SHAH ALAM: The worsening haze in Shah Alam is keeping many of its residents indoors.
Favourite weekend’s hangouts including the Shah Alam Lake and the Dataran Kemerdekaan field were devoid of the usual weekend crowd.
Even the Shah Alam Stadium market which is usually teeming with people on weekends was markedly less busy.
Food truck operator Sarida Khamis, 55, said ever since haze hit the country, the locals are shying away from outdoor recreational places.
“I think the people are choosing to stay at home or take their family to indoor places like the shopping malls during weekends.
“Even the regular joggers are not out this morning,” said Sarida who has been selling drinks and snacks at the Shah Alam Lake for the past 30 years.
At the Shah Alam market, fish seller Mohd Kamal Afiq, 24, said business has dropped about 30 per cent because of haze.
“Less people are buying fish at the market and making matters worse, fish supply has also become inconsistent.
“On days where haze is worse than usual, fishermen cannot go out to the sea because visibility is poor.
“Like today, there is not much supply as usual,” he said.
Vegetable seller Abdul Rahim Muhammad, 58, said his health has been compromised because of the unhealthy air.
“I could not wear the mask because my customers will not be able to hear what I have to say.
“My coughing fits worsened until it affected my bladder control,”