KUCHING: Air quality readings from the Department of Environment (DOE) this morning show conditions had worsened across the country, with five divisions recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, all attributed to haze.
DOE’s Deputy Director-General (Development) Azuri Azizah Saedon said in a statement that the 8 am readings recorded three areas in the good category, 60 in the moderate category, and five in the unhealthy category, driven by haze smoke moving in from various directions, particularly into Sarawak.
The five unhealthy readings were IPD Serian at 171, followed by Kuching and Samarahan, both at 154, Sri Aman at 139, and Bintulu at 124, according to the statement.
Citing a 7 August report by the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre based on NOAA-20 satellite imagery, the statement said 643 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan, 17 in Sumatra, and 25 within the country, comprising 22 in Sarawak, two in Selangor and one in Terengganu.
The regional haze map showed persistent dry weather across most of the southern ASEAN region, with moderate-to-thick smoke plumes from West Kalimantan drifting northward into western Sarawak, while central Sarawak was also affected by smoke from other parts of Kalimantan, it added.
DOE has stepped up enforcement and daily patrols in areas prone to open burning while continuing to monitor API readings, the statement said.
The National Open Burning Action Plan and National Haze Action Plan have been activated to coordinate government agencies responding to the open burning and haze situation.
Under the plan, the National Disaster Management Agency will activate disaster management committees if API readings exceed 150 for more than 24 hours, outdoor activities must stop once readings exceed 100, and schools, kindergartens and childcare centres must close immediately once readings exceed 200, with cloud seeding operations to be carried out subject to suitable weather when readings exceed 150 for more than 24 hours, according to the statement.
Landowners were advised to closely monitor fire-prone sites such as dump sites, forests, peatland, plantations and agricultural and industrial areas, and to take steps to prevent trespassing that could lead to open burning.
Penalties under the Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 2024 have been raised to a minimum of RM25,000 and a maximum of RM1,000,000, or up to five years’ jail, or both, with compounds of up to 50 per cent of the maximum fine also possible.
The public was urged to check hourly API readings via the DOE website or MyJAS EQMS app, refer to the Health Ministry’s website for health advice, avoid open burning, help extinguish small fires, and report open burning or fire cases to the Fire and Rescue Department at 999 or DOE at 1-800-88-2727.
