KUALA LUMPUR: Prior to their arrival here, Suzanne Rammond and her husband, from New Zealand, had prepared themselves for the haze, which is choking several parts of the country.
They, however, did not expect the situation to be that bad to the extent that the city and nearby areas registered unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings of more than 140.
She said they planned to visit iconic landmarks like the Petronas Twin Towers and other tourist hotspots in the city.
“I did not expect the haze to be this bad. Many people here are affected by it.
“Due to the haze, we plan to scale back on our outdoor activities and visit the malls instead.
“Although we cannot really see the Petronas Twin Towers, which is quite disappointing, we will still make the best of our visit here,” Suzanne, 71, told the New Straits Times.
Ray Connolly and his wife, Moare, aged 52 and 46 respectively, from Dublin said they were disappointed with the air quality in the city following the worsening haze situation.
“Haze is affecting our activities here. I see many people wearing face masks. And there is not much to see due to the thick smoke.
“We prefer to spend our time indoors. I do not have the chance to explore the city due to the haze.
“And it is not pleasant as well since we cannot clearly see the sun during the day.”
Another tourist, who is an avid biker, said the haze had limited her activities.
“I cannot go out strolling or biking since the situation is getting worse,” the tourist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
She described the haze as “disgusting” and hoped that the situation would improve.
Nur Aisyah Fitriani, 28, a local, said she was concerned about the health of her three children, aged between 2 and 6.
“I initially planned to take a ride on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) to Kuala Lumpur City Centre shopping mall.
“But then, I decided to drive here instead as I am worried that the haze will affect the health of my son and two daughters.”
An employee at a private company, Noorull Shahida, 33, said the haze compelled her to have her lunch indoors.
“Many of my friends are unwell due to the haze. Hence, we prefer to spend our lunch break indoors to protect ourselves from the haze.”