KUCHING: Four areas in Sarawak were among seven nationwide recording unhealthy air quality today (Aug 23), as haze worsened due to smoke drifting in from multiple directions.
According to a statement by the Department of Environment (DOE), the Air Pollutant Index (API) recorded on its’ website at 11 am showed 61 areas nationwide at moderate levels, while seven logged unhealthy readings: IPD Serian (190), Kuching (180), Sri Aman (176) and Samarahan (173) in Sarawak; Johan Setia, Selangor (158); Sungai Petani, Kedah (151); and Taiping, Perak (109).
DOE said today’s deterioration, marked by a rise in unhealthy readings including Taiping and several Sarawak areas, was caused by haze smoke movement from various directions.
Citing the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) in Singapore, DOE said NOAA-20 satellite imagery on Aug 22 detected 406 hotspots in Kalimantan, 174 in Sumatra and eight within Malaysia – one each in Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu, and five in Sarawak.
An ASMC regional haze map issued on Saturday (Aug 22) showed dry weather across most of southern ASEAN, barring rain in northeast Borneo and northern Peninsular Malaysia, with moderate to dense smoke over central and southern Sumatra.
Some monitoring stations in West Kalimantan, western Sarawak and southern and central Sumatra recorded Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy readings, though cloud cover limited full visibility of the situation.
DOE said it had stepped up enforcement and daily patrols in fire-prone areas.
The National Open Burning Action Plan and National Haze Action Plan have been activated to coordinate government agencies.
Under the plan, schools, kindergartens and childcare centres must close once API readings exceed 200, outdoor activities must stop above 100, and cloud seeding may be carried out when readings exceed 150 for more than 24 hours.
The public was urged to avoid open burning, report fires to the Fire and Rescue Department at 999 or DOE at 1-800-88-2727, and monitor hourly API readings via the MyJAS EQMS app.
Landowners were reminded that penalties under the Environmental Quality Act (Amendment) 2024 have been raised to a minimum RM25,000 and a maximum RM1 million, or up to five years’ jail, or both.
