here on the website: "Malaysians are naturally friendly and nice to strangers, and Kuala Lumpur is the best example of this. The easy-going temperament of locals and their friendliness towards visitors means that it’s easy to make friends here. KL is a top spot for both tourists and expats."


There you have it. By the way 2020 is Visit Malaysia Year! So starting planning your trip now!

If you must know, Vancouver takes the top spot. "Vancouver takes top spot, thanks to its extraordinarily friendly residents. The city has an amazing multicultural community who band together to make visitors feel welcome and safe at all times. Locals are quick to offer assistance to tourists and the community vibe makes socialising in Vancouver simple."

Other cities making up the Top 10 are Bruges, Belgium (coming in at 3rd place), Taipei, Taiwan (4th), Hamburg, Germany (5th), Dublin, Ireland (6th), and Christchurch, New Zealand (7th), 8th is Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 9th is São Paulo, Brazil and at 10th is Glasgow, Scotland.

Other South-East Asian cities that make it to the Top 50 list are Chiang Mai, Thailand (11th), Siem Reap, Cambodia (20th), Singapore (24th), and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (46th).

The Haze in the Sky

We are still hazed here in Kuala Lumpur and most parts of Malaysia, East and West but at least the sun is able to shine through albeit looking like a salted egg yolk in the sky.

However, The Star reported that Number of areas with unhealthy API readings rises to 38.

In Kuala Lumpur, the API readings in Cheras and Batu Muda's API readings remained in the unhealthy category at 153 and 173 respectively, while Putrajaya recorded API reading of (138) followed by Minden (140) and Balik Pulau (151) in Penang.

Other areas with unhealthy API readings were Tangkak, Johor (106); Johan Setia Klang (193), Kuala Selangor (152), Petaling Jaya (148), Shah Alam (143), Klang (131), dan Banting (116) in Selangor and Nilai (140) and Seremban (124) in Negeri Sembilan.

An API between zero and 50 indicates good air quality; 51 and 100, moderate; 101 and 200, unhealthy; 201 and 300, very unhealthy and 301 and above, hazardous.

A look at the API reading in and around Kuala Lumpur..

Source:APIMS 

A bit of good news: DOE: Cloud seeding successfully brought down Sri Aman API from 400 to 125

Still hazy here in Kuala Lumpur and this part of the world

Woke up this morning to the smell of summer barbeques. Mmm.. Buffalo wings, burgers, sausages, potatoes, sweeet potatoes, grilled vegetables, racks of lamb, you name it. I wish!

No, the haze situation is much worse today vis-a-vis the days before. To give you an idea, check out the map below..

Source: http://apims.doe.gov.my/public_v2/home.html

How bad is the haze? According to MSN/FMT..

A total of 168 schools in the peninsula will be closed on Wednesday due to the haze shrouding the country.

Fifty-three schools in Nilai and Mantin have been ordered to close by the Negeri Sembilan education department after the air pollutant index (API) levels had passed 200 as of 9pm, although teachers and staff are still required to be present.

One hundred and fifteen schools in Sepang, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat, Klang and Sabak Bernam in Selangor under the Johan Setia, Nilai and Seri Manjung API stations will also be closed, while schools in Sepang, Hulu Langat and Petaling Perdana under the Putrajaya API station will be opened.

All schools in Putrajaya and Port Dickson will be reopened on Wednesday as readings remained below 200 and is expected to decrease.

As of 11pm on Tuesday, Sri Aman in Sarawak remained the only area with a hazardous API reading of 377, while very unhealthy readings were recorded in Seri Manjung, Perak (219), Nilai, Negeri Sembilan (208), Kuching, Sarawak (210) and Johan Setia, Selangor (232) at 10pm.

An API reading of 0-50 shows good air quality, 51-100 moderate, 101-200 unhealthy; 201-300, very unhealthy, and over 300 hazardous.

Putrajaya, PJ at very unhealthy levels as haze continues

More areas recorded very unhealthy air pollutant index (API) levels of above 200 this morning, including Balik Pulau in Penang, Putrajaya, Petaling Jaya, Klang and Shah Alam as the haze that has shrouded many parts of the country for weeks continues.


Kuching declared ‘world’s most air-polluted city’, KL is 3rd
KL is the THIRD most air polluted city in the world! - according to US-based website World’s Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index that monitors air pollution across the globe.

Each city’s air quality is rated based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings where:

0 – 50 is “good”
51 – 100 is “moderate”
101 – 200 is “unhealthy”
201 – 300 is “very unhealthy”
Above 300 is “hazardous”

On the World AQI Ranking today (17th September), Kuching holds the world’s most air-polluted crown with a detrimental API of 220, while “lucky” number 3 is KL with an unhealthy API of 157.

On the bright side, Indonesia, Malaysia in close contact over haze
Plus, the impending monsoon in a month or so would see some good rain to clear the air.

Hazier today in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is at an unhealthy level today as the API shows..courtesy of APIMS. Looks like East Malaysia on the Borneo Island is clearing up.

I took a shot of the KL skyline on Sept 11 and pitched it against what it's like on a clear day - the good and the bad. Like life, yes?

A precaution to take in a haze situation is:

To drink more water and increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. They help the body to flush out toxins absorbed through the skin and lungs, and improve the immune system. Taking more anti-inflammatory fruits and vegetables also help to reduce inflammation that may be triggered by harmful fine particles in the air. Cut down on alcohol and coffee as they promote fluid loss and may leach nutrients from the body.

Others include:

- Avoid outdoor activities, especially outdoor sports. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those suffering from chronic illnesses, especially heart and respiratory disease, should remain indoors when haze hits unhealthy levels. Healthy adults should avoid unnecessary outdoor activities. If you must exercise outdoor, avoid exercising in highly congested areas near busy roads and freeways, particularly during rush hours.

- Close all windows, doors and any openings that may allow haze to enter your home and office. Turn on the air conditioner if you have one. Note: If the weather is unusually warm, it can become dangerous if you stay indoor with no fresh air intake and no air conditioner. In this case, seek alternative shelter.

- Use an air purifier to keep the particulate levels low. Choose an air purifier that is suitable for the size and type of your home. Avoid air cleaners that generate ozone as they may generate more air pollutants. If you have multiple rooms, each room may need to be equipped with one air purifier to ensure the air is cleaned efficiently. Regularly replace the filters in the air purifier according to manufacturer’s instructions.

More here on How to Protect Yourself from Haze.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Today, September 13, is Mid-Autumn Festival or what is popularly known in Malaysia as the Mooncake Festival or the Lantern Festival though not to be confused with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the 1st Lunar month, i.e. the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

This festival is one of the important festivals celebrated by ethnic Chinese all over the world. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar Calendar. According to Wikipedia, it is also celebrated by the Korean and Vietnamese people.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Here in Malaysia, Buddhist/Taoist families would make offerings to the Moon Goddess. Families would sit down to a hearty meal reflective of a wholesome family coming together. For more information on this Mid-Autumn Festival, you may want to check out Wikipedia.

So if you are celebrating, wherever you are, I wish you a Happy Mooncake Festival!

Courtesy of Travelchinaguide