I remember when the haze hit Malaysia in the 1997. Other than when Mt Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines and a layer of ash was deposited over our homes, Malaysians have never experienced anything like it before.

As in the late 1990s, the haze today is man-made. It is not a natural disaster. Yes, it may be dryer than usual but as reported, '10 Malaysian-owned companies operating in the region are among the culprits'. Let us not be hazy about this as the previous administration was. This time around we must demand compensation from these companies. Let them set up 10 hospitals in the nation as the medical implications of the haze are yet to be found out.

Of course, there are many Malaysians braying for the blood of Indonesia. Compensation was demanded. Really, if Indonesia was as rich as the US, that would be a logical request. As it is, we should be thankful that Indonesia does not implode economically and flood us with refugees.

I think the Indonesian government is doing a good job holding its people back. As with all problems that involves Indonesia, like the recent maid-torturing scandal, a big share of the blame lies with Malaysians.

Malaysia's ultimate problem is enforcement. We have the laws but we don't have enforcement because of the practice of 'kopi money' How many Malaysians know that we have the highest per-capita mortality rate from road accidents in the world? We are twice as high as the US and four times that of the UK. There you are, with or without Proton, Malaysia 'boleh'.

When corruption becomes a way of life, Malaysians will have to put up with the haze and high death rate on our superhighways. There is no culture of accountability here. Some ministers behave as though they are not even responsible to their own colleagues. Ex-politicians still maintain a luxurious way of life and are driven around with a police motorcade.

I am not sure if this is true but apparently one can hire a police motorcade to escort rich businessmen around as well. I am sure this is an urban legend because the Malaysian government would surely not allow it. Funnily enough, the Lord Mayor of London, a city whose economy and wealth far outstrips whatever Malaysians can think of, travels around by bus and train.

I am critical of the other aristocracy in Malaysia. They who are quite politically savvy, above public scrutiny and probably have some interest in the 10 companies responsible for the haze. If we were to apply British standards of governance to Malaysia, many would be dazed.

Hence the haze will always be around. There is no political force strong enough to change things. Even the tsunami did not change the way Penangites treat the sea. They still throw rubbish indiscriminately even after nature spat out their garbage onto Gurney Drive.

As the poet TS Eliot once wrote: 'Humankind cannot bear very much reality'. Malaysians will have to learn to live with the haze.